A Splendid Gift

A richly imagined story of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French pilot and author of The Little Prince, from the author of The Lost Wife and The Garden of Letters. March, 1942: Declared medically unfit to fly while France is beseiged by war, Saint-Exupéry languishes in homesick frustration, unable to aid his country—and unable to write. While his publisher tries in vain to ease the author’s mind, Saint-Exupéry meets the enchanting Silvia Hamilton at a cocktail party. Though they do not share a language, they are nonetheless drawn to each other, and where words fail them they find other forms of communication. In the proceeding months, Silvia’s warmth and grace give Saint-Exupéry the peace of mind he so desperately needs. And as their love affair flourishes, he finds himself inspired to tell a tale of such simplicity and beauty that a person of any age could find joy and comfort in it. With Silvia as his muse, he works furiously to compose his petite prince. Praise for the novels of Alyson Richman “Fans of The Lost Wife will again savor Richman's ability to tell a remarkable story about people who are unforgettable and real.”—Pam Jenoff, International bestselling author of The Other Girl “Moving, unforgettable and so expertly told, you have to wonder if the author has a gift of time travel—this is storytelling at its very best.”— New York Times bestselling author Sarah Jio “Richman’s fluid writing is filled with historical detail and strong characterization.”— Library Journal Alyson Richman is the author of The Mask Carver’s Son , The Rhythm of Memory , The Last Van Gogh , and The Lost Wife . She lives in Long Island with her husband and two children. From the national bestselling author of The Lost Wife and The Garden of Letters , comes an intimate and richly imagined story of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the French pilot and author of The Little Prince . March, 1942: Declared medically unfit to fly while France is beseiged by war, Saint-Exupéry languishes in homesick frustration, unable to aid his country—and unable to write. While his publisher tries in vain to ease the author's mind, Saint-Exupéry meets the enchanting Silvia Hamilton at a cocktail party. Though they do not share a language, they are nonetheless drawn to each other, and where words fail them they find other forms of communication. In the proceeding months, Silvia's warmth and grace give Saint-Exupéry the peace of mind he so desperately needs. And as their love affair flourishes, he finds himself inspired to tell a tale of such simplicity and beauty that a person of any age could find joy and comfort in it. With Silvia as...