Papillon Henri Charriere 1970 William Morrow Hardcover Dust Jacket 2nd Printing

Papillon by Henri Charrière — William Morrow & Co., 1970 hardcover with dust jacket. Jacket flap states “Second Printing” and retains the $8.95 price.

Papillon—French for “butterfly”—takes its name from the butterfly tattoo on Charrière’s chest. His gripping account of imprisonment and escape from French Guiana’s penal colonies explores freedom, dignity, and the refusal to let captivity define a life. Read as a symbol of transformation, his tattoo represents the possibility of emerging from confinement into a new existence.

An international bestseller that inspired the celebrated Steve McQueen film, Papillon appeals to collectors of prison literature, adventure, and stories of resilience. Its disputed autobiographical accuracy adds another dimension: where does lived experience end and self-created legend begin? This early American printing offers a collectible connection to its original publication era.

Condition: Front hinge beginning to crack. Red-stained top page edges. Dust jacket protected by a new clear, archival-quality Brodart wrapper. Please review photographs for additional condition details.