The Little Prince. Illustrated by the Author. Translated from the French by Katherine Woods. London: Heinemann, 1960. Reprint. Pp, 86. Publisher’s bright orange cloth boards in original pictorial dust jacket. Jacket chipped along spine, with a little loss, neat gift inscription to half-title page, otherwise a nice bright copy.  Light some foxing and light chipping to edges of jacket, a very good copy.

Nice copy of a later issue of one of the most-translated books in the world. The first edition was published in America by Reynal & Hitchcock in 1943. The first French language printing was published shortly after by the same publishers with the UK edition appearing in 1944.

Written by pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry while in America, the tale was inspired by his experiences in the French Air Force. On the surface it’s a simple story, but this little prince is as wise as they come and his messages of compassion and goodwill continue to endure.