ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

The author of one of the most translated, read and treasured story for generations now, ‘The Little Prince’, was born in Lyon (France) at the beginning of the Twentieth Century and into the bosom of a wealthy family. Even though his penchant for the arts, he was a discreet student and could not graduate in naval school, so he decided to become a pilot during his time in the military service.

From his experiences in the air and in different lands, while carrying mail to Africa or Latin America, he resumed stories like ‘Southern Mail’ and the successful ‘Night Flight’; on his trips to Argentina, he also met his wife, Consuelo. The bankruptcy of the flights’company brought him towards writing and journalism, although he never stop trying to get flying records, which caused him accidents, such as the one in the Egyptian desert and another in Guatemala. Again, from these trances, he took inspiration for ‘Land of Men’ or ‘The Little Prince’.

Flying also, when being called up for World War II for reconnaissance flights, cost him his life, unfortunately. In war years and as a member of the French Resistance (he was exiled in New York for some time), he was on a mission through Sardinia and Corsica when he was knocked down. His plane was lost to be only recovered 60 years later, which shaped one of the most followed disappearance mysteries of the last century.

Saint-Exupéry won some of the most important literary awards and is especially known for ‘The Little Prince’, a book ostensibly aimed at children, but delving into universal themes such as the meaning of life, loss and love. His work, altogether, is oozing in humanism and humanity, as we can read in these quotes:

Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.

 

Love is the only thing you get more of by giving it away.

 

He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend and now he is unique in all the world.

 

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye.

 

When crossing a mountain in the direction of a star, the traveller is allowed to absorb too much about the problems of climbing, they risk forgetting which the star that guides them is.

 

I wonder whether the stars are set alight in heaven so that one day each one of us may find his.

 

If we want a world of peace and justice must be resolutely put intelligence in the service of love.

 

If you want to understand the meaning of happiness, you have to understand it as a reward and not as a goal.

 

Children must have a lot of tolerance with adults.

 

Failures strengthen the strong.

 

Straight ahead you can’t go very far.

 

It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.

An adventurous life in the most positive sense of whom is always a pleasure to be remembered.

Álex Rovira