The 2009 Campus Read was The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.
"On March 14, the Chicago Public School system ordered a district-wide ban on Marjane Satrapi's critically acclaimed graphic novel "Persepolis," citing concerns over "graphic illustrations and language," "developmental preparedness" and "student readiness."
Pushback from the schools led to an easing of the ban (now limited to 7th grade classrooms) -- a move that the Chicago Teachers Union called "Orwellian." Read the full story ...
Another book by Satrapi, Chicken with Plums, has been made into a film that will be theatrically released in August. It was the big winner at last October's Abu Dhabi Film Festival, garnering the Best Narrative Film prize and a monetary award of $100,000. Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud directed the film.
Check out and read the BSC Library's copy of the book, then watch the film here!
The 2009 Campus Read selection was a graphic novel, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, a memoir of a girl growing up in revolutionary Iran. The book was also made into a film that was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Today's Bismarck Tribune(October 10, 2011) includes a story about what happened after a Tunisian television station showed the film, Persepolis. Tunisian police arrested dozens of Islamist demonstrators set on attacking the offices of the TV station. The article said,"The assault is the latest in a rise in attacks against perceived symbols of secularism by hardcore Muslims in Tunisia ahead of this month's election. Once suppressed by the former regime, conservative Muslims are increasingly making themselves heard in the country's politics."
The 2009-10 Campus Read was Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.
In April 2010, the Campus Read Committee invited Roxana Saberito our campus. Saberi grew up in Fargo, is an Iranian-American journalist and former Miss North Dakota, and was held as a political prisoner in Tehran, Iran, for several months. She is also the author of a memoir, Between Two Worlds: My Life and Capitivity in Iran, and co-wrote the screenplay for an award-winning Iranian film, No One Knows about Persian Cats.
You have a chance to see this film! The Cinema 100 Film Societywill be showing it at the Grand Theatres on Thursday, February 10, at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Check out the trailer on Cinema 100's Facebook page.
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?
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 Satrapiwas 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 Awardand 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.
