What We're Reading: 'Persepolis' by Marjane Satrapi

Posted at 10:13 PM Dec 03, 2008

By Bonnie Ruberg

Life has been too crazy lately for this doll to do any serious reading -- Wuthering Heights has sat on my iPod for the last two weeks, un-listened to; does that count? --but luckily I did get to sneak in a few hours on transcontinental Thanksgiving flights to down a new book: Persepolis. Okay, it's a graphic novel, which means it has pretty pictures, but it's also about war and strife in Iran, so I earn at least a few thinking points, don't I? Anyways, maybe you've heard of the book, which got turned into a big animated movie last year. I meant to read the original when I lived in France and be all language-y, but instead I ended up with a copy from the San Fran public library in plain old English.

All of which aside, I really do recommend this one. It's not about sex, it's only a little bit about gender, and it's definitely not about technology or video games -- but still, it fascinated me.  Me. It's not a tough read, and it's an easy, fun way to learn about the history of a country we Americans too often lump into "that whole Middle East-y area." Or maybe that's just me.  Anyways... Mixed with the educational bits you've got stories of awkward, adolescent love, youthful rebellion, and a grandma who puts flowers in her bra.Yeah, you know you're curious about that last part...