Persepolis - Banned Books - Common Read - Research Guides at Johnson County Community College

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Themes

Persepolis is a graphic memoir depicting Satrapi's childhood and coming of age during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. The graphic novel explores themes of protest and resistance, the development and effects of totalitarianism, tolerance and intolerance, and more. Use the resources on this page to better understand the themes of the graphic novel and conduct research for your class assignments.

Emma Watson Interviews Persepolis Author Marjane Satrapi (Vogue, 08/01/2016)

Interview: Marjane Satrapi (Philippe Lopez, Foreign Policy, 07/08/2010)

Using Graphic Novels in Education: Persepolis (Meryl Jaffe, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, 06/27/2013) This guide to teaching the graphic novel includes many useful links and resources.

Conversation with Marjane Satrapi and Art Spiegelman

This program from PEN America brings two renowned creators of graphic novels, Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) and Art Spiegelman (Maus) together for a conversation about the art of comics and narrating lives.

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This is a database of unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. With its archival material, dating back to 1970 in some cases, GenderWatch is a repository of important historical perspectives on the evolution of the women's movement, men's studies, the transgender community and the changes in gender roles over the years. Publications include scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books and NGO, government and special reports.
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Related Library Books

Days of God: The Revolution in Iran and its Consequences by James Buchan
Call Number: DS318.8 .B82 2013
ISBN: 9781416597773
The 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran was one of the seminal events of our time. Drawing on his lifetime of engagement with Iran, James Buchan explains the history that gave rise to the Revolution.
Iran: A Modern History by Abbas Amanat
Call Number: DS272 .A54 2017
ISBN: 9780300112542
A masterfully researched history of Iran from 1501 to 2009. This history of modern Iran is not a survey in the conventional sense but an ambitious exploration of the story of a nation. The book covers the complex history of the diverse societies and economies of Iran against the background of dynastic changes, revolutions, civil wars, foreign occupation, and the rise of the Islamic Republic.
The Wind in My Hair by Masih Alinejad
Call Number: DS318.84.A445 A3 2018
ISBN: 9780316548915
An extraordinary memoir from an Iranian journalist in exile about leaving her country, challenging tradition and sparking an online movement against compulsory hijab.

Find the Book

Billington Library 2nd Floor PN6747.S245 P4713 2007
Course Reserve Copy Available
Check availability for either the circulating or reserve copies in the library catalog

About the Author

Marjane Satrapi was born in Rasht, Iran. She now lives in Paris, where she is a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers throughout the world, including The New Yorker and The New York Times. She is the author of Persepolis, Persepolis 2, Embroideries, Chicken with Plums, and several children’s books.

She cowrote and codirected the animated feature film version of Persepolis, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Bans & Challenges

Case Study: Persepolis (Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, n.d.) A general posting which describes critical reception of the graphic novel and early challenges to the book in the United States. Includes a study guide for teaching the graphic novel.

Persepolis Reportedly Banned In Chicago School (Betsy Gomez, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, 03/15/2013) Describes the first known incidence of the book being banned in the United States, at the time that it occurred in 2013.

Banned Books - Common Read