2 New Little Prince Pages Shed New Light on Book

Antoine de Saint-Exupery expert says they show it was an anti-war book
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 3, 2012 1:36 PM CDT
2 New Little Prince Pages Shed New Light on Book
A close-up view showing some details of a manuscript draft for classic children's book The Little Prince, by French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery.   (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

The only known draft pages of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's classic children's book, The Little Prince, are on display at a Paris auction house, ahead of their sale this month. The two fragile handwritten sheets, brimming with original musings and even a new character, were discovered two months ago in France in private hands. They were either omitted or modified in the published version, but the previously unknown texts may shed valuable light on the book's real meaning.

The author, who wrote from New York during World War II, was known to be a pacifist. But a Saint-Exupery expert says the new material indicates it actually was "a book against war." The draft pages go to auction on May 16. (More literature stories.)

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