Synopses & Reviews
Originally published to wide critical acclaim in France, where it elicited comparisons to Art Spiegelman's
Maus,
Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's wise, funny, and heartbreaking memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran: of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. Marjane's child's-eye-view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a stunning reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, through laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
Review
"A triumph....Like Maus, Persepolis is one of those comic books capable of seducing even those most allergic to the genre. The author's masterstroke is to allow us to experience history from within her family, with irony and tenderness." Libération (France)
Review
"I cannot praise enough Marjane Satrapi's moving account of growing up as a spirited young girl in revolutionary and war-time Iran. Persepolis is disarming and often humorous but ultimately it is shattering." Joe Sacco, author of Palestine and Safe Area Gorazde
Review
"I thought [Persepolis] was a superb piece of work....Satrap has found a way of depicting human beings that is both simple and immediately comprehensible, AND is almost infinitely flexible. Anyone who's tried to draw a simplified version of a human face knows how immensely difficult it is not only to give the faces a range of expression, but also to maintain identities from one frame to the next. It's an enormous technical accomplishment." Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass
Review
"You've never seen anything like Persepolis the intimacy of a memoir, the irresistability of a comic book, and the political depth of a the conflict between fundamentalism and democracy. Marjane Satrapi may have given us a new genre." Gloria Steinem
Review
"I grew up reading the Mexican comics of Gabriel Vargas, graduated to the political teachings of Rius, fell under the spell of Linda Barry, Art Spiegelman, and now I am a fan of Marjane Satrapi. Her stories thrummed in my heart for days. Persepolis is part history book, part Scheherazade, astonishing as only true stories can be. I learned much about the history of Iran, but more importantly, it gave me hope for humanity in these unkind times." Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street and Caramelo
Review
"I'm not normally a comic book reader, and I'll admit I was skeptical. Within the first few pages, though, I felt the tiny hand of the narrator pulling me into her world. As she regaled me with tales of her extraordinary life, I found myself moved, fascinated, shocked and enthralled. The next time I looked up, I had finished the book. I looked around the room feeling bewildered. How, I wondered, did this wonderful little book manage to transport me so completely?"
Alison Wearing, author of Honeymoon in Purdah
Review
"This child's eye view of survival during Iran's revolution and the Iraq war made me laugh and cry. Most importantly, it helped me to see recent upheavals in a new way. This comic strip should be required reading!" Suzanne Fisher Staples, author of Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind and Haveli
Review
"This witty, moving and illuminating book demonstrates graphically why the future of Iran lies with neither the clerics nor the American Empire." Tariq Ali, author of The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity
Review
"I found the work immensely moving with depths of nuance and wisdom that one might never expect to find in a comic book. It's a powerful, mysterious, enchanting story that manages to reflect a great swath of Iranian contemporary history within the sensitive, intimate tale of a young girl's coming-of-age. I didnt want it to end!" Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Crescent and Arabian Jazz
Review
"A rare and chilling memoir that offers every reader a personal, honest portrait of Iran's recent political and cultural history. Ms. Satrapi's provocative, graphic narrative of life in Iran before and after the Islamic revolution is an extraordinary testament to the level of human suffering experienced by Iranians tossed from one political hypocrisy to another. Aside from the humanistic dimension, the beautifully minimalist Persepolis gives further evidence of Marjane Satrapi's sensitivity and superb skill as an artist." Shirin Neshat, visual artist/filmmaker
Review
"Readers who have always wanted to look beyond political headlines and CNN's cliches should plunge into this unique illustrated story. Let Marji be your trusted companion, follow her into the warmth of a Persian home and out along Tehran's turbulent streets during those heady days of revolution. Persepolis opens a rare door to understanding of events that still haunt America, while shining a bright light on the personal humanity and humor so much alive in Iranian families today." Terence Ward, author of Searching for Hassan
Review
"Blending the historical with the personal is not an easy task, to blend the individual with the universal is even more challenging. But Marjane Satrapi has succeeded brilliantly. This graphic novel is a reminder of the human spirit that fights oppression and death, it is a witness to something true and lasting which is more affective than hundreds of news broadcasts." Hanan al-Shaykh, author of Women of Sand and Myrhh
Review
"A remarkable achievement!" Janet Afary, Associate Professor of History & Womens Studies, Purdue University
Review
"Both enchanting and devastingly real, Persepolis captures the many complexities of modern Iran, filtered through compelling illustrations and a wise child's eye." Christiane Bird, author of Neither East Nor West
Review
"Satrapi's super-naive style is powerful; it persuasively communicates confusion and horror through the eyes of a precocious preteen." Joy Press, Village Voice
Synopsis
BEST SELLER
- A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
- A memoir of growing up as a girl in revolutionary Iran.... That Satrapi chose to tell her remarkable story as a gorgeous comic book makes it totally unique and indispensable. --
Time Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's best-selling graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane's child's-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
Synopsis
BEST SELLER
- A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
- Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. "A wholly original achievement.... Satrapi evokes herself and her schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances.... A stark, shocking impact." --The New York Times: The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years
In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the coming-of-age story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane's child's-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
Synopsis
Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between andldquo;crazyandrdquo; and andldquo;creativeandrdquo; in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers.
and#160;
Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity.
Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia Oandrsquo;Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to andldquo;cureandrdquo; an otherwise brilliant mind.
Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forneyandrsquo;s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artistandrsquo;s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose.
Synopsis
Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between andldquo;crazyandrdquo; and andldquo;creativeandrdquo; in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers.
and#160;
Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity.
Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia Oandrsquo;Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to andldquo;cureandrdquo; an otherwise brilliant mind.
Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forneyandrsquo;s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artistandrsquo;s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose.
Synopsis
From the best-selling author of Fun Home,and#160;Time magazine's No. 1 Book of the Year, a poignant and hilariousand#160; graphic memoir ofand#160;Alison Bechdeland#160;becoming the artist her giftedand#160;mother alwaysand#160;wanted to be
Synopsis
From the best-selling author of
Fun Home,
Time magazineand#8217;s No. 1 Book of the Year, a brilliantly told graphic memoir of Alison Bechdel becoming the artist her mother wanted to be.
Alison Bechdeland#8217;s Fun Home was a pop culture and literary phenomenon. Now, a second thrilling tale of filial sleuthery, this time about her mother: voracious reader, music lover, passionate amateur actor. Also a woman, unhappily married to a closeted gay man, whose artistic aspirations simmered under the surface of Bechdel's childhood . . . and who stopped touching or kissing her daughter good night, forever, when she was seven. Poignantly, hilariously, Bechdel embarks on a quest for answers concerning the mother-daughter gulf. It's a richly layered search that leads readers from the fascinating life and work of the iconic twentieth-century psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, to one explosively illuminating Dr. Seuss illustration, to Bechdeland#8217;s own (serially monogamous) adult love life. And, finally, back to Motherand#8212;to a truce, fragile and real-time, that will move and astonish all adult children of gifted mothers.
About the Author
Alison Bechdelandnbsp;is the author of the bestselling memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, which was named a Best Book of the Year by Time, Entertainment Weekly,andnbsp;New York Times, People, USAandnbsp;Today,andnbsp;Los Angeles Times, Village Voice, and San Francisco Chronicle, among others.andnbsp;For twenty-five years, she wrote and drew the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, a visual chronicle of modern lifeand#8212;queer and otherwiseand#8212;considered "one of the preeminent oeuvres in the comics genre, period." (Ms.)andnbsp; Bechdel is guest editor of Best American Comics, 2011, and has drawn comics for Slate, McSweeney's, Entertainment Weekly,andnbsp; Granta, and The New York Times Book Review.andnbsp;
Reading Group Guide
1.
The New York Times hails
Persepolis as “the latest and one of the most delectable examples of a booming postmodern genre: autobiography by comic book.” Why do you think this genre is so popular? Why did Satrapi chose this format in which to tell her story? What does the visual aspect add that a conventional memoir lacks? Have you read other graphic memoirs, such as
Maus by Art Spiegelman or Joe Saccos
Palestine? How is
Persepolis different and/or similar to those? How does
Persepolis compare to other comic books? Would you call this a comic book, or does it transcend this and other categories? Where would you place this book in a bookstore? With memoirs, comic books, current events?
2. Written as a memoir, is Persepolis more powerful than if Satrapi had fictionalized the story? Why or why not? Compare this book to other memoirs you have read. What are the benefits and drawbacks of memoirs?
3. In an Associated Press interview, Satrapi said, “The only thing I hope is that people will read my book and see that this abstract thing, this Axis of Evil, is made up of individuals with lives and hopes.” And in her introduction to Persepolis, she explains that she wrote this book to show that Iran is not only a country of “fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism.” How does Satrapi go about challenging this myth? How does Persepolis dispel or confirm your views on Iran? In what ways does reading this book deepen your understanding and knowledge of Iran, and the current situation in Iraq?
4. How is Persepolis organized and structured? What has Satrapi chosen to emphasize in her childhood? How is the passage of time presented? Describe Satrapis drawings. How do the drawings add to the narrative of the story?
5. Describe the writers voice. Is it appealing? Which aspects of Marjis character do you identify with or like the most, the least? Did your reaction to the little girl affect your reading experience?
6. How did the revolution exert power and influence over so many people, including many educated and middle class people like Satrapis parents? Why did so many people leave after the revolution? Why do you think Marjis parents send her off to Austria while they stay in Tehran? Why dont they leave/escape as well?
7. “Every situation has an opportunity for laughs.” (p. 97) Give some examples of how the ordinary citizens of Iran enjoyed life despite the oppressive regime. What made you laugh? How does Satrapi add comic relief? How are these scenes relevant to the story as a whole?
8. What kinds of captivity and freedom does the author explore in Persepolis? What stifles or prevents people from being completely free? How do they circumvent and defy the rules imposed on them and attempt to live ordinary lives despite revolution and war? Give some examples of their small acts of rebellion.
9. “In spite of everything, kids were trying to look hip, even under risk of arrest.” (p. 112) How did they do this? What do you think you would have done had you been a child in this environment? What acts of rebellion did you do as a teen? In way ways is Satrapi just a normal kid?
10. What does Satrapi say regarding disparity between the classes before and after the Iranian Revolution? Discuss some examples that Marji witnesses and contemplates.
11. At the core of the book is Marjis family. What is this family like? What is important to Marjis parents? What environment do they create for their daughter despite living under an oppressive regime and through a brutal, prolonged war? From where do they get their strength?
12. What is the role of women in the story? Compare and contrast the various women: Marji, her mother, her grandmother, her school teachers, the maid, the neighbors, the guardians of the revolution.
13. Discuss the role and importance of religion in Persepolis. How does religion define certain characters in the book, and affect the way they interact with each other? Is the author making a social commentary on religion, and in particular on fundamentalism? What do you think Satrapi is saying about religions effect on the individual and society?
14. In what ways is Persepolis both telling a story and commenting on the importance of stories in our lives? What does the book suggest about how stories shape and give meaning to our experience? Discuss some of the stories in Persepolis—Uncle Anooshs story, her grandfathers story, Niloufars story.
15. What is Satrapi suggesting about the relationship between past and present, and between national and personal history? What role does her family history, and the stories of her relatives, play in shaping Marji?
The questions and discussion topics that follow are intended to enhance your groups reading of
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.
Persepolis is Satrapis memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shahs regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. It is a childhood entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran: the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and the toll that repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. Satrapis childs-eye-view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings and executions, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression.
As the Los Angeles Times has written, “Although she may not have intended it, Satrapi has grown into her youthful dream of prophethood. She is a voice calling out to the rest of us, reminding us to embrace this childs fervent desire that human dignity reign supreme.”