Papillon

Henri Charriere

May 2012 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

“A modern classic of courage and excitement.” —The New Yorker • The source for the iconic prison-escape film starring Steve McQueen

Henri Charrière, nicknamed "Papillon," for the butterfly tattoo on his chest, was convicted in Paris in 1931 of a murder he did not commit. Sentenced to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French Guiana, he became obsessed with one goal: escape. After planning and executing a series of treacherous yet failed attempts over many years, he was eventually sent to the notorious prison, Devil's Island, a place from which no one had ever escaped . . . until Papillon. His flight to freedom remains one of the most incredible feats of human cunning, will, and endurance ever undertaken.

Charrière's astonishing autobiography, Papillon, was first published in France to instant acclaim in 1968, more than twenty years after his final escape. Since then, it has become a treasured classic--the gripping, shocking, ultimately uplifting odyssey of an innocent man who would not be defeated.

“A first-class adventure story.” — New York Review of Books

Ratings and reviews

Whether or not the events contained in this book are entirely Charriere's or filled in with snippets he borrowed from other prisoners, the book is still true. The Salvation Islands camps were very much real and every bit as vile they are described in the book. I had a hard time putting it down.

Extraordinary tale of adventure, courage and bravery all while desperately seeking one's freedom! By far, one of my all time favorite novels. Jeff Edward

A superb book, absolutely amazing experience while reading.

About the author

Born in 1906, and imprisoned in 1931, Henri Charrière finally escaped in 1945 to Venuzuela, where he married, settled in Caracas, and opened a restaurant. He died in 1973.