Reading Groups

In Short: The Little Prince, a Timeless Tale with Amanda Hollander

$50

1 Session

In stock

Thursday, 6:30 pm EDT - 8:00 pm EDT August 28, 2025

The Center for Fiction

This single-session group is held in person at The Center for Fiction. Registration includes a complimentary drink from our Café & Bar.

Published in 1943, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novella remains one of the most translated books in the entire world. While simply written, The Little Prince features social and political critique that has had a profound and lasting cultural impact.

When the narrator meets the childlike and extraterrestrial Little Prince, he learns of worlds and people outside his own: There’s the man who lives on a planet by himself so he can always be the most important man in the world, and a businessman fixated on counting the stars so that he can declare he owns them. The planet the little prince lives on is only discovered because the Turkish astronomer who discovers it finds a way to be heard by dressing as a European, as he was previously ignored when presenting as non-Western.

Written during the height of World War II and dedicated to Saint-Exupéry’s Jewish friend living in exile, this is a timeless book about keeping a kind heart and forging friendship amid fascist violence and exile, even as the corrupt and cruel exist. In this one-time session, we will examine the historical context and philosophical and political critiques of the novella, and consider what has given the story such enduring power.

What to read in advance of the first meeting: Please read The Little Prince in its entirety. A copy of the story will be emailed upon registration.

What to expect from this reading group: This will be a seminar-like discussion after a brief introduction to provide context and supplemental information.

Reading List:

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Led by

Amanda Hollander

Amanda Hollander

A writer and opera librettist, Amanda Hollander holds a doctorate in Victorian and children’s literature from UCLA. She recently completed a fellowship with the American Opera Project. She has published several works of speculative short fiction and academic articles and was a 2024 fellow at the Huntington Library. You can find more about her upcoming projects at amandahollander.com.

About this series

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Whether you’re looking to catch up on great novels or you’re interested in exploring a new writer or literary period, our reading groups offer high-level literary discussion led by experts in the field.

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