book review the little prince by antoine de saint exupery

And, that the roles of the ‘helper’ and ‘helpee’ can often be reversed.Īt its heart this story is about our responsibility to live good lives. If you succeed in judging yourself, it’s because you are a truly wise man.īut it is The Little Prince’s interaction with the book’s narrator who has crashed in the desert, that is a moving reminder of help being found in the most unlikely of places if only we open our minds to it. It is much harder to judge yourself than to judge others. Through this character’s direct and untainted child-like outlook, de Saint-Exupery has a none too subtle dig at the ‘grown-up’ thinking and futility of each’s circumstance. This is in part a recounted tale of The Little Prince’s journey from one tiny planet to the next and his interactions with different adults, such as a king, a businessman, a geographer, and a lamplighter.

In addition to being cute and whimsical for children, the relative proportions within the illustrations really help focus the more adult satire. For example, we are reminded that we need to put up with a few caterpillars if we want to get to know butterflies. I am so glad I did this because while the text itself conveys great wisdom, in my opinion the author’s illustrations take his intended message to a whole other level.Īs with all children’s stories that become classics, The Little Prince contains much, if not more, value for an adult reader. The Little Prince (not to be confused with Conor Brennan’s equally charming memoir Little Princes) is one of those classics that I’d always wanted to read but not got around to until now. There is a certain mystique about it, mirrored by that of the author Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s own life story.Īlthough I read it in ebook format I made sure it was one that featured Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s original illustrations. Disclosure: If you click a link in this post and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.

Book review the little prince by antoine de saint exupery