SaintExupéry

SaintExupéry, whose full name was Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, was a French writer and aviator born on 29 June 1900 in Lyon. He became a pioneering pilot with the French postal airline Aéropostale, flying dangerous routes across Africa and South America. His experiences in the cockpit informed a distinctive literary voice that blended memoir, philosophy, and literary prose.

Among his notable works are Night Flight (Vol de nuit, 1931) and Wind, Sand and Stars (Terre des hommes, 1939). The latter combines reportage, reflection, and aviation lore, and contributed to his international reputation as a writer who could convey both the technical and human dimensions of flight.

Saint-Exupéry is best known for The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince), published in 1943. The novella tells of a young traveler who leaves his asteroid and visits various planets, using a simple, allegorical narrative to explore themes of friendship, responsibility, love, and the nature of grown-up thinking. The Little Prince has been translated into hundreds of languages and is widely regarded as one of the most-translated and best-selling books in the world, frequently taught in schools and adapted for film, theater, and other media.

During World War II, Saint-Exupéry served as a reconnaissance pilot with the Free French Air Forces. He disappeared on a mission over the Mediterranean on 31 July 1944, and his fate remains unresolved; his body was never recovered. His legacy endures in his influential writings and in the enduring popularity of The Little Prince, which continues to resonate for its humanistic themes and its celebration of imagination and empathy.

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