Bestselling author and illustrator to speak at CSB

Bestselling author and illustrator Marjane Satrapi will be presenting on her work at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, in Escher Auditorium, Benedicta Arts Center, College of Saint Benedict. This event is part of the CSB Renaissance Series. 

A native of Rasht, Iran, Satrapi currently resides in Paris. She contributes to publications such as The New Yorker and the New York Times, and has authored several children's books. 

Satrapi also published a two-part graphic novel autobiography entitled "Persepolis" and "Persepolis 2." The series focuses on her youth in Iran in the 1970s and 1980s and of living through the Islamic Revolution and war with Iraq. "Persepolis" was met with enourmous critical acclaim, garnering comparisons to Art Spiedelman's "Maus," and winning several prestigious graphic novel awards. Satrapi's other books include "Embroideries" and her latest adult book, "Chicken with Plums." She is also the author of several children's books, including "Monsters are Afraid of the Moon."

"Persepolis" was chosen by the Young Adult Library Association as one of its recommended titles for all students and also named one of the "100 Best Books of the Decade" by The Times, London. The animated film adaptation of "Persepolis" has won over 25 major international award nominations and received over 15 major international awards. 

Satrapi's live-action film version of 'Chicken with Plums" made its premiere in the Mostra of Venice in 2011 and later won Best Narrative Film at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival and Best Foreign Language Film from the São Paulo International Film Festival. Most recently, she directed the film The Voices (2014) starring Ryan Reynolds.

This presentation is free and open to the public. 

The event is co-sponsored by the CSB President's Office, Institute for Women's Leadership, Literary Arts Institute and the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University Center for Global Education.