Released in 1896 by Harper & Bros.; first edition contained 461 pages and 37 illustrations; it was published in serial installments in Harper's Magazine in April 1895 to April 1896.			The novel was published anonymously in Harper's because Twain felt that the work wouldn't be taken seriously with his name attached to it.
Twain used only two books to research the first two-third of the novel; for the final section, covering Joan's trial, Twain used five or six books.				Twain presents his most extensive descriptions of war in this novel.
Although many critics received Joan Of Arc less than enthusiastically, Twain considered it his greatest and most important work.			The book is presented as fictional translator Jean Francois Alden's English rendering of the fictional Sieur Louis de Conte's ancient French manuscript about the life of Joan of Arc; de Conte is probably intended as an alter-ego of Twain — they even share the same initials, S.L.C.

At eight o'clock all movement ceased, and with it all sounds, all noise. A mute expentancy reigned. The stillness was something awful — because it meant so much. There was no air stirring. The flags on the towers and ramparts hung straight down like tassels. Wherever one saw a person, that person had stopped what he was doing, and was in a waiting attitude, a listening attitude. We were on a commanding spot, clustered around Joan. Not far from us, on every hand, were the lanes and humble dwellings of these outlying suburbs. Many people were visible — all were listening, not one was moving. A man had placed a nail; he was about to fasten something with it to the door-post of his shop — but he had stopped. There was his hand reaching up holding the nail; and there was his other hand in the act of striking with the hammer; but he had forgotten everything — his head was turned aside, listening. Even children unconsciously stopped in their play; I saw a little boy with his hoop-stick pointed slanting toward the ground in the act of steering the hoop around the corner; and so he had stopped and was listening — the hoop was rolling away, doing its own steering. I saw a young girl prettily framed in an open window, a watering-pot in her hand and window-boxes of red flowers under its spout — but the water had ceased to flow; the girl was listening. Everywhere were these impressive petrified forms; and everywhere was suspended movement and that awful stillness.

Joan of Arc raised her sword in the air. At the signal, the silence was torn to rags: cannon after cannon vomited flames and smoke and delivered its quaking thunders; and we saw answering tongues of fire dart from the towers and walls of the city, accompanied by answering deep thunders, and in a minute the walls and towers disappeared, and in their place stood vast banks and pyramids of snowy smoke, motionless in the dead air. The startled girl dropped her watering-pot and clasped her hands together, and at that moment a stone cannon-ball crashed through her fair body.

Personal Recollections Of Joan Of Arc is a historical novel covering the life of France's famed martyr, written from the point of view of Sieur Louis de Comte, Joan's lifelong friend. The book begins in Domremy, Joan's and Louis' childhood village. Several episodes from their early years are recounted. Shortly after France is invaded by the English in 1421, Joan begins hearing voices, which tell her that she is destined to lead France to victory over the English.

After her 17th birthday, Joan leaves her village and organizes a small band of men to ride to the king, who has recently been defeated in battle. Joan is invited to meet the king, and impresses him with her intelligence. After she is thoroughly investigated by religious and official authorities, she is named General-in-chief of the Armies of France.

Joan first major victory is capturing the English fort at St. Loup. It is the first major French victory in more than half a year. Shortly afterwards, Joan leads an assualt on the English fort at Tourelles. A victory there ends the English siege at Orleans, one of Joan's greatest victories.

Joan receives a vision that she will have a major victory in the next four days, and will die a harsh death within two years. On the plains of La Beauce, Joan leads another victory over English forces in the Battle of Patay, and this time she predicts that English power over France has been broken for a thousand years. Joan accompanies the king to Rheims, where he is coronated.

Joan's next mission is to take Paris back from the English. While camping at St. Denis, on the outskirts of the city, Joan is wounded. Joan's army is disbanded by the king, and Joan is heartbroken.

Over the next eight months, Joan accompanies the king to battles around the country, occasionally leading the troops. In 1430, near Compiegne, Joan is captured by the English, who decide to try Joan at Rouen for religious heresy.

On Feb. 21, 1431, Joan's trial begins, presided over by the Bishop Cauchon. The judges, for days on end, rail at Joan to tell what her voices have revealed, which she steadfastly refuses to do. After three inconclusive trials, the fourth brings a report from doctors of theology in Paris finding Joan guilty of 12 lies. Only when faced with the burning stake and a sentence of death does Joan agree to sign a paper accepting her crime. However, she is tricked, and another paper is substituted for the one she believes she is signing. This substitute says that she admits to being a sorceress. On May 29, Joan is sentenced to be burned at the stake for being a relapsed heretic, an event that takes place shortly afterwards.