The Little Prince

About Authors

Antoine de Saint-Exupery is an outstanding French writer, a classic of world literature. Having lost his father at the age of four, he grew up with a mother who was very supportive of his hobbies - he composed fairy tales, wrote poems, drew, created and played the violin. After graduating from school, Antoine wanted to become a naval officer, but instead studied architecture at the Academy of Arts, which, however, did not give him pleasure; so he left the academy and joined the army.  

Right then aviation entered Exupery`s life forever.

Having suffered a serious accident, he was commissioned for four years, working as a clerk at a tile factory and as sales agent for an automobile company. Then he returned to aviation: was flying a seaplane, testing planes, delivering mail to North Africa, became the head of a French airfield, abandoned in the African sands, was the director of a branch of the airline in South America ... And then Exupery began to write. His first novel, `Southern Mail` (1929), received rave reviews from readers and critics. With the outbreak of World War II, the writer was enlisted in the army. The commission declared him unfit for flight, but with maximum efforts Antoine achieved his goal and became a military pilot. He had to emigrate to the United States when the Nazis captured his homeland.

In America, Saint-Exupery wrote his most famous work - the fairy tale "The Little Prince" (1943), which became the last completed work of the writer. He still had many plans, but Exupery again sought the right to sit at the helm of a military aircraft. In the summer of 1944, the 44-year-old Major Saint-Exupery received permission for nine more combat flights. He did not return from the ninth flight ...

Ake, the winner of the prize for the best creative illustration in China, has always had a deep understanding of the story of the Little Prince. One day he was driving through the Taklamakan Desert, and the Little Prince entered his heart. The little Prince, depicted by Ake, is as sensual as a bard, and as strong as a traveller in the desert. This is the best interpretation of the Little Prince. According to the illustrator`s words: `I don't care if I can become a painter. I'm afraid that one day I will become a full-fledged adult`. `Each reading of The Little Prince is the salvation of my life, because it is the real book full of sincerity.`

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