Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc

Written from the perspective of Sieur Louis de Conte—Joan of Arc’s ficticious secretary—this beloved novel stands as a respected source of well-researched, yet ficticious, narrative. Originally published anonymously (Twain feared if readers saw his name, they would expect a humorous narrative), this volume has since seen dozens of reprints, republications, and a massive distribution. The novel follows three main phases of her life: her youth, her time as commander of the French military, and her trial and execution. The whole work is presented as a translation of a journal kept by the ficticious Sieur Louis de Conte, translated by the ficticious Jean Francois Alden.