The Complete Persepolis
Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi's best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up as a girl in Iran during the revolution has for twenty years been a classroom staple, a feminist manifesto, and one of the most popular and widely known graphic novels of all time.
"A stunning graphic memoir...a wholly original achievement in the form." —The New York Times
Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming—both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.
Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom—Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.
"A stunning graphic memoir...a wholly original achievement in the form." —The New York Times
Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming—both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.
Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom—Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.
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Readers say *The Complete Persepolis* is a captivating and educational graphic memoir that offers a unique, personal view of Iran’s political upheaval...
This gives one an inside perspective of an Iran that most of us will never know. This is a must read.
I read this for a Banned Books Book Club. I don't know why it would be banned. Yes, she had sex before marriage. Yes, it has a different take on Iranian history than we teach, but that it a plus, not a minus. In my view, it's always good to see what someone else thinks, and then look at the objective facts, motivations, etc.... Also, she used the F-bomb a few times. Now, it WAS banned in Iran and Lebanon, understandably. And it was banned in Chicago school libraries, but after students objected to the banning of a book about freedom of speech, it was brought back.
It's okay. I enjoyed learning the perspective of an Iranian about Iranian events. I also thought she was a bit of a brat, and was lucky that she was able to live through her rebellious personality in Iran. And, like her grandmother, I was dismayed that she wrongly accused a non-involved male bystander so that she could avoid being punished for her choices. (No, I'm not saying that she should have been punished, just that she caused presumable serious consequences for a man who was just sitting on the steps minding his own business.)
It's okay. I enjoyed learning the perspective of an Iranian about Iranian events. I also thought she was a bit of a brat, and was lucky that she was able to live through her rebellious personality in Iran. And, like her grandmother, I was dismayed that she wrongly accused a non-involved male bystander so that she could avoid being punished for her choices. (No, I'm not saying that she should have been punished, just that she caused presumable serious consequences for a man who was just sitting on the steps minding his own business.)
I read these for my English class in high school and am very thankful I did. It helped me to put myself in someone's shoes who lived a completely different life than me and I enjoyed learning about and connecting to the life of a stranger who I've never met and probably never will.
Many powerful messages resonated within this graphic novel. Satrapi tells the story of her youth and early adult hood in Iran, during the dramatic cultural shifts of the 1970s-1990s. She hides no atrocity under the guise of cultural appropriateness, but the cartoons speak openly about the assassinations and oppression of anyone who opposed the regime. So many of these were events that affected her immediate family. Imprisonment, torture, death. All taken in stride. Marjane is sent to Austria for her own safety as a young teen, and even this experience can't quench her thirst for learning and her sassy resistance.
Preparing to see the movie, I read this. Wow. This is a great graphic novel depicting a young girl's life in Iran (Tehran), through the wars. A must read!
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