In this gripping novel, Saint-Exupéry tells about the brave men who piloted night mail planes from Patagonia, Chile, and Paraguay to Argentina in the early days of commercial aviation. Preface by André Gide. Translated by Stuart Gilbert.
Night Flight (Harbrace Paperbound Library, Hpl63)
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Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Language Notes
Text: English, French (translation)
About the Author
ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY, the "Winged Poet," was born in Lyon, France, in 1900. A pilot at twenty-six, he was a pioneer of commercial aviation and flew in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. His writings include The Little Prince, Wind, Sand and Stars, Night Flight, Southern Mail, and Airman's Odyssey. In 1944, while flying a reconnaissance mission for his French air squadron, he disappeared over the Mediterranean.
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More About the Author
ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY (1900-1944) was born in Lyons, France. He took his first flight at the age of eleven, and became a pilot at twenty-six. He was a pioneer of international commercial aviation and flew in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. His writings include The Little Prince; Wind, Sand and Stars; and Southern Mail. In 1944, while serving with his French air squadron, he disappeared during a reconnaissance flight over the Mediterranean.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 63 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
As a near to retiring professional pilot who has logged close to 17,000 flight hours worldwide, including Argentina (where this story is set), all I can say is: Those mail pioneers (for this story was based on fact when Saint Ex went to Argentina about 70 years ago to open up the mail routes) were indeed very brave men. The author portays another place and another time, but for all aviators (from private thru airline) there are always moments when you come face to face with your own fear - be it weather, mechanical failure, fire, or whatever - and hopefully survive. Saint Ex's protaganist and his radio operator are not as fortunate as those of us who walked away, but then we modern pilots do have a lot more going for us in the cockpit than the pioneers did. In France, Saint Ex has always been considered the poet storyteller - the best of the best. In the USA Ernie Gann and Richard Bach, in the UK John Templeton Smith. It seems to me that the finest works with an aviation theme can only come from those who have been there. St Ex, Gann, Bach, Templeton Smith were always first and foremost pilots - that their writing skills happened to be superlative would doubtless have been dismissed by these modest men. Four men in the near hundred year history of aviation with such writing genius is not many. Read them all - imagine if you like that these four flyers are together in a flight (two elements) painting contrails across a blue sky. For me the leader Saint Ex. I leave you to decide who is his wingman.
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Often called a poet in prose, Saint-Exupery is also credited with having described flight better than anyone before (or since). When I first read this beautiful book, I could physically feel the sensations of flying as he described them. His lyrical descriptions of an open cockpit bi-plane in contact with the elements showed me new perspectives not only of flight, but of the human condition I could never have imagined. His writing is both vivid and sensitive. The depth and beauty of his insights into humanity is balanced by the well paced action of the plot. One of the best crafted short novels I have ever read. Prabably the most beautifully written book I have read to date.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an epic narrative of a single evening in the Argentine night mail service. The chief character is the air manager, with peripheral characters being pilots, pilots' wives, and other personnel. Without spoiling the plot, an unexpected crisis occurs in the way of a trans-Andean storm, and the pace quickens to unforgettable climax.
But read the book. It's short, and not so much as a phrase is excess weight. A spine-tingling thriller about men in crisis, and the women who wait alone. You may grimace at the manager's resolve, but you will never forget him or the pilot coming from far southern Argentina. A masterful insight into the days when character was a desirable thing and profit wasn't the only motive for excellence.
But read the book. It's short, and not so much as a phrase is excess weight. A spine-tingling thriller about men in crisis, and the women who wait alone. You may grimace at the manager's resolve, but you will never forget him or the pilot coming from far southern Argentina. A masterful insight into the days when character was a desirable thing and profit wasn't the only motive for excellence.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A favorite book
I love this little gem of a book. Having crossed the Andes multiple times by plane and car it's easy to imagine these early pilots so bravely crossing in the early days.
Published 9 days ago by Dale
4.0 out of 5 stars
insite
Reading his works is like traveling back to that time and how tough of a time these pilots had it.
Published 4 months ago by Edmund Scheffner
2.0 out of 5 stars
Night Flight
I was extremely disappointed when this product arrived. As a child, I can remember fondly my Dad reading this book by Antoine de St. Exupery to me and had always wanted to own it. Read more
Published on March 11, 2011 by Sally Lycke
4.0 out of 5 stars
Absorbing and exhilarating
This is a shortish novel about the pioneers of mail flying from South America to Europe. The plot is absorbing, the characters are masterfully sketched, and his turn of phrase is... Read more
Published on August 31, 2010 by John Dekker
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Aviation
This is one of those classic novelettes by one of the most known writers in aviation history. I first heard of St Ex through my college roommate's book "The Little Prince". Read more
Published on February 24, 2010 by M. K. Amick
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Poem in Prose
Antoine de St. Exupery is a very difficult author to classify. The closest I can come to boxing him off in words is to say he was a literary expression of the early-mid-20th... Read more
Published on April 19, 2009 by M. G Watson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A peek back at the aviation's dangerous roots
There already exist a dozen or more excellent reviews on this early aviation piece. I humbly add my thoughts. Read more
Published on May 29, 2008 by T.M. Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars
Prelude to Citadel
Written and published when Saint-Exupery was 31 years old, this short novel holds the seed of what was to become Saint-Ex's posthumous masterpiece, Citadel. Read more
Published on November 11, 2007 by Vincent Poirier
5.0 out of 5 stars
Night Flight (Vol de Nuit) - Antoine de St. Exupéry
St. Exupéry was an early aviator who writes from his actual experiences flying over (and through) the Andes to open up new airmail routes. Read more
Published on November 6, 2007 by H. Reisinger Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Chronicle of the Human Condition.
I have read Exupery's "The Little Prince." I am aware of his tragic 1944 death, just two years after writing this marvelous little book, while flying a solo reconoissance mission... Read more
Published on July 11, 2007 by Bob Dog
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