OneBook...what reading should be
Reading as a whole College experience – that’s what OneBook is! Join other members of the College by diving into Persepolis, a graphic novel about a girl in wartime Iran. The story explores the life-changing power of world events on an ordinary life. Classes in many disciplines will be delving into the connections this story can make to us all and will help connect the College community through this common project.
Want to use Persepolis in your course?
Faculty members who would like to use Persepolis in their courses have access to a twenty copy set of the book (currently on reserve) for class use. Faculty members can check out the set for a period of two weeks. If you would like to reserve the set for specific dates, please contact Bob Rezendes at ext. 2106.
Library Display
Stop by the library to see the Persepolis display! The two cases featuring the author and her book, as well as cultural and historical information about Iran, will be showcased all semester for everyone to enjoy. As part of the display, a varied and interesting selection of books will also be featured during September. Browse through more graphic novels by Marjane Satrapi and other authors, as well as books about the history and culture of Iran, women in the Middle East, history and creation of graphic novels, and Islam.
OneBook Student Art Award
Put your creative talents to work!
Many of you are reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi this fall, which is an autobiography about growing up in Iran, written in graphic novel form. We would like to showcase your visual responses to the book. Any student currently enrolled at BCC is invited to create and submit some form of visual expression related in some way to the book. This is open to students in all disciplines.
Your artwork could be anything from a poster, painting, sculpture, or puppet to a comic strip or a storyboard for time-based media and needs to be either (1) about the book in some way, or (2) inspired by the book or visual form. The project description you put on your entry form must explain the connection of your artwork to the book. If your work is chosen for exhibition, your project description will be displayed with your work.
Selected entries will be displayed in the Brick area of H building. In addition, there will be a first place award of $100 (sponsored by the BCC Alumni Association), a second place award of $50 (sponsored by Division I, Humanities and Education), and honorable mentions presented to the winning students at our closing OneBook event in early December.
Submissions will be accepted on Monday, November 30, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday, December 1, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. by Erik Durant in H213 and Marisa Millard in H215. Entries will be judged by a panel of BCC Art Program instructors. All submissions must be original work and accompanied by an official Entry form, including project description.
OneBook Student Essay Award
Put your creative talents to work!
Any student currently enrolled in BCC, whether you are reading Persepolis in a course or not, is invited to submit a written response to the book. There will be a first place award of $100 (sponsored by President Jack Sbrega), a second place award of $50 (sponsored by Division I, Humanities and Education), and honorable mentions presented to the winning students at our closing OneBook event at noon on December 10th in the H Building Theater. Submissions will be accepted through November 30th. Please deliver your entries to the Circulation Desk in the Library, attention Dr. Gabriela Adler. We look forward to reading your entries. For submission guidelines and official entry form, click the links below or see our OneBook Facebook page.
The Case for (and Against) Persepolis as Literature
On Thursday, November 19th at 11:00 in H209, Wheaton College Professor Jim Mancall will lecture on:
"Comics? Really?": The Case for (and against) Persepolis as Literature
In the past decade, more and more colleges have offered courses that feature graphic novels, and Persepolis, along with the work of artists such as Art Spiegelman and Alison Bechdel, has garnered serious attention from literary scholars. In response, critics have argued that the study of comic books is a symptom of the dumbing-down of the college curriculum, and call for a return to "the classics." Should we read comic-books as part of a college education? What happens when we do? And what does this tell us about what we mean when we talk about "literature?"
All faculty, staff and students are invited to join in the discussion. This event is sponsored by Division I, Humanities and Education.
You can find OneBook information on Facebook, on the web, and in public folders.
To learn more, contact Gaby Adler, Denise DiMarzio, or Sally Gabb. Join in!
