Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Translated into over 30 languages and dialects, Saint-Ex captivated the imaginations of millions of readers, young and old alike. Born into French nobility, the author of The Little Prince was born in Lyon at the turn of the 20th century. A precocious adventurer, he experienced his first flight at the age of twelve. This passion for aviation intertwined with his lifelong dedication to writing. In 1926, he flew the mail across Africa and South America for the Latécoère company (later Aéropostale). In 1931, he published Night Flight, his second novel, which achieved great success, as did Wind, Sand and Stars in 1939, drawn from his notable experiences reporting from Vietnam, Moscow, and Spain.During World War II, he served in the French Air Force before going into exile in the United States after the armistice of 1940. It was in New York where he conceived the universe of The Little Prince. After returning to Corsica in 1944, he embarked on a reconnaissance mission in preparation for the Allied landings in Provence. He did not return from this mission and was declared "missing in action" on September 20, 1944.