Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1)

by Marjane Satrapi

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.

• ISBN10: 037571457X
• ISBN13: 9780375714573
• Publish Date: 1 June 2004 (first published 1 October 2002)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Pantheon Books
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 160
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780375714573

Reviews

[ibeforem]

I've been meaning to read this for a long time, and I'm glad I finally got around to it!

Persepolis is the story of a piece of Marjane Satrapi's childhood, beginning during the Islamic Revolution in Iran when she was 6 and ending at age 14, when her parents send her away. I really only had the very barest of knowledge about the Islamic Revolution, and the book is eye-opening. Life gets hard for Marjane's family, though admittedly it is not as hard for them as it is very many others. They are lucky enough to have their immediate family remain intact -- something that isn't true about many others in their orbit.

If you've also been meaning to read this, go ahead and pick it up. I read it in about an hour, and it was well worth it.

[leahrosereads]

This was a very enlightening and informative story about a country and culture I know little about. We're just not taught about this in America, and it's a damn shame. This revolution and what the people of Iran went through during it was heartbreaking to read about, but I'm so happy that Marjane Satrapi wrote about her experiences during it. This is just so very necessary to know about. Maybe saying I'm looking forward to the other volume isn't the right way to phrase it, but I am. Also, I'm going to look into other individuals who went through this war to gain even more perspective on it.

[lovelybookshelf]

Originally posted on my blog, A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall:

Persepolis is an autobiographical graphic novel set during the author's childhood in Iran, with the Islamic Revolution and the war between Iran and Iraq as the book's central events.

Before reading this memoir, I knew little about Iran beyond what I've heard on the news over the years. What a shame! This is an ancient, rich culture with a complicated history, with people vastly different than their government.

The book has a powerful beginning. Satrapi remembers the way things were before the revolution: secular schools, parties, pop music, regular clothing. She brings us into her world as the people of Iran experience quick, drastic changes in law and culture. She especially shows how confusing and difficult it was for children to make sense of the chaos. Remember how you felt as a teenager when you recognized injustice? How acute your anger at the world could be? Satrapi had me feeling that outrage again.

Like the story it supports, Satrapi's monochromatic artwork is striking. There is a particularly horrifying moment toward the end of the book that perfectly demonstrates how profound simple illustrations can be where words fail.

Persepolis reminds us that, even in cultures so unfamiliar, even in the midst of war, people and families all over the world experience similar triumphs and frustrations. Although Satrapi's specific circumstances were completely foreign to me, I had far more "wow, her family is so much like mine!" moments than anything else.

Outstanding.