A Splendid Gift

A Splendid Gift

<b>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.</b><br /> 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.<br />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 <i>petite prince.</i><br /><b>Praise for the novels of Alyson Richman</b><br />“Fans of <i>The Lost Wife</i> will again savor Richman's ability to tell a remarkable story about people who are unforgettable and real.”—Pam Jenoff, International bestselling author of <i>The Other Girl</i><br />“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.”— <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Sarah Jio<br />“Richman’s fluid writing is filled with historical detail and strong characterization.”—<i>Library Journal</i><br /><b>Alyson Richman</b> is the author of <i>The Mask Carver’s Son</i>, <i>The Rhythm of Memory</i>, <i>The Last Van Gogh</i>, and <i>The Lost Wife</i>. She lives in Long Island with her husband and two children.