Reminder: 78% of French children (aged 6 to 15) know The Little Prince, and 81% say they enjoyed the story. (source: Ipsos 2008).
We often report on the many editions of The Little Prince, and the millions of copies sold around the world. In addition to the books sales, however, there are also a growing number of schools named after Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and “Le Petit Prince”. In France, there are over 400 schools with one or the other name. Some schools actually use the story as inspiration for decorating their premises. Overseas, there are another 60 similarly named schools in countries and places as far apart as Argentina, Mali, Italy or Quebec.
It is hard to say exactly why the schools adopt these names. Is it because their pupils are little princes themselves, in search of a certain knowledge?
The second quiz is harder than the first. You still have a choice of answers to pick from, but this time we strongly recommend you consult the website to find the right answers.
The first prize is an original lithograph of Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s Little Prince, published by Best Marques and Michel de Seguins Editions in a limited series of just 150, each hand-numbered and signed.
Second and third prize is a copy of Le Petit Prince published by Folio and the CD of Le Petit Prince narrated by Gérard Philipe.
Fourth to tenth prize is a CD of the classic recording of Le Petit Prince narrated by Gérard Philipe.
Boulet (real name Gilles Roussel) is a graphic novelist. He has contributed to the Donjon saga launched by Lewis Trondheim and is the author of Raghnarok.
Many of his readers first got to know him through his blog, where he composes “autofictions” based on his everyday routine, his moods and life as an artist in Paris. His popularity as a blogger (tens of thousands of visitors daily) made him the natural choice to sponsor the first Festiblog in 2005.
And it was on his blog that we found one of his Notes, where Boulet draws himself alongside the Little Prince, in a pastiche in which the author reveals his aversion for the lack of logic in fairytales and fantasy.
German publisher Tintenfass is well known to collectors of foreign language editions of the Little Prince. Tintenfass has published no fewer than 20 translations of The Little Prince into various dialects and regional languages threatened with extinction. If you happen upon a Little Prince in Mauritian Creole, Scottish Gaelic or Aramaic, that will be the work of Tintenfass!
More recently, the publisher called on Bruno Delmotte, director of the Maison de la Culture in Tournai, to translate Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s tale into Picard, a language of northern France. Picard is a demotic language, more often spoken than written. It was a real challenge for Bruno Delmotte, who has read the story several times, gradually to transform it into a language close to his heart.
Whether you are a collector or simply curious, you should take a look at the Tintenfass website with its impressive catalogue of children’s stories in languages far too little known:Tintenfass Publishing
German-speakers and collectors of Little Prince editions, this newsflash is for you! Germany is one of the countries that regularly pay tribute to the Little Prince, sometimes in opera (by Nicolas Schapfl, to name but one). This year, Germany is celebrating the Little Prince’s 60th anniversary and publisher Karl Rauch has produced a new edition translated by Elisabeth Edl. The Austrian-born translator has won several awards for her work. She has translated works by a number of 19th* century authors such as Stendhal and Gustave Flaubert, and now it is the turn of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The translator also provides a postface to the book, a rare occurrence in most editions of the Little Prince.
This edition shares the same format as the first German edition, published in 1950. It will make a fine addition to any collection of Little Prince editions. The publisher informs us that this edition differs hardly at all from the first edition, and enthusiasts will have to look closely to spot the differences.
Futurama is a cartoon series created by Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons. Just as in the Simpsons, the episodes of Futurama are dotted with references to existing works and other fictional characters. The Little Prince makes an appearance in one of the episodes; see for yourself his brief cameo of the little chap on his asteroid. Warning – irony alert!
Officially opened on 13 May last year, the Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits is now located at 222, boulevard Saint-Germain (Paris 7). Its collections of letters and manuscripts contain the famous love letters to a fair unknown, the central chapter of Terre des Hommes (Wind, Sand and Stars) and various drawings by Saint-Exupéry.
The MLM also has a rich collection of documents dating from the Middle Ages down to the Second World War. If you’ve always dreamed of seeing Einstein’s Theory of Relativity in manuscript form, then the MLM is the place for you!
Tuesday to Sunday: 10h00-18h00 Late opening: Thursday to 20h00
It’s time for a break, so why not relax with the full version of our exclusive interview with the writer who, in his book entitled La mémoire du Petit Prince (the memory of the Little Prince), brings us closer to the man that was Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: his passions, his sufferings, the modernism of his thinking. La mémoire du Petit Prince paints a “new” portrait of the writer and aviator, invites us to discover or rediscover his writings in a new light. Where better to begin than with The Little Prince? Meanwhile, here are three videos for you to watch.
The voice we hear is not that of a successful author, but simply of an admirer of Saint-Exupéry sharing his enthusiasm with us.
A few months ago, we told you about EMDH, a voluntary organisation that has been working in Madagascar, and more precisely in the town of Mahajanga on the island’s northwest coast, since 1994. In 1998, EMDH gave its support to local authorities and voluntary groups in the fields of education and social welfare. In 2006, EMDH developed a programme to help young people between 16 and 26 find work and a place in society. In 2008, EMDH opened a work centre (CREJ), to offer employment prospects for young people.
This programme is entirely in keeping with the philosophy that inspires the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation. On 9 May 2010, Sotheby’s Geneva will auction the Big Pilot watch crafted by luxury watchmaker and Foundation partner IWC. A unique piece, made of platinum and marked with an A in honour of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
The proceeds from the sale will be donated to EMDH to support its Madagascar project.
The Monnaie de Paris, the French Mint, has developed a range of extraordinary products based on the Little Prince, from the collectable medal that makes an ideal gift for a child to a bronze statuette created in honour of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (available to order).
Admire the paperweights made from silvered bronze and Florentine bronze and featuring a Little Prince surrounded by stars, and the silver and gold medals depicting the Little Prince and the fox surrounded by stars and planets.
Collector’s pieces and gifts of great beauty, crafted by the workshops of the Monnaie de Paris and artist Renée Mayot.
For more details about these superb collectables, visit the Little Prince online store.
