The Little Prince
70th Anniversary Edition
Wirton Arvel
ISBN 9781519724984
eISBN 9781987892666
ASIN B00SP9KG34
I seem to record reading this almost exactly every 10 years. I have owned a few different paperback editions, and it was one of the first books I gave my wife when we were dating. This is the edition I read in 2015 and again in 2025. I have both this English edition and the parallel French-English edition.
The description of this edition states:
“70th Anniversary Edition - Unabridged with large original illustrations, and additional drawings by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (from "Lettres a l'inconnue"). It contains also a short story (postscript) by Wirton Arvott.
One of the most-translated book in the world
It was voted the best book of the 20th century in France
Translated into more than 250 languages and dialects
A poetic tale of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss,
with watercolour illustrations by the author,
in which a pilot stranded in the desert meets
a young alien prince fallen to Earth from a tiny asteroid
The story, though ostensibly styled as a children's book
is philosophical and includes social criticism,
making several observations about life and human nature
and remarking on the strangeness of the adult world.”
I highlighted a few passages my most current read through this book.
“And if all these reasons aren't enough, then I'd like to dedicate it to the child this grown-up used to be. All grown-ups started life as children. (But not many of them remember that.)”
“Grown-ups can never understand anything on their own, and it's exhausting for children always to have to be explaining things to them…”
“For sure, those of us who understand about life couldn't care less about numbers!”
“Well then, you can judge yourself,—the King replied.—That's the most difficult thing of all. It's much more difficult to make a judgment on yourself than on anyone else. If you can manage to judge yourself well, you're a truly wise person.”
This is one of the earliest book I recorded reading when I started keeping track in the fall of 1995. My children loved The Little Prince TV Series that ran from 2010 to 2017. They also enjoyed the series The Adventures of the Little Prince from 1978. And as a family we loved the 2015 Movie, The Little Prince. But there is something different and special about the book.
I am always moved and inspired when I read this little volume. I have long been fascinated with this story and with the author. Over time I have tracked down a number of his volumes that are available in English, but had never got around to reading the, that will change after reading this volume. This edition has a story written by the translator at the end. In the style of this work, it is well worth the read.
I wonder if anyone has done a study on his Catholicism and its impact on his works. I am also curious if the handful of works not available in English will be translated.
This is a volume that children will love, and yet still has the power to cause older readers to smile, be amused, be encourage, and to be honest challenge. It is an excellent read for all stages of life.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!
Other Books by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
A Guide for Grown-ups
A Sense Of Life
Airman's Odyssey
Flight to Arras
Letters to a Hostage
Night Flight
Southern Mail
The Aviator
The Wild Garden
The Wisdom of the Sands
Wartime Writings 1939-1944
Wind, Sand and Stars
…
33 Days A Memoir - Leo Werth – Forward
…
Books about Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
Discovering the Hidden Wisdom of the Little Prince – Pierre Lassus
Saint-Exupéry A Biography - Stacy Schiff
Studio Saint-Ex - Ania Szado
The Tale of the Rose - Consuelo de Saint-Exupery
…
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