2010-2011 BSC Campus Read -- Suggestions?

What shall we read for the 2010-2011 BSC Campus Read? Here are the basic guidelines:

1. The book must be in print and in a paperback edition to ensure that it is available and affordable.
2. The book should be reasonably short -- 200-350 pages.
3. The Campus Read selection should be an engaging read that will generate lively discussion.
4. The book should explore any of the universal themes of literature such as coming of age, abuse of power, triumph over adversity, the importance of the individual, conflicts with self, others, and nature, etc.

The Campus Read Committee will take suggestions through January 2010. Please post your suggestions as a comment on the blog, or contact one of these committee members:

• Theresa Felderman, Chair
• Marlene Anderson
• karen bauer
• Lynette Borjeson-Painter
• Dan Leingang
• Janelle Masters
• Kitty Netzer
• Erin Price
• Dan Rogers
• Jean Rolandelli
• Carla Sivesind
• Tom Stein
• Lynn Warnke

Laura Knudsen Writes Winning Campus Read Essay

Congratulations to Laura Knudsen, who wrote the winning essay for the Campus Read essay contest! Laura will receive a $500 scholarship from the BSC Foundation for the 2010 Spring Semester. Her essay, "A Revolutionary Tale: Coming-of-Age Despite Oppression," will be published in The Mystician in January.

Ten students submitted essays. Judges were Erin Price, Assistant Professor of English; Tom Marple, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design & Communications; Tom Stein, Associate Professor of English; Kris Smotherman, English adjunct instructor; Lori Smith, Reference Librarian; Rita Nodland, Alumni Coordinator; and Robert Canter, Custodian, NECE.

Thanks to all who participated.

Would You March? -- American Lit 261 - Comments?

A question posed by Andrew Johnson for American Lit 261:

Marjane went to the demonstrations against the government of Iran with her parents. People in her family have also been arrested many times. Would you be the one at the marches or in the "safety" of the government, no matter what the rules?

A Death in Tehran - Frontline - On Prairie Public

Frontline

A Death in Tehran

Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 8 p.m. (Central)
Thursday, November 19, 2009, 2 a.m. (Central)
Channel 13 (Prairie Public)

The story of Neda Soltani, the young Iranian woman shot and killed in Tehran during a protest against the results of the 2009 Iranian presidential election, and how her death has become a symbol for those striving to keep the reform movement going.

Check the website for more information and additional broadcast times.

BSC Library Resources on Iran

The BSC Library has added many resources on Iran (a subject search of "Iran" currently brings back 109 results) in a variety of formats (books, e-books, DVDs).

This new book sounds particularly interesting:

Iranian Rappers and Persian Porn by Jamie Maslin
DS259.2 .M38 2009

"Iran looms large in the psyche of modern America. For decades, it has been "the enemy," its government taunting us and attacking our Western, secular lifestyle. That is largely the Iranian government, however, not the Iranian people. Here's the proof. When Jamie Maslin decides to backpack the entire length of the Silk Road, he decides to travel first and plan later. Then, unexpectedly stranded in a country he's only read about in newspapers, he decides to make the best of it-but wonders whether he'll make it out alive. Maslin finds himself suddenly plunged into a subversive, contradictory world of Iranian subculture, where he is embraced by locals who are more than happy to show him the true Iran as they see it-the one where unmarried men and women mingle in Western clothes at secret parties, where alcohol (the possession of which is punishable by hand-amputation) is readily available on the black market, where Christian churches are national heritage sites, and where he discovers the real meaning of friendship, nationality, and hospitality. This is a hilarious, charming, and astonishing account of one Westerner's life-altering rambles across Iran that will leave you wondering what else you don't know about Iran and its people." -- Publisher's description

Check it out!

Government & Freedom - American Lit 261 - Comments?

Questions posed by Amber Schulz for American Lit 261:

The differences of equality and freedom today are hot issues in America. With President Obama pushing America to equal opportunity, such as equal healthcare for all, the ideas of freedom are being blurred. What role should the government play in the decisions that the people have been freely making of their own devices? If we cannot figure out how our government should work, how can we expect the Middle East to conform to our unstable and disorganized system of democracy? What would you do to solve these issues?

Campus Read Essay Contest - Deadline Draws Near

Are you working on your Campus Read essays? The deadline is soon here -- Monday, November 30, 2009.

The student with the winning essay will be awarded a $500 scholarship from the BSC Foundation for the Spring 2010 semester.

Check out the October 12 blog posting for the details.

Persepolis the Movie - Free Showings at the Grand!

October 27, 2009

Grand Theatres (1486 Interstate Loop)

Free showings of Persepolis at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

When you arrive at the theatre, get your free ticket at the box office. First come, first served! Be prepared to show your BSC ID.

Elementary vs. University Education - American Lit 261

A question posed by Ann Marie Millican for American Lit 261:

Elementary schools had to follow the rules and the laws. Throughout the years, going to a university you could push the laws and bend them. For example: Marjane was good at art. To get into another school, she had to draw a picture of what they wanted.

Why couldn't she use her own imagination and own artistic abilites, and wow them with a different piece, showing them that having a different talent is okay? How do you feel that she couldn't use her own ideas?

Rebellion & Persepolis - American Lit 261 - Comments?

A discussion topic posed by Sarah Landenberger for American Lit 261:

As the Islamic Revolution progressed, so did Satrapi's rebellious ways. Draw a parallel correlation of the two situations.

Campus Read Essay Contest - Earn Scholarship Money!

You’re already reading, discussing, and writing about Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis, this year’s Campus Read selection. Shape up those ideas and submit an essay to the Campus Read Essay Contest.

The BSC student with the winning essay will be awarded a $500 scholarship from the BSC Foundation for the Spring 2010 semester.

Essay Guidelines:

• Submit your best work of 600 words or more.
• The topic for your essay may be anything related to your consideration of The Complete Persepolis. For example, a critical response to the book or a narrative essay relating your own experiences that relate to the theme of the book. These are only examples. Don’t be afraid to be creative with other ideas.
• The essay must be typed and must be a polished finished product.
• Essays will be judged anonymously, so include your name on a separate cover page with the title of your essay.
• The deadline to submit an essay is Monday, November 30, 2009. Essays may be submitted electronically as an attachment and emailed to Katherine.Netzer@bsc.nodak.edu; submissions may also be hand-delivered to the BSC Library front desk.
• Winners will be announced towards the end of the semester. The winning essay will be published in the Mystician.
  

Showing of Persepolis on October 27

Two free showings of the movie, Persepolis, are scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Grand Theatres (1486 Interstate Loop, Bismarck; 701-222-1607).

Tickets are free, but for tracking purposes, you must get a ticket from the Grand Theatres box office when you arrive at the theatre. Bring your BSC student ID with you.

Indoctrination & Persepolis -- American Lit 261 -- Comments?

Questions posed by Audrey Cody for American Lit 261:

While reading Persepolis, the single thing that impressed upon me the most was the Islamic regime's takeover of government. I tended to reflect on their society and ours in America.

One scene shows how the public schools effectively indoctrinate children to political belief systems.

Can you name a few points in the book in which Marjane was either confused by, or convinced of, beliefs other than those shared by her family and/or her upbringing? What are your thoughts about these instances? Do they make you question what you have learned in public schools?

How can the indoctrination of the children in Persepolis be compared to our own experiences? For example, in the chapter, "Water Cell," Marjane told her dad that the Shah was sent by God. This was a blunder according to her parents, but Marjane adhered to what she was taught in school.

To view full analysis, go to http://studentanalysisofpersepolis.blogspot.com

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. ...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on...or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States when we were free.” -- Ronald Reagan

What do you think of Persepolis?

What do you think of The Complete Persepolis? Comments welcome!

Graphic Style of Persepolis -- American Lit 261 -- Comments?

A question posed by Talia Johnson for American Lit 261.

The graphic style of the novel makes the story readable by showing illustrations that keep the reader interested. The reader's attention does not have time to wander because there is always an amusing or interesting picture on every page. The comic book style format keeps a horrible situation light enough to read.

Where are the times when the graphic style keeps the terrible situation light enough so that the reader will not quit reading or throw the book across the room in despair?

Iran-a-Read-a-Thon

You are invited ....

Iran-a-Read-a-Thon

BSC Library

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Noon to 1 p.m.

Listen to BSC students, faculty, and staff members reading aloud from books about Iran.

Selected texts include:

• Strange Times, My Dear: the PEN Anthology of Contemporary Iranian Literature edited by Nahid Mozaffari ; poetry editor, Ahmad Karimi Hakkak
• The Bathhouse by Farnoosh Moshiri
• The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: the Paradox of Modern Iran by Hooman Majd
• Green Parrot, Black Crow: a Collection of Short Fiction by Heshmat Moayyad
• Iran Awakening by Shirin Ebadi
• Caspian Rain by Gina B. Nahia
• Silk Road Cooking by Najmieh Batmanglij

Speaking of Iran ...

Today (October 6, 2009) over the noon hour, five speakers shared their perspectives and personal stories of Iran in the Prairie Room of the Student Union Building.

Guest speakers

• Dr. Perry Hornbacher, who teaches history at BSC, shared information about 20th century Iranian history as it related to some of the events described in The Complete Persepolis.
• Dr. Daphne Ghorbani, who teaches education at the University of Mary, told us about her experiences in Tehran as an English teacher. She arrived in August 1978 -- the beginning of very turbulent times in Iran -- and stayed until she was evacuated by the U.S. Embassy in 1979.
• Abdullah Ali, originally from Kurdistan, shared some of his personal experiences from living in Iran as a refugee in the mid-1970s. Mr. Ali taught high school in Isfahan and emigrated to North Dakota 33 years ago.
• Arlene Gray, who teaches music at BSC, told about her experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1970-1972. She lived in Babol, a town near the Caspian Sea.
• Marv Mutzenberger, who teaches religion at BSC, provided background information about Muhammad, Islam, and the Koran.

Outstanding!

2009 Campus Read Annotated Bibliography

Has reading The Complete Persepolis sparked your interest in Iran?

To learn more about Iran and its history, culture, politics, and people, check out the 2009 Campus Read annotated bibliography -- a sampling of books, eBooks, films, and websites to explore.

Most of the items listed are available at the BSC Library.

Bismarck State Reads Persepolis: Interview

"The Complete Persepolis will challenge readers to become aware of what is happening in the world and better understand how what happens to one human, happens to all humans."

-- Kitty Netzer, Assistant Professor of English, BSC

The August 2009 issue of The Prairie Independent features an interview about BSC's Campus Read with Kitty Netzer, Assistant Professor of English and a member of the Campus Read Committee.

Check it out!

Iran Timeline

Iran has a long and interesting past. Stop by the library to see a timeline of major events and key players in Iran's history. Check it out!

Special thanks to Carolyn Twingley and Johanna Bjork, BSC Librarians, for putting the timeline together.

Read Iran

For the past 10 years, the BSC Library has hosted "BookTalk at BSC," a book discussion series. We will do so again in 2010, starting in January.

This year BookTalk will dovetail with the Campus Read; that is, we will read three books about Iran, its people, history, culture, and politics. Choosing what to read is both fun and challenging. I am working my way through a pile of books and wanted to share them with you. So far, I've read:

The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer. New York: Ecco/Harper Collins, 2008.

The author's own family escaped from Iran in 1982 when she was ten. That experience is reflected in The Septembers of Shiraz. The main character of the novel is Isaac Amin, a Jewish gem trader who is arrested by the Revolutionary Guard in Teheran and imprisoned. His only real crime is being Jewish in a country where Muslim fanatacism is taking over, but his wealth and family connections to the Shah's regime are also marks against him.

The Bathhouse by Farnoosh Moshiri. Seattle: Black Heron Press, 2001.

Winner of the Black Heron Press Award for Social Fiction in 2001, this book is a powerful and compelling read. It tells the story of a seventeen-year-old girl who is arrested and imprisoned in a former bathhouse. Hers is a crime of association -- she is not political, but her brother and sister-in-law are. Moshiri's novel is based on interviews with several Iranian women who were imprisoned in such a bathhouse in the early years of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The Bathhouse documents the torment endured by the prisoners and that makes it a tough book to read.

Others that await me are:

• The Age of Orphans by Laleh Kadivi
• Caspian Rain by Gina Nahai
• Censoring an Iranian Love Story by Shahriar Mandanipour
• Missing Soluch by Mahmud Dawlatābādī
• The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther

I will keep you posted about what we decide for BookTalk and hope you will be part of our discussions. -- Marlene Anderson, Director of Library Services

About Marjane Satrapi

Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis, was born in 1969, in Rasht, Iran, and immigrated to France in 1994. She now lives in Paris.

Satrapi attended Lycée Français (Tehran) and studied illustration in Strasbourg, France.

She is also the author of Embroideries (2005), Ajdar (2006, children's book), Chicken with Plums (2006), and Monsters Are Afraid of the Moon (2007, children's book).

Satrapi's family supported the removal of the Shah in 1979, but Iran was even more repressive under the ayatollahs and religious fundamentalism. School children were separated by gender, girls were required to wear veils, the legal age at which girls could marry was lowered to nine, and when the Iran-Iraq war began, they were forced to mourn the dead twice a day. Satrapi opposed these restrictions and was expelled for hitting a principal who told her she could not wear jewelry. Fearing for their rebellious daughter, her family sent Marjane to Vienna at the age of fourteen.

Marjane Satrapi has done several interviews about her book and her life:

• Powells.com Interview (2004)
• Sean Axmaker (2008)
• Bookslut (2004)
• Bookslut (2006)
• NPR (2003)
• Pantheon Graphic Novels, Random House (date unknown)
• MoviesOnline (2007)

What's in a Name?

Why does Marjane Satrapi call her book Persepolis instead of something like Growing Up in Iran?

Perhaps knowing a little about Persepolis will help. Persepolis was the ancient capitol of the kings of the Achaemenian Dynasty of Persia (Iran), located about 30 miles northeast of Shiraz in the Fars region of southwestern Iran. It lies near the confluence of the Pulvar (Sivand) and Kor rivers. The ruins of Persepolis were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

In contemporary Persian, the site is known as Takht-e Jamshid (Throne of Jamshid) and Parseh. The earliest remains date from around 515 BC. To the ancient Persians, the city was known as Pārsa, which means "The City of Persians." Persepolis is the Greek interpretation of the name.

And now, why did Marjane Satrapi entitle her book Persepolis?

Comments welcome!

The Complete Persepolis - 2009 Campus Read

The 2009 Campus Read selection is The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.

A Time magazine review said, "... Persepolis provides a unique glimpse into a nearly unknown and unreachable way of life ... That Satrapi chose to tell her remarkable story as a gorgeous comic book makes it totally unique and indispensable."

Marjane Satrapi was born in Rasht, Iran, in 1969. In Persepolis, she shares her story of growing up during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. The Persepolis series was first published in France, beginning in 2000, and is now available as the one-volume work that we will read.

In 2004, Satrapi received the Alex Award and the Booklist "Top Ten Graphic Novels" designation for Persepolis.

Satrapi also co-wrote and co-directed the animated feature film version of Persepolis. The film was nominated for an Oscar for "Best Animated Feature Film" at the 2008 Academy Awards.

Campus Read Committee Meeting - March 10, 2009

The Campus Read Committee will meet from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, in the Flickertail Room, Student Union Building.

Deadline for 2009 Campus Read Suggestions - March 6, 2009

In the fall of 2009, BSC is hosting Dr. Indu Anand, a Fulbright Scholar from India whose field of study is art history with a specialty in Islamic Art. Having Dr. Anand on campus gives us a unique opportunity to read a book from South Asia/Middle East/Near East with an authority right on campus.

The Campus Read Committee is still gathering suggestions for the 2009 Campus Read. The deadline is Friday, March 6, 2009.

The basic rules are few:

1. The book must be in print and in a paperback edition to ensure that it is available and affordable.
2. The book should be reasonably short…about 200-350 pages.
3. The Campus Read selection should be an engaging read that will generate lively discussion.
4. The book, as any other Campus Read book, should explore any of the universal themes of literature such as coming of age, abuse of power, triumph over adversity, the importance of the individual, conflicts with self, others, and nature, etc.

There has been some misunderstanding on campus that we will be studying and promoting Islam in our Campus Read. We hope the information above clears up that misunderstanding. The Fulbright Program out of Washington, D.C. has named its project Direct Access to the Muslim World, but this is not the theme of the Campus Read nor is the study of Islam as a religion the purpose of Dr. Anand's visit. Rather, this is a wonderful opportunity for us to take advantage of an international perspective of our world.

Several books have already been suggested for the 2009 Campus Read, some fiction and some non-fiction. Most are available at the BSC Library (if so, the call number is noted); the others are on order.

2009 Campus Read Suggestions (so far) -- We want to hear from you, too!

• The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (PN 6747 .S245 P4713 2007; DVD at Media PN 1997.2 .P47 2008)
• In the Name of God by Paula Jolin (On order)
• Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali (DJ 292 .H57 A3 2007)
• Kabul: a Novel by M. E. Hirsh (On order)
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (PS 3608 .O832 K58 2005; DVD at Media PN 1995.9 .S87 K584 2008)
• Now They Call Me Infidel by Nonie Darwish (On order)
• Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (PE 64 .N34 A3 2003)
• The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (PS 3558 .A42169 R45 2007)
• The Sewing Circles of Herat: a Personal Journey through Afghanistan by Christina Lamb (On order)
• Slumdog Millionaire (Original title: Q & A) by Vikas Swarup (On order
• The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra ; translated by John Cullen (On order)
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (PS 3608 .O832 T46 2007)
• Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace -- One School at a Time / by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (LC 2330 .M67 2007)
• The White Tiger: a Novel by Aravind Adiga (On order)

Campus Read Committee Meeting

The next meeting of the Campus Read Committee is scheduled on Friday, February 20, 2009, in the Alumni Room, Student Union Building, from noon to 1 p.m.

What should we read about the Muslim world? Suggestions needed

The 2009 Campus Read will begin Fall Semester and the Campus Read Committee has decided that this year’s book will relate to the Muslim world.

Why? Because BSC is hosting a visiting Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Indu Anand, Principal at Janki Devi Memorial College in New Delhi, India, through the Fulbright Visiting Specialists Program: Direct Access to the Muslim World. Dr. Indu Anand will be on our campus from September 20 through October 31, 2009.

What should we read? Please post your suggestions on the blog. The rules are few:

1. The book must be in print and in a paperback edition to ensure that it is available and affordable.


2. The book should be reasonably short…about 200-350 pages.


3. The Campus Read selection should be an engaging read that will generate lively discussion.

These titles have already been suggested:

• Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Available at BSC Library: DJ 292. H57 A3 2007)


• Now They Call Me Infidel by Nonie Darwish (On order for the BSC Library)


• Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (Available at BSC Library: PN 6747 .S245 P4713 2007; also available in DVD: Media PN 1997.2 .P47 2008)


• The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (Available at BSC Library: PS 3558 .A42169 R45 2007)

We want to hear from you!

Essay Contest Winners

Congratulations to Dawn Archer and Mercer Sage for their winning essays about Sherman Alexie's book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Dawn will receive a $500 scholarship from the BSC Foundation for her first place essay, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian as It Relates to the Absolutely True Impact of Expectation on a Full-time Society."

Mercer will receive a $250 scholarship from the BSC Foundation for his second place essay, "A Stranger in Two Worlds."

Thanks and congratulations to all of the students who submitted essays. We appreciate the time and effort put into them.