Year it was published: 2006 (first published in 1969)Ībout the author: Henri Charrière was a convicted murderer chiefly known as the author of Papillon, a hugely successful memoir of his incarceration in and escape from a penal colony on French Guiana. It is also shocking that this penal colony still existed in the 20th century. Reading about how inmates were treated at the penal colony was fascinating, as it was not all bad, although much of it was. It is a bit long, but I think it is worth the effort. I enjoyed reading it and I would highly recommend it. It is very well written and the story flows nicely, it was a delight to read.

He talks in the book about his life, but he also talks about other things that happened in the colony, he talks about people of different races, about homosexuality, friendship.Īt times the book sounds incredible, but it is interesting. He said he was innocent, the victim of dishonest informers and a mis carriage of justice.

The book has 13 chapters, one for each notebook he wrote in. Was Henri Charriere innocent Despite the papillon or butterflysymbolizing freedom that he had tattooed on his chest, the author, a former safecracker, was convicted in 1931 of murdering a Mont martre gangster and sentenced to life imprisonment. It was published in France in the late 60s, more than 20 years after his escape. In the end he managed to escape and wrote this amazing autobiography. He tried many times and this meant he was punished with solitary confinement and reduced rations. He spent all his time thinking about escaping or trying to escape. He received a life sentence in a penal colony of French Guiana. He was convicted in 1931, in Paris, for a murder he did not commit. Henri Charrière was called Papillon due to his butterfly tattoo on his chest. Around half-way through the book it got a bit boring, but it pick up again and I loved reading it. It took a long time to finish it because I was busy with other things, but I loved the book and gave it 5 stars. I saw a recent movie based on Papillon by Henri Charrière, so I bought the book and read it.

Papillon henri charriere