"Papillon" by Henri Charrière

[abbeyfan]

Go in with the attitude that its a great story that may have been "embellished slightly". The movie then exponentially expanded these embellishments. Still an awesome story of human spirit, and over coming cruelty and ignorance.

[emmawatson026]

Hi i read this book. I really enjoyed the rough edge/ramshackle descriptions of his characters and their environment. The setting of immediate post WW2 and the descriptions of Sam at the horse races reminded me some of my paternal grandfather-maybe I felt a familiarity with some of the characterizations.

[Carrie R]

I read that book years ago. Haven't thought about it for a long time, so it was nice to see the reminder. I loved the book, and this is one instance where I also loved the movie. Dustin Hoffman was brilliant, as of course, was Steve McQueen. I can't remember enough to differentiate the book from the movie. Perhaps I'll have to revisit it.

[Mazza WA]

I read this book shortly after it was first published - it was sensational. I too enjoyed the movie, Carrie R. This was one occasion when I felt that the script did justice to the book.

[Saybelle]

Like, Mazza, I also read the book soon after it was first published and before the film. I was a teen-ager. I was riveted by both book and film. Haven't thought about either in years but would highly recommend them.

[DanBR]

I read this book may years ago but it has always stayed with me as an example of what the human spirit can withstand against all odds. The movie didn't capture that and became just another escape story vehicle for McQueen who did that sort of thing very well. Banco, the follow up book by Monsieur Charriere, dealt with his later, much more sedate, life. It was therefore not as interesting.

Agree. Banco was nowhere as engaging. In fact after starting it I put it away for some years before I got around to finishing it, and even that was out of a sense of duty (get it done) rather than enjoyment.

[trappa]

I read Papillon a number of years ago. I think this was one of the few books i have shed tears over.
Its a "Must Read" in my opinion.

[Steve32a]

I first read this book in New Zealand about 14 years ago and i became almost obsessed with it,i carried it around and probable read it five times,i was even considering visiting Devils Island [where he was imprisoned].......anyway later i did some research and found out that the book is basically a pack of lies.Charriere WAS sentenced here but he was anything but a bad boy,he apparently kept himself to himself and his prison job was cleaning the Abloutions block [the sh*thouse]most of his stories were him listening to other people....and he wasn't reguarded by any inmates as a tough guy........in the 1970's a french man claimed that papillon story was HIS story in other words it had been stolen.....and worse still charriere WAS guilty of the murder he had been convicted of [he was a paris pimp].....anyway another french author researched his story in a book and pulled it to piece's....it's fair to say i was disapointed and as i only read non-fiction i threw the book away .....

-- 31 Oct 2013, 06:38 --

I was thinking last night after i posted that i inadvertantly may have ruined the book for YOU,sorry if i did,Chariere also wrote a follow up called BANKO it followed the same thread but was about his time after he was released......i was on the verge of buying another book called THE ICEMAN by PHILIP CARLO but again after i did some research i found out this was also a pack of lies.......so it just goes to show that if you dont read fiction like me its as well to do some reasearch before buying a book....i guess what it boils down to is that if a story is "unbelievable" or "increadable" it probable is!,mine you there are exceptions......

-- 31 Oct 2013, 06:50 --

i just added a tag onto my previous post inadvertantly......still getting the hang of this site..

-- 31 Oct 2013, 06:56 --

why isn't my new post registering on the site index and why are my post all joined up even though they are a day apart? THANKS

[Mom2Grey]

Oh, PERFECT! Thank you muchly!
I loved the movie. Love, love, love. What a honey Steve McQueen was... but I digress.

Looking for something to read, and can't quite decide. Feel like a kid in a candy store, just taking bites of things here and there yet unable to settle on anything specific. I think this is it!