Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Sai
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Mariner Books (1974), Edition: 1, 96 pages
Description
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.
Subjects
Original publication date
1930
1931
User reviews
LibraryThing member jon1lambert
What a beautiful book evoking the loneliness of the long-distance flier, the silence, the responsibility, the stillness, the danger.
LibraryThing member Polaris-
This dose of early aviation fiction was quite an enjoyable read, but not quite as good as I'd hoped. There are though passages of beautifully lyrical and quite poetic writing - basically when Saint-Exupéry writes on flying, and we follow the story of the brave newly-wed Patagonia airmail pilot
Written and published in 1931, S-E describes in this short novel the story of the pioneering Airmail lines which criss-crossed southern South America at that time, bringing the post from Patagonia, Paraguay, and Chile over to Buenos Aires, before its dispatch to Europe across Atlantic skies. The tale in particular tells how the pilot Fabien is at the sharp end of the director's orders. Rivière suffers the internal anguish and doubting of one who has staked his career on the commercial wisdom of advancing the cause of night flying. With Fabien we ferry the precious cargo through the black, often in unpredictably harsh weather, close to the massive Andes range, and are inside his very dimly illuminated cockpit with at times scant visibility, together with the operator and his faltering radio reception...
'An hour later the radio operator of the Patagonia mail-plane felt himself softly heaved up, as by a giant shoulder. He looked about him: heavy clouds were extinguishing the stars. He leaned over and peered down at the earth, looking for the lights of villages, hidden like glow-worms in the fields, but nothing shone in this black grass.'
As an horrendous storm closes in and slowly snuffs out the weak airborne communications and banishes any remaining glimpse of the path ahead, Rivière hovers nervously near the night-shift clerks and operators at the other end of those brief radio connections, constantly asking them to ring to the way-stations to get the latest messages from the planes in flight. Fabien meanwhile, fights on:
'As he climbed, he found it easier to counteract the air currents by taking his bearings on the stars. Their pale magnets attracted him. He had struggled so long for a glimpse of light that now he would not have let even the faintest get away from him. Having found the inn-lamp he yearned for, he would have circled round this coveted sign till death. And thus he rose towards these fields of light.'
A straightforward book with some very moving descriptions of early flying in fearsome conditions. I liked it, but I think I'll prefer his more extensive memoir Wind, Sand and Stars which I hope to read one day.
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Fabien - and then some lengthier interludes of less memorable passages from the perspective of the middle aged and no-nonsense airmail company Monsieur le Directeur Rivière. Both characters are apparently based on the author's own experiences in each role at one time or another.Written and published in 1931, S-E describes in this short novel the story of the pioneering Airmail lines which criss-crossed southern South America at that time, bringing the post from Patagonia, Paraguay, and Chile over to Buenos Aires, before its dispatch to Europe across Atlantic skies. The tale in particular tells how the pilot Fabien is at the sharp end of the director's orders. Rivière suffers the internal anguish and doubting of one who has staked his career on the commercial wisdom of advancing the cause of night flying. With Fabien we ferry the precious cargo through the black, often in unpredictably harsh weather, close to the massive Andes range, and are inside his very dimly illuminated cockpit with at times scant visibility, together with the operator and his faltering radio reception...
'An hour later the radio operator of the Patagonia mail-plane felt himself softly heaved up, as by a giant shoulder. He looked about him: heavy clouds were extinguishing the stars. He leaned over and peered down at the earth, looking for the lights of villages, hidden like glow-worms in the fields, but nothing shone in this black grass.'
As an horrendous storm closes in and slowly snuffs out the weak airborne communications and banishes any remaining glimpse of the path ahead, Rivière hovers nervously near the night-shift clerks and operators at the other end of those brief radio connections, constantly asking them to ring to the way-stations to get the latest messages from the planes in flight. Fabien meanwhile, fights on:
'As he climbed, he found it easier to counteract the air currents by taking his bearings on the stars. Their pale magnets attracted him. He had struggled so long for a glimpse of light that now he would not have let even the faintest get away from him. Having found the inn-lamp he yearned for, he would have circled round this coveted sign till death. And thus he rose towards these fields of light.'
A straightforward book with some very moving descriptions of early flying in fearsome conditions. I liked it, but I think I'll prefer his more extensive memoir Wind, Sand and Stars which I hope to read one day.
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LibraryThing member amerynth
Antoine de Saint Exupery's "Night Flight" is the story of one night in the lives of the pilots and ground grew who flew the mail across the Andes from Patagonia, Chile and Paraguay to Argentina so it could be packed on another plane for Europe. The flights were fraught with danger as sudden storms,
I found this little book to be okay -- it was an interesting story and a very quick read. However, it really pales in comparison to Saint Exupery's incredible "Wind, Sand and Stars," which is one of the finest books about flying I've ever read, and a fantastic adventure novel besides. This story is just not as interesting unfortunately.
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cyclones push the planes toward the craggy mountains below. The whole operation is overseen by Riviere, a no-nonsense boss whose primary concern is not the safety of the pilots, but the ability to get the mail in on time.I found this little book to be okay -- it was an interesting story and a very quick read. However, it really pales in comparison to Saint Exupery's incredible "Wind, Sand and Stars," which is one of the finest books about flying I've ever read, and a fantastic adventure novel besides. This story is just not as interesting unfortunately.
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LibraryThing member whwatson
Several years ago I read Wind, Sand, and Stars by this same author (after seeing his book listed within the all time top 10, best true life adventure novels). I absolutely enjoyed it, and to this day, rank it as one of the best books I've read.
With Night Flight I find myself disappointed given
It is, however, still a good read, and I look forward to, and intend to explore more of Saint-Exupery's writings.
With Night Flight I find myself disappointed given
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that previous enthusiasm. This book, or more accurately short story, still employs his supurb poetic writing style, but it lacks the level of depth and feeling of experience that I found so engrossing previously.It is, however, still a good read, and I look forward to, and intend to explore more of Saint-Exupery's writings.
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LibraryThing member datrappert
This novella doesn't quite live up to its classic billing, although it generates some suspense and has a few memorable scenes. French mail pilots in South America converge on Buenos Aires, where the mail flight for Europe is waiting to depart, but a horrendous storm gets in the way. It doesn't help
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that in striving for poeticism, the English translation often verges on incoherence. Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
One single night in time. This is the simple, subtle, yet tragically beautiful story of three mail planes coming into Buenos Aires from Chile, Patagonia and Paraguay. On the ground is director Monsieur Riviere whose chief worry is the mail getting to its destination on time. He is bulldog stubborn
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about it despite looming dangers. Meanwhile, in the air, one of the pilots, newlywed Fabien, faces danger when cyclone - fierce storms blow in from the Andes. Show Less
LibraryThing member drsabs
This short book is a dramatic exposition of the risks of flying in the early days and the psychology of the men (women are spouses only) involved.
LibraryThing member quondame
Even translated the language is rich and evocative. It is however overcome by macholosophy. About a night mail hub in Buenos Aries, the director, ground personnel and pilots under pressure to preform or be eliminated as impractical. Not that the ideas are invalid, just that the nobility of the
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cause of night mail may not be up to the costs, and that it is a very insular male world in which the values are tended. Show Less
LibraryThing member DanielSTJ
This was an excellent novella. Saint-Exupéry takes us into the minds, thoughts, and feelings of the principal characters and creates a story vivid, rife with entangling themes and mixed emotions that allow us to experience it as a emotional, philosophical, and moral tale. Everything that you want
4.5 stars- no less!
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in a literary novella is here and it is by no means preaching or ingratiating, This was great, well-written, and (in my opinion) extremely readable.4.5 stars- no less!
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Pages
96