Flight To Arras

By Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Flight to Arras is the memoir of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Written in 1942, it recounts his role in the French Air Force as pilot of a reconnaissance plane during the Battle of France in 1940.
The book condenses months of flights into a single terrifying mission over the town of Arras. Saint-Exupéry was assigned to Reconnaissance Group II/33 flying the twin-engine Bloch MB.170. At the start of the war there were only fifty reconnaissance crews, of which twenty-three were in his unit. Within the first few days of the German invasion of France in May 1940, seventeen of the II/33 crews were sacrificed recklessly, he writes "like glasses of water thrown onto a forest fire".

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomson Press
• Release date: Dec 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781446545331

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944), born in Lyons, France, is one of the world’s best loved and widest read writers. His timeless fable, The Little Prince, has sold more than 100 million copies and has been translated into nearly every language. His pilot’s memoir, Wind, Sand and Stars, won the National Book Award and was named the #1 adventure book of all time by Outside magazine and was ranked #3 on National Geographic Adventure’s list of all-time-best exploration books. His other books include Night Flight; Southern Mail; and Airman's Odyssey. A pilot at twenty-six, he was a pioneer of commercial aviation and flew in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. In 1944, while flying a reconnaissance mission for his French air squadron, he disappeared over the Mediterranean.  Stacy Schiff is the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of several bestselling biographies and historical works including, most recently, The Witches: Salem, 1692. In 2018 she was named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. Awarded a 2006 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she was inducted into the Academy in 2019. Schiff has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, and The Los Angeles Times, among many other publications. She lives in New York City.

Reviews for Flight To Arras

[chris_el-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A French pilot talking about his scouting flight flown while the German's were pouring into his country like a flood. The French high command was in disarray and he felt his scouting flight was probably useless and likely to get him killed. But he went anyway. Along the way on this one flight he talks about philosophy, life, the situation in France, and with the French Air Force.

A sample: "There is a cheap literature that speak to us of the need of escape. It is true that when we travel we are in search of distance. But distance is not to be found. It melts away. And escape has never led anywhere. The moment a man finds that he must play the races, go the Arctic, or make war in order to feel himself alive, that man has begun to spin the strands that bind him to other men and to the world. But what wretched strands! A civilization that is really strong fills man to the brim, though he never stir. What are we worth when motionless, is the question." ~ WWII French pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[lamour_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

As the last days before the fall of France in 1940 approach, Saint Exupery & his fellow flyers face almost certain death with every flight. This volume is his description of the recon flight he ton to Arras and what went through his mind as he flew. He describes the plight of the refugees fleeing the Gernans with no idea where they will end up and how they will feed themselves. The plight of children is most moving.He analyzes his feelings about dying especially for a cause that seems hopeless. He also thinks back to his youth and how it influenced him to be the man he is at the moment. This is a classic in the annals of aviation literature.

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Saint Ex's account of flying recon in the opening days of the German invasion of France. He recounts highlites of the time by condensing it into a single account of a flight over the enemy town of Arras. I found it to be a good account of what its like to be on the edge of death, depressing and morose, as the subject requires, yet beautiful and humane.As usual Saint Ex fills the pages with poetic and original descriptions and many metaphors. This is about travel literature:"There is a cheap literature that speaks to us of the need to escape. It is true that when we travel we are in search of distance. But distance is not to be found. It melts away. And escape has never led anyone anywhere. The moment a man finds he must play the races, go to the Arctic, or make war in order to feel himself alive, that man has begun to spin the strands that bind him to other men and to the world. But what wretched strands! A civilization that is really strong fills man to the brim, though he never stir. What are we worth when motionless, is the question." -pg. 113about fear and death:"Man does not die. Man imagines that it is death that he fears; but what he fears is the unforseen, the explosion. What man fears is himself, not death. There is no death when you meet death. When the body sinks into death, the essence of man is revealed. Man is a knot, a web, a mesh into which relationships are tied. Only those relationships matter. The body is an old crock that nobody will miss. I have never known a man to think of himself when dying. Never." -pg.183seeing your own death coming:"And point by point I recognized the extraordinary sensation that now and then accompanies the imminence of death-a feeling of unexpected leisure..The plane was burning, the fighters were after it and spattering it with bullets..but he had felt no desire of any kind. He had felt nothing. He had time on his hands. He was floating in a sort of infinite leisure." -pg.68----Saint Ex wrote Flight to Arras (along with Little Prince) while in the USA for 2 years, right after the events of the book, he then returned to fly more missions in the later days of the war. Prophetically to the tone of the book, he died while on a recon mission off the coast of France, returning home from his last mission.

[hellbent_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The first part was exciting, but then Exupery becomes rather philosophic and the book gets bogged down into an anti-war polemic.

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's amazing what had to be done in the war, and Saint-Exupery captures perfectly the drama of every moment of his mission.

[fallsgalloway · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Flight to Arras" is a powerful memoir written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a renowned French aviator and author, best known for "The Little Prince". Published in 1942, the book recounts Saint-Exupéry's experiences as a pilot during the early days of World War II.The memoir takes place during the Battle of France in 1940 when Saint-Exupéry served as a pilot in the French Air Force. It provides a deeply personal and introspective account of his time as a reconnaissance pilot, flying dangerous missions over enemy territory."Flight to Arras" delves into the emotional and psychological turmoil experienced by Saint-Exupéry and his fellow aviators. It explores the fear, uncertainty, and camaraderie that existed among the pilots, highlighting their courage and dedication in the face of adversity.The book is not merely a chronicle of military operations but also a philosophical reflection on the nature of war and the human condition. Saint-Exupéry contemplates the purpose and meaning of life in the midst of destruction, questioning the value of sacrifice and the ultimate futility of war.Through vivid and poetic prose, Saint-Exupéry captures the beauty and tragedy of flight, describing the exhilaration of soaring through the skies juxtaposed with the grim reality of war-torn landscapes below. His writing blends technical details of aviation with philosophical musings, creating a unique narrative that engages both the intellect and the emotions of the reader."Flight to Arras" is a poignant exploration of the human spirit, resilience, and the search for meaning in the face of impending danger. It offers insights into the experiences and emotions of those involved in aerial warfare, shedding light on the complexities of the human condition during times of conflict.Saint-Exupéry's introspective and lyrical writing style, combined with his firsthand experiences as a pilot, imbues the book with a sense of authenticity and depth. "Flight to Arras" stands as a testament to the author's literary talent and his profound understanding of the human soul.Overall, "Flight to Arras" is a thought-provoking memoir that transcends its wartime context. It delves into universal themes of courage, mortality, and the search for purpose, resonating with readers long after the final page is turned.

[whwatson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first introduction to Saint-Exupery came in 1993 when Outside Magazine published a list of the Top 25 best adventure books written over the last 100 years. Saint-Exupery’s book Wind, Sand and Stars headed that list. Today some critics still claim that that book is the best one ever written on flying. It is a great read, classic, and still remains one of my all time favorites.

Flight to Arras is my 4th novel of his to read. For me, it is not at the level of my first exposure to his writings, but it is still an extremely well written book for entirely different reasons. He was a writer with a poetic methodology. And one who was able to dig inside and explain feelings and emotions that put you the reader into the scene, the circumstances, and his head.

This book takes place during WWII when the Germans were completely over running France. Saint-Exupery belonged to one of two groups flying French reconnaissance planes. Fifty such in the entire French army. One out of every three planes sent out on a mission never comes back. He and his two crew members are sent on a “sortie” that is considered “damned awkward”. In other words, an extremely high probability of not returning.

But this is not a war story. The suicidal mission becomes a backdrop, linchpin, and the motivator to delve into broad philosophical musings on life, purpose, behaviors, relationships to “Man”, and ends with the analogy of the rebirth potential of a seed that may be all that is left of what came before.

This is a really good book that explores the reflective aspects of life; and under circumstances where the writer expects to meet his own death. It is a short read, 150 plus pages, but better enjoyed when you have the time to appreciate the soul bearing he exposes and potentially the feelings stirred within yourself.