The Prince of the Skies

By: Antonio Iturbe, Lilit Thwaites - translator

Narrated by: Simon Bubb

Length: 17 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

A gripping narrative of friendship and exploration, and an homage to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, an unforgettable writer who touched the lives of millions of readers and listeners, and who was able to see the world through the eyes of a child.

In the 1920s, long before he wrote The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was an accomplished pilot. Along with Jean Mermoz and Henri Guillaumet, he was chosen to pioneer new mail routes across the globe. No distance was too far and no mountain too high - each letter had to reach its destination. The three friends soared through the air, while back on solid ground, they dealt with a world torn apart by wars and political factions. 

A Macmillan Audio production from Feiwel & Friends

©2021 Antonio Iturbe (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

2021, Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year

Soupy sentimentality and macho absurdities

I managed to finish this paen to trite sentimentality by listening at 2x or 3x speed. I decided to try it because it appeared on the NYT list of the best 100 books of 2021. Perhaps they should limit themselves to the top 25 next time. The book is not totally devoid of exciting passages and the author knows how to tell a yarn. However, the characters are wooden, simplistic caricatures, the things they are glad to sacrifice their lives for seem by comparison seem unimportant, and the main character often seems absurd and unappealing. I consider it a wasted credit.

Good story but hard to follow

Great story but hard to follow. Since I was always on the go reading this novel I did feel lost trying to put things in order and make sense of the plot however the performance is great and it definitely makes good background narration Incase you are in the middle of doing various things ! Would love a summary on this book and chapter by chapter analysis to dive deeper into the plot etc

Daredevils

Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Jean Mermoz and Henri Guillaumet, the three heroes of this novel, were brave and determined French pilots who flew some of the first overseas airmail routes in the years following World War I. But their exotic lives have been reduced to caricatures in this overlong, trite novel. It often reads like a kid’s adventure story, as the pilots survive crash landings and dangerous treks in various wildernesses. But frankly, the pilots come across as more cartoonish and less interesting than, say, Spiderman or Batman. They are all handsome, impatient and swaggering, “arrogant prima donnas” in the words of one character. Their women are all beautiful and seductive. Saint-Exupery comes across as a lovesick philanderer, and the others may have flirted with fascism before World War II. Overall, the book is occasionally exciting and occasionally very silly. The narration was strong.

A sweeping, poignant panorama of love & sacrifice

The Prince of the skies

A sweeping, poignant panorama of love & sacrifice

This story about Antoine de St Exupery And two of his fellow aviators is almost as beautifully written as Exupery himself; Filled with thoughtful descriptions, Philosophical introspections And the stuff That lives beneath the veil of the superficial life. It is one of those books that you do not want to end. It is an honest work that does not hide the foibles Shortcomings And sometime immoral excesses of the characters. Yet that same honesty Paints an unvarnished picture of their courageous and sacrificial exploits. Read it, you will not be sorry.

Mesmerizing story.

loved it and the narration . fabulous work by author. perfectly suited for narration.

Loved loved

The scenery, characters and writing kept me not wanting to stop listening. What more could you ask for?

Transcendant, extraordinary as the lives portrayed

For the duration of this remarkable book i lived vicariously with these remarkable men of the sky, at the dawn of the aviation age. Landing is jarring.

Great book

What an amazing author! The book had a great storyline and was very well written.