Though ostensibly a children's book, The Little Prince is a deeply philosophical novella that has been read widely by all ages since its publication in 1943. Many readers who have loved the story as children revisit it as they age; the philosophy in the book more impactful with a more mature perspective.
Author Antoine de Saint-Expéry drew heavily from his own experiences to write the whimsical work. He was an aviator, and as copilot he once crash-landed in the Sahara, barely surviving. Other real life experiences Saint-Exupéry mentioned in The Little Prince include a desert fox, an airmail plane labeled A-612, and perhaps his wife Consuelo encapsulated in the little prince's flower....
