The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, translated by Richard Howard
First Published: 1940
Edition I read: paperback, Harcourt Inc, published 2000
Pages: 85
Source: Library
(From Goodreads) Moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.
I can definitely see why this is considered a classic; for such a short book, it's got so many Important Lessons, some delivered rather subtly, others flat-out stated. I read it twice for my 1001 books challenge, and on the second go round, I certainly picked up a few things I missed initially. I'm sure if I read it again, I could repeat that sentence;)
I feel like this might be best enjoyed if read as a (older) kid. If reading it for the first time as a adult, I can see how it could be underwhelming, though charming. If i think of reading it as a kid though, I'd definitely have my mind expanded, and love and grasp its myriad meanings. (perhaps best would be reading it as a kid with a helpful adult to read/discuss it with you. But then, I think lots of books are like that;))
I also feel like the time and context of when it was written should be considered when reading it. I think there are lots of books available that take from it , or were influenced by it, but I'm sure it was one-of-a-kind when it was written. I think an appreciation of that helps to make it feel fresh.
All told, I found this a little disjointed at times, but quite enjoyed it, and more, think it can influence my world-view for the positive:)
First Published: 1940
Edition I read: paperback, Harcourt Inc, published 2000
Pages: 85
Source: Library
(From Goodreads) Moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.
I can definitely see why this is considered a classic; for such a short book, it's got so many Important Lessons, some delivered rather subtly, others flat-out stated. I read it twice for my 1001 books challenge, and on the second go round, I certainly picked up a few things I missed initially. I'm sure if I read it again, I could repeat that sentence;)
I feel like this might be best enjoyed if read as a (older) kid. If reading it for the first time as a adult, I can see how it could be underwhelming, though charming. If i think of reading it as a kid though, I'd definitely have my mind expanded, and love and grasp its myriad meanings. (perhaps best would be reading it as a kid with a helpful adult to read/discuss it with you. But then, I think lots of books are like that;))
I also feel like the time and context of when it was written should be considered when reading it. I think there are lots of books available that take from it , or were influenced by it, but I'm sure it was one-of-a-kind when it was written. I think an appreciation of that helps to make it feel fresh.
All told, I found this a little disjointed at times, but quite enjoyed it, and more, think it can influence my world-view for the positive:)