Night Flight (Vol de Nuit) is an intensely passionate, yet tragic tale about the glamour as well as danger of being an aviator, flying in South America (Argentina specifically) during the 1920’s. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry who is arguably best known for his children’s book, Le Petit Prince, exhibits his literary finesse in this story with his mellifluous prose. I most enjoyed his enthralling insight into the psychology of the airmail pilots and their demanding task master, the indomitable station chief, Riviere. The courage and tenacity of the aviators under such challenges as bad weather, failing equipment on board the aircraft and the relentless pressure to deliver the airmail on time is impressive. It is clear from the narrative that de Saint-Exupéry himself was an avid pilot, who deeply understood the art of flying. Overall, Night Flight is a fairly short, easy read, despite the fact that the story is tragic in the end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially if you are fan of Le Petit Prince, and interested in exploring more of Saint-Exupéry’s work.
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