The Little Prince

Hey guys, I just wanted to drop-in to talk about the latest novel I read this week: The Little Prince of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The little book was recommended to me from an acquaintance. She told me how this book is a classic, the likes of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, or even The Shack by WM Paul Young. Apparently, everyone on the planet read that book except me. I felt utterly uneducated when everyone I asked, "Have you read The Little Prince?" answered, "Of course, you didn’t?"

After reading the first twenty or so pages, I put the book aside to do other things. I really didn't get into it. After meeting my acquaintance a few more times, she asked me if I had read it and each time I sighed, answering "no, I didn't"

Finally, as the book kept popping into my head, and the number of people who told me they had read it kept growing, I became determined to finish it once and for all.

As I turned the pages, I kept anticipating the 'haha' moment, a moment when I'd get completely hooked by the story and where I would learn wisdom the likes of The Alchemist. As I struggled to finish the book, I kept giving it the benefit of the doubt; after all, this is a classic! Everyone read it! The reviews are amazing! It is said to be an enlightening book where I would get life lessons, right? The kind of book I love.

To my dismay, the 'haha' moment never came. I finished the book in two days, which is a long time for the number of pages this book contains. Unfortunately, the positive reviews were not enough for me.

This book was written for children. I didn't get the 'wisdom' I was looking for. Everyone told me they read it when they were in school; even people my age. Where was I? Maybe if I had read this book when I was ten it would have had a better impact on me. But now, blaaaa, nope.

I would never compare that book to The Alchemist. Ever. It was an ok read. It was not great. The language was childish, which wasn't a flaw, but it was not for me. The way the author explained explained the story was too simple for me.

As I write this, I conclude that I am simply not the audience for this kind of book. It may not be a 'bad' book, but it will remain on the shelf at the library as far as I am concerned. I question how other adults may have found this book 'great' or 'enlightening.'

Have you read it? What did you think?

With Purpose, Passion, and Love,

Frédéric Byé