Marjane Satrapi visits Seattle May 31 - June 3 for the 2006 "Seattle Reads" series.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Pantheon Books, 2003) is a "wise, funny, and heartbreaking memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution."
Marjane Satrapi was born in 1969 in Rasht, Iran. She grew up in Tehran, where she studied at the Lycee Francais before leaving for Vienna and then going to Strasbourg to study illustration. She currently lives in Paris, where her illustrations appear regularly in newspapers and magazines. She is also the author of Persepolis 2, Embroideries, and several children's books.
Persepolis is a memoir in graphic novel form, the first graphic novel in the eight years of "Seattle Reads." We can't think of a better choice than Persepolis, to introduce readers to the format, especially for readers who may have resisted, thinking comic books are for youths.
Reading Persepolis together, we will explore Iranian history and the Islamic Revolution, the human cost of war and political repression, all relevant topics in current times. Through programs and panel discussions, we will also explore the growing popularity of graphic novels.
Books for Book Groups
The Washington Center for the Book at The Seattle Public Library lends hundreds of copies of the featured work to book discussion groups during the two months prior to the author's visit. To request books for your book group, e-mail bookgroups@spl.org or call 206-615-1747.
Reading Group Toolbox
Beginning in mid-January, the Reading Group Toolbox for The Works of Marjane Satrapi will be available at all Seattle Public Library locations, as well as at many local bookstores. Toolboxes are free to book discussion groups and individual readers throughout the region.
Download the Reading Group Toolbox: 
The Reading Group Toolbox is divided into sections for shorter download times.
If you are unable to read standard print, Persepolis and "A Reading Group Toolbox for the Works of Marjane Satrapi" are available in audio and Braille formats from the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library.
Schedule of Events
