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Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood :: 037571457X
Description
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A New York Times Notable Book
A Time Magazine “Best Comix of the Year”
A San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times Best-seller
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s 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.Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
Reviews
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Author: Guest
I ordered six copies of this book after I tested it on my class of students learning English as a Second Language (ESL). It has been particularly effective, with the cartoons aiding understanding of the text and helping the students (adults from 11 countries) get past the sometimes difficult vocabulary. They enjoy working with a text for adults rather than some of the pablum that is used in ESL classes. The only shortcoming occurs when some of Satrapi's sarcasm and irony escapes them, but that can be remedied with classroom discussions, which are themselves a great ESL tool. I definitely plan to use Book 2 when we finish Book 1.
Barth, Port Washington, NY
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Author: Guest
Persepolis is a brilliant book. It is almost impossible to keep your eyes off of the book once you start reading it. The simple but bold drawings definitely add to the mood Marjane tried to create. I recommend Persepolis 1 and 2, Chicken and Plums and Embroideries to anyone who appreciates a creative approach to story telling. The only problem I can see with Marjane Satrapi's books is that there is an end to each book while you wish it could go on and on forever.
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Author: Guest
I very much enjoyed reading this graphic novel. It is surprisingly witty and more introspective then I expected. The book is about the author's chilhood in Iran and covers her pre-teen years. The book reminds you that although we all have our perceptions, the fundamentalism we see on TV represents the views and actions of only a small portion of the population. Among the rest are people just like the rest of us who are very educated and just want the freedoms Americans or other parts of the world exercise.
Persepolis give a look into that secret life and how those people live side by side with their oppressors. I don't think the author intends the book to be a resource in culture as much as a place to spark interest. The book is actually more of a coming of age story. Where the main character at a young age finds herself questioning her own values and beliefs, torn between ideals that are pressed upon her by her culture and ideals that she is luckily encouraged by her parents to develop on her own. The book is very well done and I would definently recommend it to anyone.
Also it's a very quick read so if you happen to not like it, you won't have spent too much time.
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Author: Guest
I never found Persepolis to be anything more than a
curiosity. For me, the unrealistic artwork prevented any
emotional reaction whatsoever to the material. This is definitely not because the book is a graphic novel. I learned to read by devouring Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, etc. But for me, non-fiction requires realistic artwork to be effective.
I found my reading experiences of the two volumes to be
mirror images of each other -- in volume one, my
curiosity as to what happened next increased with each
story, whereas in volume two each story was less
interesting than the one that came before. I found
the stories after Marjane returned to Iran to be
banal, even trite. It was a struggle to finish.
The only thing I came away with from these volumes is that
Marjane's family and circle of friends are very westernized. Is
that reflective of the country as a whole? Who knows.
But the narrowness of the book's focus -- and I know
it was a memoir and memoirs are very personal and
therefore very narrow -- made for a very claustrophic
reading experience. I learned a fair amount about
Marjane Satrapi, but I'm not sure I learned anything
significant about Iran.
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Author: Guest
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi, is a comic book style ("illustrated novel") autobiography of memories of life as a child in Iran just before and after the overthrow of the Shah (roughly 1978-82), and during the war with Iraq. Her parents are well-educated, seemingly progressive, and, through the eyes of a child, heroic.
Life changes. She experiences the mandatory use of the veil, stricter schools, hiding activities from nosy neighbors, and the phrase "...on a trip" as a code for death in war or by execution. Children play games of torturer and torturee. Satrapi reveals her evolution as a child rebel, albeit a selfish one focusing on the narrow-mindedness of youth... rebellion is wearing a Michael Jackson button and tight jeans in public. However, reality gets closer and closer... a favorite uncle is imprisoned and executed, a friend is killed in an Iraqi bomb attack, food is scare, and teachers are more draconian.
This book took about an hour to read. There is good congruence between the script and the drawings, but the style of presentation as an illustrated novel means there is no depth to the story. Perhaps the following book, Persepolis 2, will provide more.
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