Lost in the Stacks: Wind, Sand and Stars

I read Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince in French in high school.  Four years of French, five if you count a year of it in college, and I think my highest achievement (before forgetting nearly all of it it seems now) was reading Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in his original language.  Not a feat I could pull off again anytime soon I'm sorry to say.  I haven't read The Little Prince in ages, but I recall it being a charming little story, a fable, ostensibly for children, but appreciated even more by adults. 

I sort of knew he had written more books, most published posthumously after Saint-Exupéry's, or Saint-Ex's as he is apparently known, disappearance in 1944 during a reconnaissance mission, but I had never bothered to look at any of them.  As so often happens with me, I started out looking at diaries, moved on to Anne Morrow Lindbergh's diaries, and then saw Saint-Exupéry's name and was hooked.  What I think I'd really like to do is reread The Little Prince (in English this time, of course) again, but my curiosity was very much piqued by Wind, Sand and Stars (Terre des hommes), too.

Wind, Sand and Stars won France's Grand Prix du Roman, and The National Book Award in the U.S. in 1940.  It also was listed as one of (No. 3 actually) the one hundred all-time best adventure stories by National Geographic magazine and No. 1 of the top twenty-five of the same type of book by Outside magazine.  Not too shabby at all it seems, and he probably doesn't need rescuing by me from the library shelves, but he certainly merits mentioning and seems deserving of a read/reread.  I don't see him mentioned much in the blogosphere, though I bet a lot of you have read him, too, right?

Wind, Sand and Stars is an autobiographical work about a plane crash in the Sahara Desert, where he himself crashed in 1935.  He had been working as an airmail carrier for Aéropostale at the time and both he and his copilot barely survived the crash.  More than a simple adventure story, though it's that, too, this is a philosophical work about how one should live one's life.

I seem to be attracted to a lot of thoughtful, introspective books lately.  Maybe it's just the time of year?  This one begins:

"In 1926 I was enrolled as a student airline pilot by the Latécoère Company, the predecessors of Aéropostale (now Air France) in the operation of the line between Toulouse, in southwestern France, and Dakar, in French West Africa.  I was learning the craft, undergoing an apprenticeship served by all young pilots before they were allowed to carry the mails.  We took ships up on trial spins, made meek little hops between Toulouse and Perpignan, and had dreary lessons in meteorology in a freezing hangar.  We lived in fear of the mountains over Spain, over which we had to fly, and in awe of our elders."

This seems to be a story to snuggle down with on a cold winter afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate while Saint-Ex's words take you far, far away.

Comments

[Caroline]

I meant to read more of him but somehow never do it.
Sad he is lost in the stacks, not in Frnace though where he is still widely read.

[Margaret @ BooksPlease]

Oh, this takes me back!! I too read Le Petit Prince in French at school and also Terre des Hommes - I was taking 'A'Level GCE French. I still have my French copy - sadly I can't read it now, my knowledge of French has disappeared ... maybe I'll read it in English one day.

Thanks for the memories.

[Victoria]

I finally read The Little Prince when I was in my 20s. Very charming. A friend of mine, whose father read to him every night as a child, was scandalised that I'd never heard of it or Saint-Ex. He also bought me this book for Christmas a few years ago, so it is in my very own stacks. :-)

[Lisa]

I read the last volume of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's diaries last year, in which he plays a major part - so I thought immediately of her when I saw your post. It's been years since I read Saint-Ex himself (also in French, for a college class).

[AJ]

This book has been lost in my stacks (well in boxes in upstairs closets since the house I moved into five years ago has more windows than book-shelf friendly walls) since college. I keep meaning to pull it out but I've been on a Victorian novel tear for a couple of years now and this one fell my the wayside.

Your description, oddly enough, reminds me of a wonderful book called Education of a Wondering Man by Louis L'Amour, the writer of what appears to be hundreds of western novels. I haven't read any of them but the autobiography is one of the most delightful books I have ever read -- now there was a man in love with books and life.

[AJ]

Oops -- sorry that's Wandering Man.

[Joan Kyler]

I loved this book. I'm totally enchanted by books and movies about early flying: de Saint-Exupery, Beryl Markham, the Bloody Red Baron, Amelia Earhart, and others.

I recently read that a German pilot had said he'd shot down de Saint-Exupery and that bits of his plane and his ID bracelet had been found off the coast of France.

[Jeane]

I was very fond of The Little Prince as a younger reader, but when i approached it again as an adult somehow it had lost some of its charm. I did really enjoy this one, though. You can see quite clearly the nugget that became the Little Prince in his adventures here.

[Kathy Johnson]

I took three years of French and remember very little--hope to get back to it some day. And then I'll go hunt out of copy of The Little Prince in French. I can't remember ever reading anything by St.-Ex--in any language. But people I admire like him, so think I should give him a try. This one sounds very interesting.

[Penny]

It's been ages upon ages since I read The Little Prince. I'm so impressed that you read it in the language it was written in. You now have me curious about this book. What a wonderful find in the stacks.

[Danielle]

Caroline--He is still in print here, and I think many people do read The Little Prince. I'm not sure about his other books. Maybe it's just that I don't see many people writing/talking about him. I'd like to read more--I think I saw a book of memoirs from the war too, which would be interesting.

Margaret--I hadn't thought of him and The Little Prince in ages either, until I saw his name in reference to Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I know I loved the book when I read it--would love to read this one too. My days of reading anything in French are long gone, too, unfortunately.

Victoria--I only read The Little Prince because I took French in school--not sure I would have come across him otherwise either, but I did love the story and really must reread it. This one sounds good, too.

Lisa--Did you know there is another volume (the penultimate) of AML's diaries coming out in the Spring? I noticed it when I was looking up books by her daughter. I was reading a bit about her and came across Saint-Ex, which reminded me of The Little Prince. More books I'm looking forward to reading (or reading again).

AJ--I know how it goes when you are in one sort of reading mode, though have good intentions towards other books as well. (Not enough time for them all!). I'm planning on reading Anne Morrow Lindbergh and he would be a good companion read I was thinking. I am going to have to look for the Louis L'Amour book you mention--I never thought I would have a reason to read him as I am not into Westerns, but after looking it up in Amazon I am very curious about it. Thanks! :) (My library even has a copy of it!).

Joan Kyler--It is interesting, isn't it? I was also thinking about Beryl Markham--I read her memoir when I was younger and loved it. I even bought an illustrated edition, which I might just have to pull out and a book of short stories by her. Then I will likely want to read books about Africa--more Elspeth Huxley and Isak Dineson... I don't know much about the rest of Saint-Ex's life, but I did know hit plane went down under mysterious circumstances--I'll have to go find more to read!

Jeane--I wonder how I would feel about The Little Prince after so many year. Of course it has been so long that I have all but forgotten all the details. Would love to read this and hope to squeeze it in.

Kathy--I hate that I have forgotten so much when it comes to the languages I studied. I took German in college and then lived in Austria for a year--but do you think I can converse in German anymore? Nein! The Little Prince is a very short book--with lovely little illustrations and well worth looking for!

Penny--I read a few short books in school in French--couldn't do that now, however. And I did it in class with the help of a teacher--I only wish I had followed up and continued on with my studies. Now it's all lost. I think I will have to rerad (in English) The Little Prince after talking and thinking about it. My library has a copy so I suspect it will be coming home with me next week.

[litlove]

I must have read Le Petit Prince; I have a vague memory of the cover - and that's the only thing I can remember! It must have been decades ago (and I'm pretty sure I read it in translation). You're so right that he's a well-known name who doesn't get read much outside of France. I'd love to know how his books strike you.

[catharina]

I so much loved The Little Prince when I read it the first time. And when I chose to reread it last year I was quite anxious that it would somehow disappoint the second time around. It didn't albeit it spoke to me in a different way and in different places. I think I first read it with the eyes of my heart and the second time around I saw much more how he built the story. Which was good and added to the overall experience.

[Danielle]

Litlove--Isn't it sad how books fade from mind over time and all you're left with is vague impressions! It was a good high school undertaking. I would love to reread it now and see what I think and may just have to do so. I'd like to read this one as well. He seemed like an interesting person, though I think in this case I'd just like to read his books and not too much about him.

Catharina--It's good the second reading experience was a good, if different, one. It sounds as though the Little Prince might have been an offshoot of this one, which would make for an interesting reading experience to read them together. Good books are made to be reread I think--and every time you pick it up you read a slightly different book I think (based on how the reader has changed).

[Lisa]

I am off to look for the new volume of AML's diaries! I was very frustrated with the end of War Within and War Without. Thanks for the tip!

[Danielle]

Lisa--I think it is due out in April maybe? I'll be starting the first diary soon and am happy to know there will be a final diary to look forward to eventually!

[Stefanie]

Don't feel bad, I took four years of German an managed to read part one of Goethe's Faust and have since forgotten most of everything I learned. I have read Wind, Sand, and Stars though not in French. It is a lovely book I am sure you will enjoy.

[Buried In Print]

I rescued a copy of this from a relative's shelves some years ago (she wasn't going to read it and was making way), but I still haven't read it. My only experience of his work is, like so many others, TLP, and also Vol de Nuit, which I read in French too. My copy still has all my translation notes, so I might not do too badly with it even now, but I'd rather re-read TLP!

[Danielle]

Stefanie--If you don't use a language it is easily forgotten unfortunately. I'm looking forward to Wind, Sand and Stars and may even reread The Little Prince! :) Glad you liked it.

Buried in Print--He seems to be the author of choice when it comes to teachers picking books in French for their students to read! I wonder where my copy of TLP is--I'm sure I have it--and I bet I also have many of the words penciled in in English, too! It's good to rescue books, I'm sure it's found a happier home where it'll be read eventually!