Papillon (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) - Softcover

Henri Charrière

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007179960 ISBN 13: 9780007179961

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2005

Synopsis

An immediate sensation upon its publication in 1969, Papillon is a vivid memoir of brutal penal colonies, daring prison breaks and heroic adventure on shark-infested seas.

Condemned for a murder he did not commit, Henri Charriere, nicknamed Papillon, was sent to the penal colony of French Guiana. Forty-two days after his arrival he made his first break for freedom, travelling a thousand gruelling miles in an open boat. He was recaptured and put into solitary confinement but his spirit remained untamed: over thirteen years he made nine incredible escapes, including from the notorious penal colony on Devil’s Island.

This edition of Papillon, one of the greatest adventure stories ever told, includes an exclusive new essay by Howard Marks.

About this title

Review:

"A modern classic of courage and excitement."-- Janet Flanner, "The New Yorker"The greatest adventure story of all time."-- Auguste Le Breton"A first-class adventure story."--"New York Review of Books

A first-class adventure story. --New York Review of Books"

A modern classic of courage and excitement. --Janet Flanner (G?net), The New Yorker"

[Papillon] is the ultimate hero defying the ultimate system of oppression and succeeding by dint of will, optimism...[and] a sense of honor given only to West Point graduates and Paris thieves. --New York Times"

The greatest adventure story of all time. --Auguste Le Breton"

"A first-class adventure story."--New York Review of Books

"A modern classic of courage and excitement."--Janet Flanner (G?net), The New Yorker

"[Papillon] is the ultimate hero defying the ultimate system of oppression and succeeding by dint of will, optimism...[and] a sense of honor given only to West Point graduates and Paris thieves."--New York Times

"The greatest adventure story of all time."--Auguste Le Breton

Synopsis:

A classic memoir of prison breaks and adventure -- a bestselling phenomenon of the 1960s Condemned for a murder he had not committed, Henri Charriere (nicknamed Papillon) was sent to the penal colony of French Guiana. Forty-two days after his arrival he made his first break, travelling a thousand gruelling miles in an open boat. Recaptured, he went into solitary confinement and was sent eventually to Devil's Island, a hell-hole of disease and brutality. No one had ever escaped from this notorious prison -- no one until Papillon took to the shark-infested sea supported only by a makeshift coconut-sack raft. In thirteen years he made nine daring escapes, living through many fantastic adventures while on the run -- including a sojourn with South American Indians whose women Papillon found welcomely free of European restraints! Papillon is filled with tension, adventure and high excitement. It is also one of the most vivid stories of human endurance ever written. Henri Charriere died in 1973 at the age of 66.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0007179960
• ISBN 13: 9780007179961
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 688