The Little Prince turns 60

THE tale of The Little Prince enjoys its 60th birthday this month and the book’s popularity looks set to continue for many more years.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beautiful story of the adventures of a young prince, who travels around the Universe and the characters he meets, was published in April 1946.

Since then it has sold more than 80 million copies and been translated into around 160 languages, recently being published in Slovak.

To mark the anniversary of the book’s publication the author’s literary estate has set up a website with news on planned musical events and special editions.

The life of author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was equally fantastic as he was a pioneering pilot who flew the early postal routes to Africa and mystery still surrounds his death.

He was shot down on a reconnaissance mission over the Mediterranean during the Second World War and divers claim to have discovered the wreckage in 2004 (see Has hero’s plane been found?).

So he never saw The Little Prince in print and it would have been interesting to have seen his reaction to the massive success of the book, as he was a quiet, philosophical man.

The Little Prince is one of those books that speaks to both children and adults, reminding the grown-ups of their weaknesses and the great imaginative powers that kids enjoy.

If you have never read The Little Prince I’d get down to your local bookshop today and pick up a copy.