ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY, the "Winged Poet," was born in Lyon, France, in 1900. A pilot at twenty-six, he was a pioneer of commercial aviation and flew in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. His writings include The Little Prince , Wind, Sand and Stars , Night Flight , Southern Mail , and Airman's Odyssey . In 1944, while flying a reconnaissance mission for his French air squadron, he disappeared over the Mediterranean.
Features & Highlights
OVER 140 MILLION COPIES SOLDThe beloved classic story about a young prince's travels through space—a profound tale about loneliness and loss, and love and friendship—in French.
A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert and encounters a strange young boy who calls himself the Little Prince. The Little Prince has traveled there from his home on a lonely, distant asteroid with a single rose. The story that follows is a beautiful and at times heartbreaking meditation on human nature.
The Little Prince
is one of the best-selling and most translated books of all time, universally cherished by children and adults alike. In this French edition, the artwork has been restored to match in detail and in color Saint-Exupéry's original artwork.
Customer Reviews
Rating Breakdown
★★★★★
60%
(7.3K)
★★★★
25%
(3K)
★★★
15%
(1.8K)
★★
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Most Helpful Reviews
★★★★★
5.0
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Classic French book. Timeless and ageless.
I read it in high school French and am using it to polish up a bit (although I never expect to be fluent or understand a word a real French speaker says at normal speed). The benefit is it's just hard enough and it is never boring. I find that I can read most of it quite easily and having to look up a word every line or two helps me learn. When I'm done, I'll go back and try to read it like a book. I have an English translation, and I enjoy seeing how I would translate it differently.
There's not much to say that others have not already said by others, so, I'll just say read it. You won't be sorry.
37 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Très Beau Livre pour Tous et Toujours
I read this book first for a high school French class and decided to revisit it a few years later. Once I opened the first page, I couldn't put it down. This is a heartbreakingly beautiful story about love, friendship, and innocence. When I first read it as a freshman, I couldn't believe I was being forced to read a book for "babies," and I skipped many of the pages and passages that I couldn't understand. However, this book is exceptionally powerful and goes much deeper than the average children's novel. It has important lessons and reminders for someone of any age, and as I've come back to it over the years, I've found new ones each time. There is an unexplainable magic and warmth that surrounds this book, and I would sincerely recommend it to anyone.
There are benefits to buying this book in French, if you are able. The English translation is nice, but the French seems to be much more "complete" and satisfying. It reads like it was meant to be read. This book is also fantastic for language learning. I first read it in my third year of studying French, and while I found it to be difficult at the time, I was surprised by how much I recognized and was able to understand. All in all, in English or in French, this book is a classic for a reason, and I would encourage everyone to discover its spell for themselves.
37 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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A novel that adults and children will cherish forever!
Le Petit Prince, published more than half a century ago, endures into the twenty-first century as a beautifully written children's novel and a powerful philosophic work that speaks volumes about love and friendship. Written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery during World War II, Le Petit Prince was published as a children's story, but soon became recognized the world over as a profound introspective statement. By using the novel as a type of allegory, Saint-Exupery was able to write a commentary on life as he had lived it. The novel takes readers on a fantastic journey through the universe that, by the end, will have even the most hardened soul in tears.
The novel, although simply written, is not simple in style or in taste. Saint-Exupery uses powerful metaphors, similes, and analogies to address the very abstract themes of love and friendship. By personifying many of the personality traits that make up a true friend, Saint-Exupery makes these complicated issues so simple that even a child could understand. This is, of course, what Saint-Exupery had in mind all along.
I loved Le Petit Prince and have read many of my favorites parts to members of my family and just about anyone else who will listen. That is the magic of this novel. Beautifully written and illustrated, it will have you coming back to relive the adventures of the little prince time and time again. Through the eyes of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, this often-troubling world becomes a universe filled with the possibilities of true friendship and lasting love.
11 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Tres Bon!!!
Je suis une etudiante Americaine qui etudie la Francaise a mon ecole. Nous avons lu ce livre l'annee derniere, et je l'aime!!! C'etait nos devoirs pendant quelques semaines, et je pense que ce livre est un tres bon method pour apprendre la langue Francaise!
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I'm an american student who's studying french at my school. We read this book last year, and I love it!!! It was our homework for several weeks, and I think this book is a great way to learn French!
9 people found this helpful
★★★★★
2.0
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Antichildren's Book
I love the fantasy and the art work that is in this book. What bothers me is that this "children's" book uses suicide as an answer to the main character's problem. I can't help but wonder what negative connotations this sends a child before they reach the turbulent teen years.
7 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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life lessons
I read this book a year ago with my French 4 Advanced Placement class. It is still sitting on the head of my bed, because I have read it multiple times and refer to it often. I have never been more inspired, nor more changed, by any one novel. The lessons that are meant to help children grow into admirable adults can teach us adults so much more. I looked at everything differently once I finished reading this book. I learned so many invaluable lessons that I will carry with me forever. I am absolutely sure that I will read this to my children someday. The lessons I learned, from not judging someone by what they look like to getting my priorities straight, have forever changed the way I treat people and the way I live. I believe I am more mature now because of the impact this book had on me.
7 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Favorite book
I know it's for children, but I didn't actually read this until my college boyfriend told me it was his favorite childhood book. I can see why it's a classic and every time I reread it, something new resonates with me. It's become a tradition that I gift this book at baby showers. It's definitely too advanced for a very young child, but it'll be worth it later. I bought a copy for my sister-in-law's first baby--he's 4 now so he doesn't really have the attention span for most books, but I showed him the pictures and summarized the story and surprisingly, he sat there for ~15 min listening eagerly, asking questions, and laughing about how ridiculous adults can be. I own and usually purchase the English version of this, but I recently gifted this French version to my friend's baby. I can vouch for this being a very nice copy with vibrant illustrations, but I can't actually read French...I'm sure the nuances are clearer though since it's the original language.
4 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Lovely!
The French Language Edition is lovely! I had just wanted to practice my French, and I was very pleasantly surprised when it arrived! It's printed on thick, glossy pages, and it makes a beautiful keepsake.
4 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Très Bien
Ce livre est le meilleur livre que j'ai lu en français. C'était tellement doux. Le dérnière chapitre me fait triste, mais je l'aime beaucoup.
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Classic in any lanugage
I've read this book many times, sometimes in English, sometimes in French. I've read it for pleasure. I've studied it. I've taught it. I love it. The fox's secret is an important lesson for us all and one I appreciate being reminded of. I recommend this book to anyone, it's been translated into over 100 languages. (It's been translated more than any book besides the Bible I've heard.) I love sharing it with people which is why I will teach it as long as I'm teaching and I will read it aloud to my children when I have them.