Despite having encountered mentions of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry across media, I never got around picking up the book. People I know have spoken extremely highly about it and somehow I stray away from the hype unless I got on to the train before everyone did. Today seemed like the perfect day to read it, needed something light to ease my mind and here we are.
Amidst the adventures of the adorable, titular protagonist, this book breaks down the constructs of adulthood in a way you wouldn’t expect it to. The numerous adults that the Prince encounters during his travel across several planets often speak of ‘matters of consequence’, shallow in their outlook towards the world. The combination of the prince’s unfettered curiosity and his surprise at how adults function on Earth, deprived of their innate vigour and burdened by responsibilities, sets up the platform for some humourous yet thought-provoking interactions. I don’t really want to talk about the plot too much cause this is best discovered on your own. I do want to mention the numerous quotable quotes sprinkled all over the text, absolute gems some of them, enough in number to make a listicle. Kindle readers will be guided by highlights in this case, but perhaps you can turn that off and take your own picks.
The read: This felt a lot like reading Calvin & Hobbes, quite frankly. The accompanying illustrations are a delight and the writing style is clean and effortless (thanks to the painstaking effort Exupery took in editing the book, having reduced 2/3rd of his original draft). It feels like one of those universal books that would be enjoyable for all ages. The next time you’re travelling and come across a little man with golden curls who refuses to answer any questions, well you know who to contact.
12/365.
The Trivia: The book is a treasure trove for enthusiasts with several characters and settings based on Exupery’s life and experiences (makes a mental note to read his memoirs in the future). My favourite bit of the lot is the nomenclature of 46610 Bésixdouze, a bright background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 2 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 15 October 1993, by Japanese amateur astronomers Kin Endate and Kazuro Watanabe. The number 46610 is B612 converted from hexadecimal notation to decimal, and Bésixdouze is one way to pronounce B612 in French. (Reference)
Documentation:
Book: The Little Prince
Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Year of Release: 1943
Publisher: Harcourt Inc.