With over 200 million copies sold, 600 languages and dialects, 1,300 different editions… It’s not Harry Potter, but Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince, the most widely read and translated non-religious book in the world (behind the Bible and the Koran). Paris Secret gives you a lesson in the anatomy of a literary success.
The Little Prince is the most widely read book in the world
Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince: a 100% universal tale
Much more than a best-selling book, The Little Prince is a cultural phenomenon in its own right. Part of the reason for this worldwide craze is the novel’s universality. Timeless and intergenerational, Saint Exupéry’s masterpiece can be adapted and translated into any language. As a vehicle for general morals on kindness, generosity, solidarity and curiosity – which can be applied to all cultures – it serves as a mouthpiece for all generations, offering readers several valid reading grids.
According to French archivist and publisher Alban Cerisier, the emotional power of the work has made it the most recognized fiction novel in the world. Indeed, the text, simple and uncluttered, manages to touch readers of all ages and backgrounds.“It’s a book about us, about our place in the world, with disarming simplicity.” Add to this Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s illustrations, and you have an explosive cocktail of emotion condensed into 93 pages. A short, intense book that grips and captivates readers from the very first page. Instantly, the reader is plunged into a dreamlike world as the main character encounters the fox, the snake, the rose, etc., which he transposes introspectively to his own life through existential reflections on life, death, love, sadness and friendship, with a message of hope, serving as a bridge between generations. In fact, you’ve probably inherited it yourself from a family member, as a kind of literary torch.
Punchy quotes
The DNA of this novel, however universal it may be, is its quotations. The best-known of them:
You can only see well with your heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye
But also: “The end of one thing marks the beginning of a new one”, “You have to ask of everyone what everyone can give”, “You only know the things you tame” and other phrases that resonate with the very meaning of life, like punchlines written in indelible white chalk, transforming the reader into a good citizen of the world. Like uppercuts straight to the reader’s heart, these quotations make this novel unforgettable.
A bankable marketing product
As soon as it was published in France in 1946, it was an instant success, and brands were quick to appropriate its graphic charter. Collector figurines, tableware, textiles, stationery… It’s simple: he’s everywhere, even in movies. A real darling with an international hat, he is currently the star of the new immersive exhibition at the Atelier des Lumières.
Indeed, the iconography and visual identity of the novel is adapted in a novel exhibition format, made possible by digital projections on the floors and walls of this vibrant cultural space in the 11ᵉ arrondissement thought up by Culturespaces, a leading studio in the production of immersive exhibitions. We visited it for you and believe us, it’s worth a look. If you too would like to discover the visual adaptation of this literary masterpiece, it’s over here. So, did you already know? Did you know that The Little Prince is the most widely read book in the world today?