Papillon - Henri Charriere

Papillon is one of the most interesting books I have read in a very long time. It is autobiographical and follows the difficult life of Henri Charriere in the French penal colonies. The penal colonies are harsh. the solitary confinement is torturous and Charriere paints the picture of boredom and the slowness of time passing brilliantly. The people he meets are varied in character and the book offers a fascinating insight into the mindsets of criminals. The genuine love that these men can feel for each other is often put across in a matter of fact way but this just emphasises the fact that Papillon takes it for granted in some respects. There is no need ...  Read the complete review

This paperback book was originally published in 1969 and 34 years later it's a stunning read. I found it when we moved house last year, in the loft there was a bag of books which Mark brought down for me to sort through. I hadn't got a book on the go (due to a library fine which I keep forgetting to pay I can't get a book out at the moment! lol) so thought I'd give it a whirl. Can I just add that Papillon was later made into an epic film starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman but as I've never seen the film, I can't comment on whether it was a sucessful book to film adaption. The central character in the book is Papillon, which is ...  Read the complete review

Until I was fortunate enough to read this book in my own early years, I thought that I had been enduring a ‘tough’ life in the streets of Glasgow. I can honestly say, that this tale of courage, perseverance and sheer dogged and unrelenting spirit to survive, through and against ‘all odds’, forever changed my own personal viewpoint on ‘Life’ -- There is in fact, and always will be -- ~~~~~ Someone Worse off than poor - Moi ! The tortuous and heartrending tale begins when the author Henri Charriere alias Papillon (the butterfly) a small time French petty criminal, is arrested, railroaded through an alleged ...  Read the complete review

Like many in their twenties, I first read this book on recommedation from my dad, and I've since read it over and over. Papillon is the autobiography of Henri Charriere. Sent to a penal colony for life in the early 1900s, the book charts the amazing tales of his escapes and re-captures. Originally written in French, the translation is one of the best things about the whole book. It's written with such a snappy, punchy tone, that it's pure adrenaline to read. The story is one long adventure, and as such will probably appeal more to males (I bought my favourite English teacher a copy when I left school and all she said was "It's very ...  Read the complete review