T’was She

I often look at newspapers.
I say look because I might read a story or two if they catch my eye but, truthfully, the pertinent use of my newspaper is to look for job opportunities. Every Sunday I am sure to scour through the classifieds to see if there are any potential openings.
Looking for jobs is like my fourth job.

The usual routine was not any different this Sunday as I leafed through the sections looking for Business and Real Estate once again. However, this time I was stopped by a familiar face with a recognizable mole.
Was it?
My eyes moved across the page to the bolded words printed next to the picture. There it was. Her name! And it was in my…. local… newspaper.

Marjane Satrapi.
An article devoted to one of my most influential authoresses and her work.
I was ecstatic.

My introduction to Ms. Satrapi’s work was in college where I studied children’s literature as a minor. I fell in love with her story-telling and her point-of-view. Her book Persepolis not only assisted to break me into the world of graphic novels, but also, to a small piece of middle-eastern history. Admittedly, with out her fascinating stories, I would have likely remained somewhat ignorant about Iran and its culture.

It was (probably) 2009 when I first read this book. I am not sure how widely known her work was at that time, but I had never heard of it or its author. Today, I find Persepolis in the “Must Read” section of most book stores. This being true, it is odd that I have not found many fellow readers of this enlightening book.
I suppose this is why I was so very glad to find an article publicizing her wonderful graphic novels and films.  (Yay!!)

Perhaps it should have been obvious, but this article had a local relevance that served its true purpose in the long run. It wasn’t just that this interesting author was being highlighted, but that she is soon to be in town as a speaker.

Oh, but how one’s hopes can raise up and drop down again in the matter of one solitary  paragraph…

“The Parisian will bring her world view to Toledo at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 when she’ll appear at Authors! Authors! in a question-and-answer format with Kurt Franck, executive editor of The Blade. The talk in the McMaster Center of the Main Library is sold out”

 

……….(NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!)

 

I am disappointed that it is a bit too late to have found that she will be speaking, BUT I am consoled in finding that the same speaker series will host another  important authoress of mine, Sandra Cisneros!
Come on April!

But that’s a discussion for another day.