The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (May 2017)
I originally picked up The Little Prince assuming it would be a picture book. It turned out to be a little different; it combined parts of a standard children's book with elements of a novel, an advice book, and a travel memoir.
Books as short as this one- reading it requires a commitment of around one hour, give or take fifteen minutes- are difficult to write about because I fear sharing too much will ruin the book for potential readers. So, I will skip even the faintest attempt at a plot summary and just get on with the ideas I liked.
There is a calling to responsibility that the author subtly delivers in this book. It builds slowly- the feeling is barely perceptible at first- but by the book's completion, I was left with a deeper understanding of how Antoine de Saint-Exupery sees an individual's obligations.
One part is to the community or world that surrounds and interacts with a person. The reader is shown many ridiculous ways to live a life; the only character demonstrating a counter-example is the lamplighter who acts because he thinks about others. The lesson that those who tame what is around them must take responsibility for it is explained simply- the tamed no longer have access to the protections given to it by nature.
The other part is the obligation to the individual, to the self. The Little Prince suggests an individual obligation to challenge assumptions in order to find the value of anything- a sentiment no better exemplified than by the idea that a desert's value is found in its hidden wells. This process might be uncomfortable, challenging, or just plain difficult. During these times, it helps to remember that those who put up with caterpillars are rewarded by butterflies.
One up (or is it one down?): I do not suspect this book will make it into the Business Bro Book Club- at one point, a comment is made about how businessmen often argue with the same logic of a drunkard. However, I did think the observations that authority is based in reason and that reasonable people only ask others to do what they are capable of doing were good food for thought for any manager to mull over.
One down (or is it one up?): One idea I'm sure to think more about in the coming month (I'm writing this on May 30) is about how sunsets are great for people who are feeling sad. Until reading that line, I never made a connection between my annual effort in June to watch as many sunsets as possible with my general dislike of our sixth month.
Just saying: It was not clear at first if I should count The Little Prince as a 'book' for my annual tally (spoiler alert: I did). Being nearly one hundred pages, the length was just about at the minimum for me. It was a book clearly written for children yet easily accessible for adults. I would describe the voice as that of a precocious spelling bee runner-up; fully capable of understanding the real world but not convinced enough of its appeal to justify learning all the little details.
I decided the best way to justify including it here would be to read it a second time, almost right away, and jot down any interesting sections for later reference. That's pretty much what I do for any book I include here, I suppose, so it struck me as the fairest way to move forward.
