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Works of Radical Imagination

Book cover for Woman, Life, Freedom
Book cover for Woman, Life, Freedom

An urgent, groundbreaking and visually stunning new collection of graphic story-telling about the present Iranian revolution from Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis.

One of NPR’s "Books We Love, 2024"

A collaboration of activists, artists, journalists, and academics working together to depict the historic uprising — with comics that show what would be censored in photos and film in Iran — in solidarity with the Iranian people, in defense of feminism.

“Woman, Life, Freedom is a rallying cry.” —Marjane Satrapi and Abbas Milani in their introduction to the book.

On September 13th 2022, a young Kurdish-Iranian student, Mahsa Jina Amini, was arrested by the morality police in Tehran. Her only alleged "crime" was that she wasn’t properly wearing the headscarf required for women by the Islamic Republic. At the police station, she was beaten so badly she had to be taken to the hospital, where she fell into a deep coma. She died three days later. The plight of this 22-year-old woman raised a wave of protests that soon spread through the whole country, and crowds adopted the Kurdish slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.” Around the world, these words have been chanted during solidarity rallies.

In this powerful visual collection of graphic novel style essays, Marjane Satrapi has gathered together intense narration by herself and an array of journalists and writers with graphic art perspectives from esteemed collaborators including Coco, a press cartoonist at Charlie Hebdo; Patricia Bolaños, a Spanish illustrator based in Brooklyn; Mana Neyestani, an Iranian cartoonist and illustrator; and Paco Roca, a Spanish comic book artist, Shabnam Adiban, an Iranian illustrator based in Toronto, among others. Together, these are the artists and story-tellers Marjane Satrapi has chosen to tell the story of a major revolution happening in her homeland of Iran today that has inspired support from around the world.

Woman, Life, Freedom includes:

  • Full color art that bears witness and provides context for this major event for Iran and for all women from 18 exceptional graphic artists.
  • Perspectives on Iran from three experts—long-time journalist for Libération and political scientist Jean-Pierre Perrin; researcher and Iran specialist Farid Vahid; and historian Abbas Milani, Director of the Iranian Studies program at Stanford University.
  • Hand-drawn art and writing from activists, artists, journalists, and academics, collaborating from around the world in support of the cause.


Woman, Life, Freedom demonstrates that this is not an unexpected movement, but a major uprising in a long history of women who have wanted to affirm their rights. It will continue.

Contributing artists include Joann Sfar, Coco, Mana Neyastani, Catel, Pascal Rabate, Patricia Bolanos, Paco Roca, Bahareh Akrami, Hippolyte, Shabnam Adiban, Lewis Trondheim, Winshluss, Touka Neyastani, Bee, Deloupy, Nicolas Wild.

Click here to read an interview with Marjane Satrapi in The Guardian

Book cover for Woman, Life, Freedom
Book cover for Woman, Life, Freedom

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“A small miracle of lively, serious and joyful intelligence, like Marjane.”

“Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi compiled this stunningly powerful comic book on the first anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death at the hands of Iran’s “morality police,” partnering with a political scientist, a historian, a journalist and 16 visual artists. Together, they paint a vivid picture of the events before Amini’s death, the feminist revolution it spurred and a hopeful vision for the future of Iran. The visual styles of the artists are distinct and differing. However, fans of Satrapi will recognize the same wit, heart and clarity of perspective that pulses through her previous works.”

“A stirring call for change that reminds readers “the art of rebellion is an everyday battle.”

“An impassioned message of rage and hope.”

“The visual medium enhances the storytelling and creates an immersive reading experience that accessibly communicates information. In my favorite vignettes, such as “In the Heart of the Diaspora,” I felt like I was eavesdropping on conversations that felt both familiar and incredibly complex, much as I felt while reading Persepolis.”

“This remarkable volume examines the Iranian feminist uprising following the 2022 beating death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the morality police for not wearing her headscarf properly. Introduced and illustrated by Satrapi, this collaboration of 20+ journalists, artists and experts is a clarion call for uprising, collectivity and continuance.”

“In September 2022, in Tehran, Mahsa Amini was arrested and beaten to death by the morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. Women, men, and schoolchildren rose up in protest all over the country. This is a powerful and important reminder not to forget the people of Iran who continue to suffer under the brutal regime of their own government.”

““Woman, Life, Freedom” is a beautiful compendium that underscores the importance of solidarity and community.”

“Through bold visualisation of protests and political repression, Satrapi (who lives in Paris) and her co-collaborators Farid Vahidi, Abbas Milani and Jean-Pierre Perrin aim to inspire audiences both inside and outside Iran and to reinforce solidarity with those in the country. While only bootleg copies will make it to Iran, theirs is a vivid and painful testimony of the deep popular frustration percolating across Iran and the underlying hope that accompanies it. In this fluent translation by Una Dimitrijevic, illustrations contributed by 17 artists add colour to vignettes that describe events around Mahsa Amini’s death and the protests that followed … These stories don’t always flow from one to the other. But together they shed light on the diverse, dynamic nature of Iranian resistance, social contradictions around faith and ultimately a collective yearning for a better Iran. But together they shed light on the diverse, dynamic nature of Iranian resistance, social contradictions around faith and ultimately a collective yearning for a better Iran.”

“[A] riveting collection of illustrated stories... Woman Life Freedom offers an engrossing portrait of a population held back by restrictive leaders.”

blog — January 18

Spring 2024 Political Non-Fiction

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A graphic biography of the local activist group Detroit Eviction Defense, whose work combatting — and beating — evictions in Detroit demonstrates the importance — and efficacy — of people organizing locally with their communities. The stories included in this book feature families struggling against evictions, organizing, taking to the streets, and winning their homes back.

An urgent, groundbreaking, and visually stunning new collection of graphic story-telling, edited by Persepolisauthor Marjane Satrapi, Woman, Life, Freedom is a collaboration of activists, artists, journalists, and academics working together to depict the historic uprising — with comics that show what would be censored in photos and film in Iran — in solidarity with the Iranian people, in defense of feminism.

For a new generation of activists, these are classic revolutionary writings by four famous radicals, including The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels; Reform or Revolution by Rosa Luxemburg; and Che Guevara’s Socialism and Man in Cuba. Includes an introduction by Cuban Marxist intellectual Armando Hart and a preface by US radical poet Adrienne Rich.

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A collection of columns and essays that reveal Ralph Nader at his outspoken and prescient best, fighting the good fight against corporate corruption, unbalanced political power, consumer dangers, big pharma, and climate denialism. Featuring an introduction by Lewis Lapham. 

This classic manual on repression by revolutionary activist Victor Serge offers fascinating anecdotes about the tactics of police provocateurs and an analysis of the documents of the Tsarist secret police in the aftermath of the Russian revolution. With a new introduction by Anthony Arnove.

From renowned writer Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Pancho Villa is wild ride and revealing portrait of the controversial figure, one of Mexico’s most beloved (or loathed) heroes, that finally establishes the importance of his role in the triumph of the Mexican revolution. Published on the 100th anniversary of Pancho Villa's death.

In these three speeches on corporate globalism and imperialism, Ernesto Che Guevara offers a revolutionary view of a world in which human solidarity and understanding replace imperialist agression and exploitation. This collection of writings merges Che's philosophy, politics, and economics in his all encompassing, coherent revolutionary vision.

MARJANE SATRAPI, author of Persepolis, is an autobiographical series that sold more than two million copies and won international awards. After writing two other prize-winning books (Embroidery and Chicken with Plums), she devoted herself to cinema and painting. Her first two films are adaptations of her works: the animated film Persepolis, which received two Cesar awards and was nominated for an Oscar, and her film Poulet aux prunes, which won awards in Abu Dhabi and Sao Paulo.

UNA DIMITRIJEVIĆ was born in Bosnia, grew up in Scotland, and now lives in France. She translates from Serbo-Croat and French into English. Her translations of The Mental Load: A Feminist Comic and The Emotional Load and Other Invisible Stuff were published by Seven Stories Press in 2018 and 2020.