wind sand and stars by antoine de saint exupéry

It begins with a discussion of “The Craft” of being an aviator, and those who remember their first independent assignment as a pilot are sure to empathize as the author undertakes his first airmail flight on a desert route terminating in Casablanca. The book is structured in a simple if not entirely cohesive manner. It gives authors something to aspire to, and pilots something to think about. Ostensibly a children’s book, it is a deeply philosophical work, as well as one of the first to use an extraterrestrial being as a major sympathetic character.įor the lover of language, for those who enjoy truly poetic philosophical presentations with a central core of aviation knowhow, Wind Sand and Stars is a marvelous book. Reputedly sold in greater quantities than any book other than the Bible and Gone With the Wind, it has been translated into hundreds of languages. His name is inscribed on a plaque in that most exclusive hall of honor, the French Pantheon, but more important he has had the truest reward for any author: the continued sale through the years of all of his works.įirst and foremost of these, of course, is his 1943 work The Little Prince.

Saint-Ex is generally beloved for his heroic flights-including his last one, as an overage P-38 pilot.

Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-ExupéryĪmong the many honors accorded Antoine de Saint-Exupéry-“Saint-Ex,” as he is often called-comes a memorable one from National Geographic, which listed Wind, Sand and Stars as one of the top 10 adventure books of all time. 'Wind, Sand and Stars' Book Review Classic Close

Wind sand and stars by antoine de saint exupéry