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Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood Paperback – June 1, 2004
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“A wholly original achievement.... Satrapi evokes herself and her schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances.... A stark, shocking impact.” —The New York Times: "The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years"
One of the New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century
In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the coming-of-age story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
- Print length160 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPantheon
- Publication dateJune 1, 2004
- Dimensions5.91 x 0.51 x 8.86 inches
- ISBN-10037571457X
- ISBN-13978-0375714573
- Lexile measureGN380L
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Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi's best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up as a girl in revolutionary Iran. | From the bestselling author of Persepolis comes this enlightening look into the sex lives of Iranian women, gathering together Marjane’s tough–talking grandmother, stoic mother, glamorous and eccentric aunt and their friends and neighbors. | Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. “A wholly original achievement.” —The New York Times: "The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years" | The fascinating continuation of the best-selling Persepolis, “one of the freshest and most original memoirs of our day” (Los Angeles Times). Marjane Satrapi dazzles with her graphic memoir about growing up in Iran during the Iranian Revolution. | Acclaimed graphic artist Marjane Satrapi brings what has become her signature humor and insight, her keen eye and ear, to the heartrending story of a celebrated Iranian musician who gives up his life for music and love. |
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Delectable. . . Dances with drama and insouciant wit.” –The New York Times Book Review
“A stunning graphic memoir hailed as a wholly original achievement in the form. There’s still a startling freshness to the book. It won’t age. In inky shadows and simple, expressive lines—reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans’s “Madeline”—Satrapi evokes herself and her schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances . . . A stark, shocking impact.” —Parul Sehgal, “The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years” The New York Times
“A dazzlingly singular achievement. . . . Striking a perfect balance between the fantasies and neighborhood conspiracies of childhood and the mounting lunacy of Khomeini's reign, she's like the Persian love child of Spiegelman and Lynda Barry.” –Salon
“A brilliant and unusual graphic memoir. . . . [Told] in a guileless voice . . . accompanied by a series of black-and-white drawings that dramatically illustrate how a repressive regime deforms ordinary lives.”–Vogue
"Odds are, you’ll be too busy being entertained to realize how much you’ve learned until you turn the last page.”–Elle.com
“[A] self-portrait of the artist as a young girl, rendered in graceful black-and-white comics that apply a childlike sensibility to the bleak lowlights of recent Iranian history. . . . [Her] style is powerful; it persuasively communicates confusion and horror through the eyes of a precocious preteen.” –Village Voice
"This is an excellent comic book, that deserves a place with Joe Sacco and even Art Spiegelman. In her bold black and white panels, Satrapi eloquently reasserts the moral bankruptcy of all political dogma and religious conformity; how it bullies, how it murders, and how it may always be ridiculed by individual rebellions of the spirit and the intellect." --Zadie Smith, author of The Autograph Manand White Teeth
"You've never seen anything like Persepolis—the intimacy of a memoir, the irresistability of a comic book, and the political depth of a the conflict between fundamentalism and democracy. Marjane Satrapi may have given us a new genre." —Gloria Steinem
"I grew up reading the Mexican comics of Gabriel Vargas, graduated to the political teachings of Rius, fell under the spell of Linda Barry, Art Spiegelman, and now I am a fan of Marjane Satrapi. Her stories thrummed in my heart for days. Persepolis is part history book, part Scheherazade, astonishing as only true stories can be. I learned much about the history of Iran, but more importantly, it gave me hope for humanity in these unkind times." —Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street and Caramelo
"I thought [Persepolis] was a superb piece of work, not only for the child's eye view—the developing child's eye view—of a society unknown to many of us in the west, and feared and suspected in proportion to being unknown.... Satrap has found a way of depicting human beings that is both simple and immediately comprehensible, AND is almost infinitely flexible. Anyone who's tried to draw a simplified version of a human face knows how immensely difficult it is not only to give the faces a range of expression, but also to maintain identities from one frame to the next. It's an enormous technical accomplishment." —Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass.
"I cannot praise enough Marjane Satrapi's moving account of growing up as a spirited young girl in revolutionary and war-time Iran. Persepolis is disarming and often humorous but ultimately it is shattering." —Joe Sacco, author of Palestine and Safe Area Gorazde
"This witty, moving and illuminating book demonstrates graphically why the future of Iran lies with neither the clerics nor the American Empire." —Tariq Ali, Author of The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity
"I found the work immensely moving with depths of nuance and wisdom that one might never expect to find in a comic book. It’s a powerful, mysterious, enchanting story that manages to reflect a great swath of Iranian contemporary history within the sensitive, intimate tale of a young girl’s coming-of-age. I didn’t want it to end!" —Diana Abu-Jaber, Author of Crescent and Arabian Jazz
"A rare and chilling memoir that offers every reader a personal, honest portrait of Iran's recent political and cultural history. Ms. Satrapi's provocative, graphic narrative of life in Iran before and after the Islamic revolution is an extraordinary testament to the level of human suffering experienced by Iranians tossed from one political hypocrisy to another. Aside from the humanistic dimension, the beautifully minimalist Persepolis gives further evidence of Marjane Satrapi's sensitivity and superb skill as an artist." —Shirin Neshat, visual artist/filmmaker
"Readers who have always wanted to look beyond political headlines and CNN's cliches should plunge into this unique illustrated story. Let Marji be your trusted companion, follow her into the warmth of a Persian home and out along Tehran's turbulent streets during those heady days of revolution. Persepolis opens a rare door to understanding of events that still haunt America, while shining a bright light on the personal humanity and humor so much alive in Iranian families today." —Terence Ward, author of Searching for Hassan
"Blending the historical with the personal is not an easy task, to blend the individual with the universal is even more challenging. But Marjane Satrapi has succeeded brilliantly. This graphic novel is a reminder of the human spirit that fights oppression and death, it is a witness to something true and lasting which is more affective than hundreds of news broadcasts." —Hanan al-Shaykh, author of Women of Sand and Myrhh
From the Inside Flap
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran: of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. Marjane?s child's-eye-view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a stunning reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, through laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
From the Hardcover edition.
From the Back Cover
A "Time Magazine "Best Comix of the Year"
A "San Francisco Chronicle and "Los Angeles Times Best-seller
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, "Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
"Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane's child's-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, "Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Pantheon; Reprint edition (June 1, 2004)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 160 pages
- ISBN-10 : 037571457X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0375714573
- Lexile measure : GN380L
- Item Weight : 9.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.91 x 0.51 x 8.86 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4 in Educational & Nonfiction Graphic Novels
- #18 in Women's Biographies
- #75 in Memoirs (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author

Marjane Satrapi was born in 1969 in Rasht, Iran. She grew up in Tehran, where she studied at the French school, before leaving for Vienna and Strasbourg to study decorative arts. She currently lives in Paris, where she is at work on the sequel to Persepolis. She is also the author of several children's books.
Customer reviews
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Customers find this graphic novel to be a powerful memoir with amazing illustrations that provide a realistic look at life. The book offers insightful perspectives, with one customer noting how it allows readers to glimpse into another culture, while another highlights its educational value for teaching about religion and politics. Customers describe it as a quick, easy read that is both heartwrenching and amusing, with one review mentioning how it combines wry and witty recollections. Customers appreciate the moving story about the Iranian revolution and how it helps readers understand the country's history.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers praise the story quality of the graphic novel, describing it as a powerful memoir that is both beautiful and worth telling.
"...The Memoir is so powerful because of its ability to telling stories through not just words but also pictures, and how it was able to express certain..." Read more
"This is a graphic novel that everyone should read. Marjane Satrapi was only 10 years old when the Islamic Revolution occurred in Iran...." Read more
"...Let tell you all, THIS is a very good book, and now planning to look at the movie and read the second book. Yes, I would highly recommend this 📕📚 👈🏿...." Read more
"This was a nice read! I enjoyed the detailed visual that helped me truly observe the events that occurred within the story...." Read more
Customers praise the visual quality of the graphic novel, describing it as wonderfully illustrated and realistic, with one customer noting how the comic illustrations effectively combine hard reality.
"...of its ability to telling stories through not just words but also pictures, and how it was able to express certain emotions, in ways ordinary books..." Read more
"...Through simple but powerful pictures and prose, she details what it was like for her to grow up in Iran during that timeframe...." Read more
"...-- not extremists, not radical Muslims - but mostly peace-loving, creative, independently thinking people who value their Persian culture and..." Read more
"This was a nice read! I enjoyed the detailed visual that helped me truly observe the events that occurred within the story...." Read more
Customers find the book insightful, providing understanding of life and giving perspective, with one customer noting how it offers a glimpse into another culture.
"...are really like -- not extremists, not radical Muslims - but mostly peace-loving, creative, independently thinking people who value their Persian..." Read more
"...and thoughts of Satrapi and the people around her come through quite poignantly...." Read more
"...It provides another viewpoint on the same events--such as Saddam Hussein's campaign against Iran...." Read more
"...But to my surprise, it was very good and helpful to understand from an outsiders view the events leading from before the suppression of the people,..." Read more
Customers find the book heartwrenching with tremendous emotional detail, making it relatable and personal, with one customer noting how it explores the complexities of human relations.
"...through not just words but also pictures, and how it was able to express certain emotions, in ways ordinary books could not...." Read more
"...I recommend this book for the story it tells and the emotions it conveys. I believe it will be enjoyable to people of many ages and backgrounds...." Read more
"...only part of this book that I did not like is the fact that it is a true story...." Read more
"...This is a powerful memoir that captures with brutal honesty a child’s view of the horrors of Iran’s cultural revolution and subsequent war with Iraq...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read, appreciating its simple language and quick pace, with one customer noting that the graphic novel format makes it particularly accessible.
"...The book had one of the freshest perspectives on writing that I had read in a while...." Read more
"...Although it is an "easy read" and in comic book format, the emotions and thoughts of Satrapi and the people around her come through quite poignantly..." Read more
"Did this for Ib lit and it was the best text ive done this year. The graphics are great and the storytelling is pretty compelling" Read more
"...I would recommend this book to others, it’s an easy read that gives a whole new perspective of the people of Iran...." Read more
Customers find the book suitable for various age groups, particularly adolescents, and appreciate its educational value, with one customer noting its effectiveness as an anchor for teaching high school students about religion and politics.
"Good book for my kid" Read more
"...I finished it before she did! Such an interesting and powerful story, and the fact that it is conveyed within the sparse structure of a graphic..." Read more
"...I think this book is great for people who have no idea what the Islamic revolution is and like history told in the form of comic book." Read more
"...the 10th grade years ago, and it is one of the most eye-opening experiences available via literature...." Read more
Customers find the book humorous, with many noting they laughed and cried while reading it. One customer describes it as a heartbreakingly funny portrait, while another mentions its wry and witty recollections.
"...I believe it will be enjoyable to people of many ages and backgrounds. I can't wait to read the sequel!" Read more
"...are disturbing--moreso because the book is visual--it has its moments of humor...." Read more
"...Satrapi's observations and recollections are wry and witty, with a touch of the independence and recklessness of a teenager...." Read more
"...This book will make you laugh more than cry, and if were present in Iran at that time, the story will take you back to those times and may make you..." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's historical content, particularly its moving account of the Iranian revolution and how it helps readers understand the country's history.
"...She also gives the reader new insight into the Islamic Revolution and people who lived in Iran...." Read more
"...the book, she paints herself as religiously moderate and politically involved, even as a child, and not at all negative towards the West...." Read more
"...At its most basic level, Persepolis is a history of Iran...." Read more
"...There is also some nostalgia, as the girl had a fascination with American culture of that period...." Read more
Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2020The Book Persepolis, By Marjie Satrapi, caught my eye right away. Uneducated about the Islamic revolution in 1980, I saw this book and knew I had to read it. Once the book arrived, I was immediately surprised by the book and the fact that it was a graphic novel. However, this really excited me because I had always loved reading graphic novels when I was younger. The book had one of the freshest perspectives on writing that I had read in a while. This has been one of the most interesting Memoirs I have ever read. The Memoir is so powerful because of its ability to telling stories through not just words but also pictures, and how it was able to express certain emotions, in ways ordinary books could not. For example, Satrapi uses the Graphic novel sense of the book to express the emotion that you could not see or empathize with through just reading text. Whether Satrapi decides to express happiness or sadness, Through the novel, she expresses the way she felt personally and also gives you a visual, to help put yourself into her shoes. She also gives the reader new insight into the Islamic Revolution and people who lived in Iran. Many people are quick to judge people, and that comes especially true when talking about people during the Islamic Revolution. She makes the reader understand that the people who had to first-hand witness the Islamic Revolution, are no different than ordinary people, just like the reader and even helps you sympathize with the character. Satrapi does a great job at incorporating western fashion, to help show the reader visually that people from who lived in Iran during the Islamic Revolution are just like any ordinary person. This book blew me away, and I look forward to reading the second part of Satrapi’s Persepolis.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2006This is a graphic novel that everyone should read. Marjane Satrapi was only 10 years old when the Islamic Revolution occurred in Iran. Through simple but powerful pictures and prose, she details what it was like for her to grow up in Iran during that timeframe. She is taught rebellion by her parents who opposed the Islamic regime and consequently as a teenager she wants to listen to the forbidden music of Kim Wilde, Iron Maiden, and Michael Jackson- even though she knows the penalty for being caught listening to it is severe. She has to hide behind the veil in public but looks for ways to rebel, including painting her fingernails and wearing hidden jewelry. Satrapi maintains a sense of humor throughout many portions of the book, including one memorable scene where her father tells the veil-enforcing teacher that the teacher needs to shave her mustache if a female's hair is so stimulating! However, long after I read this book the first time, one scene haunted me in particular. Early in the book, a massacre occurs when everyone in a theater is locked in to die while the theater burns to the ground. I think what makes this book particularly powerful to me is that the author is only 1 year older than me and it is only when I compare my life from ages 10-14 with her life that I realize just how much she had to endure. Highly recommended to all!
- Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2012I have taught this book to my tenth grade English students for the past five years, and I believe it has helped to send my former students into society as informed adults with enough perspective to see Iranian people as fellow global citizens, not Middle Eastern enemies.
Satrapi wrote the book to inform people about the Islamic Revolution and to give readers an insider perspective. I know that the book was originally written in French, and then later translated to English, which are the main languages of the Western world. This points to her intended audience - Westerners. Satrapi was trying to show the Western world what Iranian people are really like -- not extremists, not radical Muslims - but mostly peace-loving, creative, independently thinking people who value their Persian culture and lifestyle and have suffered greatly for remaining in their homeland in spite of the challenges.
Throughout the book, she paints herself as religiously moderate and politically involved, even as a child, and not at all negative towards the West. With images of the Iranian hostage crisis in the back of our minds, it is easy for Americans to assume that all Iranians hate Americans, but this is far from true. Satrapi shows her love for Western culture and music and books with Michael Jackson and Kim Wilde and Iron Maiden. She mostly clearly demonstrates the impact of their suffering with how drastically the loss of her Uncle Anoosh impacted her. She also wants people to have the facts about the revolution as well, which we see in the wealth of historical information integrated into her memoir.
I personally believe that Satrapi was very effective in helping society see Iranians differently, mostly from my personal experience. Before reading this book six years ago, I assumed that if the theocracy remains in power, that must mean that the majority of people in Iran must be really religious and anti-West, or else why wouldn't they overthrow their government? This book helped me see that they are really suffering under a different kind of tyranny, and also helped me understand why it happened. She shows why they overthrew the Shah - for freedom from an oppressive government, a government in which she knew that the difference between the social classes caused many people pain, but then she also shows throughout the rest of the book how the Iranian people were manipulated into becoming faithful to an Islamic regime.
The serious re-structuring of schools caused great suffering and contributed to the difficulty with changing mindsets. If the religious government controls the schools, then the children are inculcated with the religious ideas, much like how Marjane was initially inculcated with the thought that the Shah was chosen by God. In addition, the Islamic regime ultimately secured their power by uniting the Iranian people in war against a foreign enemy and carrying on the war until the society was so completely devastated, they would not have the energy or desire to cause further revolt of any kind.
I think this is an important topic for the Western world to see, as Western relations with Iran affect us in many ways. Our government currently has strict economic sanctions on Iran, which causes our gas prices to go up and impacts us where we feel it the most, our wallets; however, most people do not see the reason behind this, and why the world needs to take note of the tyranny in Iran. In addition, many people here in the United States lump together all of the people in the Middle East under the label of "Arabs" and then furthermore, see them all as extreme Muslims and terrorists, particularly since 9/11. As a student pointed out in class today, the book was published shortly after 9/11, which is likely not a coincidence. In the days after this event, many Americans viewed any Middle Eastern man with a beard or any Middle Eastern woman with a hijab as a terrorist, a threat; yet Marjane paints us a much needed picture of a world so many Americans do not realize exists - a world in which many free spirited Iranian people endure a forced dress code that represents far more oppression than we here in America could ever imagine.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2024So I had to order this book for My English/Reading class in college at the time. Let tell you all, THIS is a very good book, and now planning to look at the movie and read the second book. Yes, I would highly recommend this 📕📚 👈🏿.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2025This was a nice read! I enjoyed the detailed visual that helped me truly observe the events that occurred within the story. The plot kept me engaged through every page. I would recommend this to everyone.
Top reviews from other countries
- MATTReviewed in Australia on March 2, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Good quality and fast delivery
Good quality and fast delivery
-
Nirvana JMReviewed in Mexico on January 9, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy bonito
Lo compré para un regalo, llegó muy rápido. Muy bonito!
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AlfonsoReviewed in Italy on June 21, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Ottima versione economica del bellissimo lavoro della Satrapi
Consigliatissima edizione in lingua inglese ed integrale e della graphic novel di Markane Satrapi. Il formato è un po' più piccolo di quello convenzionale ma i disegni - molto espressivi ma essenziali - non ne risentono granché. Edizione brossurata, comoda da portare in giro ma ovviamente meno "resistente".
Mi sembra inutile aggiungere la descrizione di una storia a fumetti famosissima, che riesce ad essere avvincente, storicamente accurata, divertente pur trattando di avvenimenti spesso tragici. Capolavoro.
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CarlaamelloReviewed in Brazil on January 9, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Livro caro demais
Achei o livro caro demais para o que eh.
- E.Reviewed in Turkey on March 2, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Great read