book data
1,407 ratings,
4.18
average rating, 205 reviews
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published
August 1st 2006
(first published 1970)
by Harper Perennial Modern Classics
binding
Paperback, 576 pages
isbn
0061120669
(isbn13: 9780061120664)
description
Henri Charrière, called "Papillon," for the butterfly tattoo on his chest, was convicted in Paris in 1931 of a murder he did not commit. S
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avg 4.18
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in January, 2000
My mother knew Papillon and another one of the characters in the book (Francoise). He was a customer of my uncle's restaurant Il Padrino, in Venezuela, back in the 60's,70's (after this story was told). My brother was just an infant/toddler at this time and they would take turns throwing him in the air, swinging him, etc.. I told this guy Neil about this and he was shocked that my family knew this guy. He had read the book and loved it so much. So as a gift, he gave me a copy of the book.
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Read in June, 2007
Papillon was an enjoyable enough summer read; it was just a little hard to suspend my disbelief at times for a supposedly nonfiction endeavor. I was unsurprised to see in my post-reading research that large portions the story were disputed and that several of Charriere's fellow inmates have claimed over the years that he incorporated the experiences of other would-be escapees and presented them as his own story. I guess this book was a precursor of sorts to A Million Little Pieces in that both a...more
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Read in October, 2008
When I first read this book about 20 years ago, I was struck that the country that could give birth to the Declaration of the Rights of Man could maintain such barbaric penal colonies during the 20th century. The intervening years have provided no easy answers for me.
Since reading this the first time, I have come to know more of Charrière's biography. In a world post A Million Little Pieces, many of us are more skeptical about the veracity of memoirs. Even as I cheered on Cha...more
Since reading this the first time, I have come to know more of Charrière's biography. In a world post A Million Little Pieces, many of us are more skeptical about the veracity of memoirs. Even as I cheered on Cha...more
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6 comments
Read in January, 2002
recommends it for:
Wow! yes
Its my favorite book till date. One word for it - WOW..Its just amazing and the way the author has described the life of a man in the prisons is amazing. Its wonderful how he tells this man's story spanning so many years. I saw this movie as a kid..I must be very young then maybe class 5 or younger..and ever since then I had a desire in me to read this book whenever I get a chance.
Papillon means butterfly and it symbolises the protagonists' desire to get free from the clutches of j...more
Papillon means butterfly and it symbolises the protagonists' desire to get free from the clutches of j...more
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I was blown away by this book ... by the strength of character displayed by the author (admittedly not always a character to be unreservedly liked), by the mad adventures he undertook, and by the amazing richness of a life that a court tried to throw into a hole and forget about.
There is something so fundamentally heartening about Papillon’s refusal to remain incarcerated for a crime he did not commit (though he ends his tale by admitting that he was a character ripe to be accused ...more
There is something so fundamentally heartening about Papillon’s refusal to remain incarcerated for a crime he did not commit (though he ends his tale by admitting that he was a character ripe to be accused ...more
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Read in January, 2009
Henri Charriere was (purportedly) unjustly accused and convicted of a murder, and sentenced to life internment/interment in the penal colony of French Guiana. He describes his experiences there and during his multiple "cavales" (escape attempts), culminating in his final, successful attempt that lands him in Venezuela.
Charriere's style is very conversational: you can picture yourself seated in front of a fireplace listening to him recount his adventures. On the other hand,...more
Charriere's style is very conversational: you can picture yourself seated in front of a fireplace listening to him recount his adventures. On the other hand,...more
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Read in October, 2008
Having read and enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo years ago, I fell into an easy pattern reading this memoir and was in awe of the determination and persistence Charriere showed. His descriptions of the inhumane treatment of the prisoners are hard to take, however, and at times I wished that the book would skip through yet another failed escape and subsequent punishment.
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Read in January, 1974
This book provides insight into mans incredible rationalization capability. The protagonist begins the novel as a wounded wronged person, with a strong desire for vengeance.
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If he's as innocent as he proclaims, then why, when free does he g...more
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If he's as innocent as he proclaims, then why, when free does he g...more
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Read in May, 2009
This is the most astonishing non-fiction story I have read in years (though "Now the Hell Will Start" is right up there). I devoured "Papillon" greedily, bailing on social events so I could suck down more pages. And it fits nicely with my recent media theme of "Crazy French People Being Crazy and...French," which includes the tight-rope walker movie "Man on Wire," the French con man and human chameleon Frederic Bourdin (who, as a 33-year old, successfully ...more
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This is THE quintessential escape-from-prison story. The back-story is somewhat infamous--when it was first published in 1969 it was market as an autobiography and became an instant bestseller. But it has since then been proven to be a mix of several prisoner's stories. The basic plot is as follows: a French man who was wrongly accused escapes from all the worst prisons in South America multiple times. I've never thought so much about what it would be like to be locked up before--escape from...more
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Read in January, 2009
OK, it's been a while since I finished this book, but I still have some strong feelings about it. It's an autobiography of a French man convicted of murder at the beginning of last century and shipped off to a penal colony that was eventually shut down for its deplorable conditions. He spends several decades attempting to escape (and re-escape) and exact revenge on those responsible for his conviction.
And there's the problem. He says he's not guilty, but doesn't provide a co...more
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Look...it's a little implausible, right? And we'd like to think that we like autobiographies because they're the real-world experiences of people who can engage us in authentic stories that illustrate the breadth of human strength.
But I always like that bit in The Things They Carried about how telling a true war story requires exaggeration...multiplying by "maybe". Stretching the truth to achieve the fear, the wonder, the alarm, the force of emotion needed to understand t...more
But I always like that bit in The Things They Carried about how telling a true war story requires exaggeration...multiplying by "maybe". Stretching the truth to achieve the fear, the wonder, the alarm, the force of emotion needed to understand t...more
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Read in April, 2008
Definitely a book for guys. Not that I didn't like it, too, and not that I read chick lit or anything, but this is a book that is written by a manly man, written for men who loved adventure stories as children. I'm a big big fan of the movie (and I for sure don't like chick flicks), the book read like what it was--translated from the French. Much like vacuuming or sex when not in the mood, I was fine when I was in the middle of it, but never wanted to start. I had a hard time getting motivat...more
Read in January, 2006
Ce livre autobiographique a inspiré en 1973 le film du même nom de Franklin J. Schaffner avec Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman. Très controversé ce livre de souvenirs n’est en fait qu’un assemblage de ses propres anecdotes mêlées à des histoires de compagnons de bagnes. Autrement dit, Charrière se serait largement inspiré des vies d’autres forçats pur écrire son livre. Toutefois les aventures qu’il décrit, s’il est difficile voire impossible de savoir lesquelles peuvent lui ê...more
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Read in December, 1987
It took me one year to read this book, because I had to stop after every page to let my mind wander and wonder... That is the purpose of a book: make you stop and imagine and enrich your reflection.
The story is mainly facts but so many hidden themes appear:
- the carceral conditions, (read Albert Londres, too)
- the distinctions between humans and animals
- can jail help a person come back in the right path or, on the contrary, make him worse?
- the contrast: paradise...more
The story is mainly facts but so many hidden themes appear:
- the carceral conditions, (read Albert Londres, too)
- the distinctions between humans and animals
- can jail help a person come back in the right path or, on the contrary, make him worse?
- the contrast: paradise...more
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Read in January, 1999
This is by far the best "escape" story in the English language. It is probably one of the best all-around adventure stories too. Even if only half of what Papillion writes is the truth, it is an amazing tale. Papillion never quits, he never says die, and he keeps you on the edge of your seat with this memoir of his time in jail and the lengths he goes to trying to escape. It's been a few years since I've read it ... I think it's time to read it again! Vive le Papillion!
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پاپيون نوشته هانري شارير از قديمي ترين و بهترين كتابهاي ست كه دارم
نويسندش اين كتاب را تقديم به ملت ونزوئلا به ماهيگيران خليج پرياي ونزوئلا تقديم به همه روشنفكران و سپاهيان و ريتا همسرش نموده است
مانند يك زندگي نامه است
خاطرات زندان
سلول هاي انفرادي
فرار
جنگل...more
نويسندش اين كتاب را تقديم به ملت ونزوئلا به ماهيگيران خليج پرياي ونزوئلا تقديم به همه روشنفكران و سپاهيان و ريتا همسرش نموده است
مانند يك زندگي نامه است
خاطرات زندان
سلول هاي انفرادي
فرار
جنگل...more
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Read in April, 2009
Well I don't usually review but on this occasion I will. I really wanted to give this 5 *'s but just couldn't quite do it. It is an excellent book and perhaps I will change my mind later on. I have a feeling there are some inconsistencies with the ratings I've given so far as it is.
This book was gripping and enjoyable with many emotional highs and lows but for me it just lagged a bit towards the end which is the clincher. It's a hard thing to say about someone's memoirs but the...more
This book was gripping and enjoyable with many emotional highs and lows but for me it just lagged a bit towards the end which is the clincher. It's a hard thing to say about someone's memoirs but the...more
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Read in January, 2009
I'm sure parts of this book were exaggerated, but I found it fascinating to read this story of a shady character of a man convicted of a murder he didn't commit and how he escaped more than once. I read the condensed version, so I'm sure there are a lot more stories that were left out---but I like a quick read!
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Read in April, 2009
Henri Charriere's story is both bold and moving. It was an emotional journey that I recommend to ANY type of reader. I can't say too much without giving away much of the plot, but Papillon, through all the heartache and torture is one of the most hopeful and endearing men that I have ever read about.
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