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Title: Good overview of the life
Review: Unfortunately most people know St. Ex as a kind of iconic figure, with no sense of who he actually was. This biography provides a good overview of the various phases of his life, although it tends a little much (for me) toward psychological analysis. The first few chapters, which describe what probably was for St. Ex the best period in his life, are particularly well done.I had two minor problems with the book, which does not reduce its value as a good general biography. One was the tendency to treat St. Ex's work in terms of how close or far it strays from "true" fiction, as if fiction is the ultimate form, rather than assessing the work on its own terms. I also found the ending quite abrupt -- I would have expected a little more discussion about his legacy as an author and how his reputation has fared since his death. Otherwise, a beautifully written book and a good read. REB
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