Reading Persepolis

The Summer Reading Program Committee selected the autobiographical novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi for the 2006-7 academic year. Persepolis is a memoir in a graphic novel format that chronicles Satrapi’s childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
Every year, a different book is recommended to the campus community with the goal of engaging the freshman class in a cross disciplinary theme. Here are a few technology tools, in addition to regular meetings and workshops, being used by the faculty to explore the strategies for reading and teaching with graphic novels.

• Blackboard <http://keene.blackboard.com/> has an inter-active course website for instructors called the “Summer Reading Program”. Brinda Charry organized the forum and gathered a variety of articles and links for faculty to use.
  Please email Brinda Charry, bcharry@keene.edu, to be added to this forum.
• Discussion blog, <http://persepolischat.blogspot.com/> that is maintained by Kathy Halverson, Assistant Director, Mason Library. She is hoping to generate both faculty and student discussion on the page. The discussion blog is open to any who wish to comment.
• “Persepolis” event: Talk on cartoons/Graphic Novels – (Thank you Brinda Charry for the heads-up)
  “Steve Bisette, Professor at the Center for Cartoon Studies, White River, VT will be giving a presentation on strategies for reading cartoons and graphic novels on Thursday, October 12th between 12:00-1:00 pm in the Madison Street Lounge. The 30-minute presentation will be followed by a brief discussion session where Professor Bisette, along with Robin Dizard (English Dept) and Marsha Hewitt (Art/ Graphic Design) will respond to your questions.
  Please attend this presentation and encourage your students to attend. ”

If you know of other tools or events then the ones listed, please let us know!