Marjane Satrapi was born in 1969 in Rasht, Iran. She grew up in Tehran, where she studied at the Lycee Fran ais before leaving for Vienna and then going to Strasbourg to study illustration. She has written several children's books, and her illustrations appear in newspapers and magazines throughout the world, including The New Yorker and the New York Times. She currently lives in Paris.
This extraordinary autobiography tells the story of Satrapi's early life as a girl in late 1970s and early 1980s Iran. Through her young eyes, the reader sees the overthrow of the Shah, the Islamic fundamentalist rise to power, and the war with Iraq. Satrapi was a religious girl who grew up in a progressive family and went to a French school; but after the Islamic revolution, she was forced to wear the veil and ended up rejecting God. Under increasing threat from Iraqi bombings and an oppressive government, Satrapi and her family still managed to enjoy forbidden parties, games, and music (such as Iron Maiden). This fueled Satrapi's own adolescent rebellion, which eventually got her into trouble. Satrapi's simple, cartoony, even cute black-and-white art allows for easy identification with the characters and expertly reflects their varying emotions. When first published in France, where Satrapi now lives, this book won several European comics awards-and it's a prime candidate for American award nominations as well. A remarkable, revealing, and sometimes startling account, this is sure to be one of the most important graphic novels of the year. Highly recommended for older teens and adults. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/03.] Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
A New York Times Notable Book * A Time Magazine
"Best Comix of the Year" * A San Francisco Chronicle and
Los Angeles Times Best Seller
"Delectable. . . Dances with drama and insouciant wit." -The New
York Times Book Review
"A stunning graphic memoir hailed as a wholly original achievement
in the form. There's still a startling freshness to the book. It
won't age. In inky shadows and simple, expressive lines-reminiscent
of Ludwig Bemelmans's "Madeline"-Satrapi evokes herself and her
schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances
. . . A stark, shocking impact." -Parul Sehgal, "The 50 Best
Memoirs of the Past 50 Years" The New York Times
"A dazzlingly singular achievement. . . . Striking a perfect
balance between the fantasies and neighborhood conspiracies of
childhood and the mounting lunacy of Khomeini's reign, she's like
the Persian love child of Spiegelman and Lynda Barry."
-Salon
"A brilliant and unusual graphic memoir. . . . [Told] in a
guileless voice . . . accompanied by a series of black-and-white
drawings that dramatically illustrate how a repressive regime
deforms ordinary lives."-Vogue
"Odds are, you'll be too busy being entertained to realize
how much you've learned until you turn the last
page."-Elle.com
"[A] self-portrait of the artist as a young girl, rendered
in graceful black-and-white comics that apply a childlike
sensibility to the bleak lowlights of recent Iranian history. . . .
[Her] style is powerful; it persuasively communicates confusion and
horror through the eyes of a precocious preteen." -Village
Voice
"This is an excellent comic book, that deserves a place with Joe
Sacco and even Art Spiegelman. In her bold black and white panels,
Satrapi eloquently reasserts the moral bankruptcy of all political
dogma and religious conformity; how it bullies, how it murders, and
how it may always be ridiculed by individual rebellions of the
spirit and the intellect." --Zadie Smith, author of The
Autograph Man and White Teeth
"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
"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
"I thought [Persepolis] was a superb piece of work, not only
for the child's eye view-the developing child's eye view-of a
society unknown to many of us in the west, and feared and suspected
in proportion to being unknown.... 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.
"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
"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
"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 didn't
want it to end!" -Diana Abu-Jaber, Author of Crescent and
Arabian Jazz
"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
"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
"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
Adult/High School-Marji tells of her life in Iran from the age of 10, when the Islamic revolution of 1979 reintroduced a religious state, through the age of 14 when the Iran-Iraq war forced her parents to send her to Europe for safety. This story, told in graphic format with simple, but expressive, black-and-white illustrations, combines the normal rebelliousness of an intelligent adolescent with the horrors of war and totalitarianism. Marji's parents, especially her freethinking mother, modeled a strong belief in freedom and equality, while her French education gave her a strong faith in God. Her Marxist-inclined family initially favored the overthrow of the Shah, but soon realized that the new regime was more restrictive and unfair than the last. The girl's independence, which made her parents both proud and fearful, caused them to send her to Austria. With bold lines and deceptively uncomplicated scenes, Satrapi conveys her story. From it, teens will learn much of the history of this important area and will identify with young Marji and her friends. This is a graphic novel of immense power and importance for Westerners of all ages. It will speak to the same audience as Art Spiegelman's Maus (Pantheon, 1993).-Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Satrapi's autobiography is a timely and timeless story of a young girl's life under the Islamic Revolution. Descended from the last Emperor of Iran, Satrapi is nine when fundamentalist rebels overthrow the Shah. While Satrapi's radical parents and their community initially welcome the ouster, they soon learn a new brand of totalitarianism is taking over. Satrapi's art is minimal and stark yet often charming and humorous as it depicts the madness around her. She idolizes those who were imprisoned by the Shah, fascinated by their tales of torture, and bonds with her Uncle Anoosh, only to see the new regime imprison and eventually kill him. Thanks to the Iran-Iraq war, neighbors' homes are bombed, playmates are killed and parties are forbidden. Satrapi's parents, who once lived in luxury despite their politics, struggle to educate their daughter. Her father briefly considers fleeing to America, only to realize the price would be too great. "I can become a taxi driver and you a cleaning lady?" he asks his wife. Iron Maiden, Nikes and Michael Jackson become precious symbols of freedom, and eventually Satrapi's rebellious streak puts her in danger, as even educated women are threatened with beatings for improper attire. Despite the grimness, Satrapi never lapses into sensationalism or sentimentality. Skillfully presenting a child's view of war and her own shifting ideals, she also shows quotidian life in Tehran and her family's pride and love for their country despite the tumultuous times. Powerfully understated, this work joins other memoirs-Spiegelman's Maus and Sacco's Safe Area Goradze-that use comics to make the unthinkable familiar. (Aug.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
