Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born on June 29, 1900, in Lyon, France. He came from an old family of provincial nobility, and his father's death when Antoine was only four left the family in reduced circumstances. Saint-Exupéry attended Jesuit schools in Montgré and Le Mans, and a preparatory school in Switzerland, before attempting but failing to pass the entrance exams for the French naval academy.
He began his aviation career in the early 1920s, initially starting as a military pilot. After leaving the military, he worked as a commercial pilot, flying postal routes across the Sahara Desert and the Andes Mountains. These experiences became the basis for many of his literary works, including his famous novels. Saint-Exupéry's writing is characterized by a deep philosophical and spiritual dimension, often reflecting on the human condition and the nature of existence.
Saint-Exupéry is best known for his novella 'The Little Prince' (Le Petit Prince), which has been translated into over 300 languages and dialects. Published in 1943, it tells the story of a young prince who travels the universe gaining wisdom. The book has become one of the best-selling and most translated books ever published. Aside from 'The Little Prince', his works include 'Night Flight' and 'Wind, Sand and Stars', both of which received several prestigious literary awards. Saint-Exupéry disappeared on a reconnaissance flight over the Mediterranean in July 1944, and his fate remains a poignant mystery.