Persepolis- A Graphic Novel

I read Maus by Art Spiegelman in college and was completely blown away. The story of a person's survival in a Nazi concentration camp told through a graphic novel is brilliant. Going beyond the subject of superheros or sci-fi, graphic novels that are memoirs about politics, history, and the human plight really resonate something within me. Perhaps it relates to the common denominator of image- all people can understand a picture. And, when that image or picture is of people suffering whether it be the Holocaust or the Iranian Revolution, the reader is able to understand the story on a deeper level.

Written by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis is a memoir of a girl from the age of 6 to 14 growing up during the Iranian Revolution and war. All the stories are memories directly from Satrapi's life drawing mostly from family, friends, and school. Through out the book, the Satrapi family has to balance a public and private life because they are forced to obey Islamic law as the revolution takes hold and religious leaders rule by fear. Despite being communists, the Satrapi family has to hide their true beliefs because everyone around them is either taken into custody or, later on, executed for speaking out against the government. Marjane, in addition to trying to find her own identity, has to constantly battle the question of martyrdom. What is a true martyr? Is risking one's life for the freedom of Iran a martyr? Is risking one's life for Islam and an Iran lead by Ayatolla Khomeini a martyr (because this is what was told to young men over the age of 15...riches and young virigin brides awaited them in heaven)?This book has reached great heights and critical acclaim. In fact, you may have seen the title of this book in the movie stores because the graphic novel was turned into an independent film by the same name. I'll have to watch it at some point. Since I hate spoilers, the last thing I'll share is that the author does manage to make the reader yearn for more at the end of the novel. In comes the sequel- Satrapi does have Persepolis 2 written, which focuses on the author's high school and college life as an Iranian woman coming of age.
It would be a dream to be able to teach a modern history class based off of graphic novels. Do you now see the true nerd in me?