Papillon, the English edition, is a captivating memoir by Henri Charrière, published in 1969, which immediately caused a stir. The book tells the gripping story of Charrière's life in brutal penal colonies, his daring escape attempts, and his adventurous experiences on the open sea, populated by sharks. Wrongly convicted of murder, Charrière is sentenced to exile in French Guiana, where he makes his first escape attempt after just 42 days. Despite multiple returns and years of imprisonment, his indomitable spirit remains relentless. Over a period of thirteen years, he undertakes a total of nine spectacular escapes, including one from the notorious penal colony on Devil's Island. This edition of Papillon also includes an exclusive new essay by Howard Marks, which complements and deepens the narrative.