Antoine de Saint-Exupery: Books

When a person hears the phrase “Antoine de Saint-Exupéry books”, the first likely title to come to mind is The Little Prince. It is a completely logical question, since Le Petit Prince (1943) is one of the best-known philosophical and children's novels in the world. However, apart from the aforementioned publication, the legendary French aviator completed seven more texts.

On the whole, Saint-Exupéry's written creations represent the singular reflection of a pilot and a warrior able to describe the adventure with the perspective of a poet. Similarly, the literary work of the native of Lyon was recognized during his lifetime with several awards thanks to books such as Night flight (1931) o Land of men (1939)

Analysis of the books of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The ubiquitous theme

From the debut of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Aviator (1926), aeronautics represented a double source of inspiration. On the one hand, it is the main topic of his work, where the pursuit of a vocation could cost the protagonists their lives. On the other hand, aviation is the central axis of heroic deeds that give rise to reflections on the world and on oneself.

These lines of argument are evident in South mail (south mail, 1929), whose main character —the pilot Jacques Bernis— dies in the Río de Oro desert. Night flight (Night flight, 1931) is dedicated to extolling the glory of the first pilots in history. Those pioneers did not hesitate to face death in order to rigorously fulfill their duty.

A real life adventurer

The personal experiences of the Gallic author constitute the thematic nucleus of Land of men (Land of men, 1939). In this case, The aircraft is a perfect item for observation and exploration of the world. At the same time, it serves to reveal the intrinsic solidarity in the fraternal efforts of people in pursuit of their goals.

Notably, thanks to his exploits in aviation—plus the fact that he survived several accidents—Saint-Exupéry had a worldwide reputation. Then, he used his own memoirs in order to extol the cooperation, individual responsibility and dedication to universal human values.

literary evolution

Towards the end of the 1930s, Saint-Exupéry's writings demonstrate the elaboration of a more lyrical, noble and moving language. In this sense, war pile (War pilot, 1942) is a personal evocation about a reconnaissance flight made in May 1940. The mission in question was executed with a spirit of sacrifice and completed against all odds.

During his stay in the United States, Saint-Exupéry wrote Lettre à un otage (Letter to a hostage), published in 1944. This text it is a call to the unity of all French people, a sentiment consistent with their fidelity to the French resistance. Despite this, he never hid his animosity towards General Charles de Gaulle, the military and political leader of Free France.

The pilot turned legend

Without place to doubts Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince, 1944) made Antoine de Saint-Exupéry an immortal figure in world literature. It is a children's fable for adults with a sublime reminder, concise and imperishable: the best things in life are the simplest. Accordingly, a person can only attain true wealth when he is capable of giving to others.

Finally, the growing despair in the gaze of the Lyonnais aviator is clearly represented in Citadel (Citadel, 1948). This is a posthumous volume of philosophical deliberations around a persistent idea in the last stage of the French writer. This belief affirms that the most lasting reason for human existence is to be the repository of the principles of civilization.

Annex: six sempiternal phrases of The Little Prince

• "All the big people have been kids before. (But few remember)”.
• “When the mystery is too impressive it is not possible to disobey”.
• “It is much more difficult to judge yourself than others. If you can judge yourself, you are a true sage.”
• “It is sad to forget a friend. Not everyone has had one."
• “Here is my secret. It is very simple: one does not see well but with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes".
• "The time you wasted for your rose makes your rose so important."

About the Author

Birth, family, childhood and youth

Antoine-Marie-Roger de Saint-Exupéry was born on June 29, 1900 in Lyon, France. Orphaned at the age of four, he was the third of five children in a well-respected aristocratic family in his hometown. Nevertheless, the future writer was not an outstanding student, moreover, he failed the entrance exam to the École Naval (Naval Academy).

In any case, young Antoine was able to study architecture for a few months at the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1921, he was accepted into the French air force and thirteen months later he qualified as a military pilot. In 1926, he joined the Latécoère Campaign in Toulouse, tasked with establishing a mail route Aerial over northwest Africa, the South Atlantic and South America.

Literary work and marriage

the short story The Aviator (1926) was Saint-Exupéry's literary debut. Next, he completed south mail (1928) while he worked as director of the Spanish Sahara air station. Starting in October 1929, he began to make constant flights from the General Pacheco aerodrome (Argentina) to different points in the southern cone (mainly to Patagonia).

The French pilot and writer lived for 15 months in gaucho territory. Although his official residence was in Córdoba, it was in Buenos Aires where he met Salvadoran Consuelo Suncín, whom he married in 1931. (She is the rose in The Little Prince). That same year he published Night flight and in February 1932 he left Argentina, forced by the prevailing turbulent political situation.

Journalistic jobs, accidents and World War II

In the following years, Saint-Exupéry worked as a test pilot, publicist attaché for Air France, and a reporter for the Paris Soir. Despite his numerous casualties due to air accidents —almost died in the Sahara desert on December 30, 1935—, he became a military reconnaissance aviator. Meanwhile, he continued his literary work with the launch of Land of men (1939)

Then, the Lyon-born pilot emigrated to the US when France fell under Nazi rule in 1940. In the North American nation he published War pilot (1942). He returned to Europe in 1943 and immediately rejoined the Mediterranean Air Squadron. At that time he experienced serious economic problems; Furthermore, to make matters worse, General Charles de Gaulle accused him of supporting Germany.

Disappearance

On July 31, 1944, Saint-Exupéry took off from the Corsica airfield for a reconnaissance mission on the eve of the Allied invasion of France. That was his last mission, never comeback. The remains of the wrecked ship along with a bracelet with her name were found six decades later on the seabed near the island of Riou, about 11 miles southeast of Marseille.