Persepolis

 Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, 153 pages.

This graphic memoir recounts the childhood and early teen years of Marjane Satrapi, who grew up in Tehran in the upheaval of the 1980's. She was the daughter of politically active parents, and witnessed firsthand much of the social and political upheaval that happened in Iran during these years.

I think that the most exceptional thing about this book is how effective it is at never letting you forget that the horrific things being described are happening to a child. Her favorite uncle is executed, friends of her parents describe how they were tortured as political prisoners, and a neighbor is killed in a bombing. But these are all interspersed with almost equal weight with childhood hijinks like skipping school and trying to get posters in Iran after the Islamic Revolution. This memoir does a really fantastic job capturing what it is to live through a historic moment. A lot of the events are unbelievable tragedy, but they are also, to her, just life. This is a very moving memoir and a quick read, I would definitely recommend it.