Beyond the Myth: The Story of Joan of Arc
A scholarly, well-written biography of France's great heroine, Beyond the Myth is thorough, interesting, and full of detail about this remarkable woman and the time in which she lived. In addition to an historical introduction, Brooks also discusses various interpretations of Joan's visions, and then makes her own thoughtful analysis. The book also contains a comprehensive, annotated bibliography. The black-and-white illustrations have been carefully selected and are aptly placed within the text; there are also two excellent maps. Brooks' book is a good complement to Williams' classic Joan of Arc (American Heritage, 1963; o.p.) which, while more condensed in its text, effectively relates Joan's story and has superb full-color illustrations. A more recent study, Banfield's Joan of Arc (Chelsea, 1985; o.p.), is skimpy in detail and contains many factual errors; its numerous illustrations are, for the most part, poorly selected and explained. Goodwin's Where the Towers Pierce the Sky (Four Winds, 1989), a recent time-travel fantasy, treats Joan in the simplistic manner typical of popular fiction. In contrast, Brooks writes for serious readers, and her book, although challenging, is richly rewarding. It will certainly become the definitive Joan of Arc biography for young adults. --Ann W. Moore, formerly at Lane Road Library, Columbus, OHCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.