On Wednesday 30th September 2026, from 7.30-9.30pm, Stroud Radical Reading Group will host a discussion of the Woman Life Freedom movement in Iran, through referencing two books (see below). We will meet at Borderless Books, 4 London Road, Stroud, GL5 2AG. Entry is free but please bring some cash if you can afford to donate to cover venue costs.
Marjane Satrapi, best known for her graphic novel series and film Persepolis, died aged 56 in June this year. This year has also been a year of internet blackouts and state repression in Iran – involving the deaths of thousands of residents. And, of course, it’s also a year in which the US and Israel – with support from the UK government including planes flying from nearby Fairford air base – have been bombing Iran, killing more people, making the situation for Iranians worse, and impacting us all globally.
To learn more, and to honour Satrapi, we will discuss her collection. This is a collaboration of activists, artists, journalists, and academics working together to depict the historic “Women Life Freedom” uprising — with comics that show what would be censored in photos and film in Iran — in solidarity with the Iranian people, in defence of feminism.
As the Satrapi book is expensive (£30 RRP in paperback), we will also discuss Malu Halasa’s collection (£15 RRP) – which people can read as an alternative. This also extols the power of art, writing and body politics – a rallying call and a celebration of the women the regime has tried and failed to silence. To be clear, we are not expecting people to read both books – please pick one, or come along either after engaging with the free resources below, or just to listen in!
The books are available from Borderless Books with a 10% discount. Below in our resources section you can find free audio and video resources. There is also more information about the books and Stroud Radical Reading Group events.
Anyone interested in the book can join us. We do our best to make the sessions welcoming to people who have not been to reading groups or similar settings like university seminars before. We recommend reading the book but you don’t need to in order to come along and listen or ask questions. You also do not need to have attended any of our previous sessions.
Content warnings (submitted by Storygraph users):
- Graphic: Police brutality, Murder, Violence
- Moderate: Torture, War, Death
- Minor: Alcohol, Rape, Suicide
- Graphic: Sexism
- Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence
More information about the books:
“On September 13th 2022, a young Iranian student, Mahsa Amini, was arrested by the morality police in Tehran. Her only 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.
A wave of protests soon spread through the whole country, and crowds adopted the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom”—words that have been chanted around the world during solidarity rallies.
Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis, returns to graphic art with this collaboration of over 20 activists, artists, journalists, and academics working together to depict the historic uprising, in solidarity with the Iranian people and in defense of feminism.
In order to tell the story of this major revolution happening in her homeland, Marjane Satrapi has gathered together an array of journalists, activists, academics, artists, and writers from around the world to create this powerful collection of full-color, graphic-novel-style essays and perspectives that bear witness:
- 3 expert perspectives on Iran: long-time journalist for Libération and political scientist Jean-Pierre Perrin; researcher and Iran specialist Farid Vahid; and UC Berkeley historian Abbas Milani, Director of the Iranian Studies program at Stanford University.
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.” (Storygraph)
Malu Halasa’s book is “An invaluable and deeply moving testimony to resistance The first book on the protests that have shaken the Iran regime to its core Published to coincide with the 1-year anniversary of the murder of Mahsa Amini A unique anthology, the first to showcase Iranian art and writing since the protests” (Storygraph)
About the authors:
Marjane Satrapi (22 November 1969 – 4 June 2026) was a writer and artist. She was born in Rasht, Iran. She lived in Paris, France. Satrapi wrote and drew comics about her life, notably the autobiographical comic Persepolis. Satrapi’s most famous book is called Persepolis, after the old Persian capital. The comic book is about Satrapi’s childhood in Iran during the war. This time was when country wanted to end the Shah’s cruel rule. It was later turned into an animated film. She has written three comic books relating to her life. The first and second are about her childhood. The third is about her study in different countries. She was planning to write a fourth book about her return to Iran.
Malu Halasa (Syria Speaks, Saqi Books) is a renowned authority on the art and culture of the Middle East She has produced seven acclaimed volumes on the subject Essential for anyone interested in women’s rights movements, Iran and the Middle East
Resources
- Watch a preview flickthrough of Woman, life, freedom by Marjane Satrapi (7 minutes, embedded below)
- Watch Woman Life Freedom: capturing the art of protest – 23 minute film by publishers Saqi books “following the journey of our book Woman Life Freedom, captur[ing] this historic moment in artwork and first-person accounts. It is both a universal rallying call and a celebration of the women the regime has tried and failed to silence.” The film features Malu Halasa.
- Listen to Malu Halasa on Picturing Resistance: Art and Activism in the Iranian Women’s Movement – Rebel Justice podcast (24 minutes, embedded below)
- Watch a conversation with Marjane Satrapi and Abbas Milani, moderated by Sima Sabet. The conversation is in Persian, but with subtitles (1 hour 45 minutes, embedded below)
- Saqi books website, Malu Halasa biography, and Malu Halasa Instagram
About our events
Stroud Radical Reading Group events are free to attend, though we will make a collection to cover venue hire costs – please bring some cash if you can afford it (a few pounds would be great).
We try to create a comfortable discussion space for everyone, including people who have not been part of a reading group or been to university. We do not want the sessions to feel like school – the idea is that everyone has something to contribute, even if primarily through finding the discussion texts difficult and having questions with other attendees can attempt to answer.
To ensure marginalised people feel welcome, we encourage care and thoughtful contributions that respect people’s identities and lives. We are an LGBTQ+ inclusive and anti-racist space.
Anyone is welcome to listen to the discussion, though we encourage contributions only from those who have read at least some of the book we are discussing.
About the venue
The venue for this session is Borderless Books – an independent bookshop established in February 2026. The shop is “particularly passionate about international literature, including fiction in translation, memoir, and travel writing.” It is based in central Stroud, close to the train station and bus station, with nearby stands to lock bikes (Sub Romms), and parking for cars nearby at Brunel Mall multistorey or the Parliament St car park. There is step-free access to the ground floor where we will meet. There is a toilet, air conditioning, and basic folding chairs. Please get in touch if you’d like to get more of an idea of what the sessions are like or if you have any accessibility needs.
There is an opportunity for more informal discussion after the session in the Ale House pub (around the corner) for anyone who wants to continue chatting after 9.30pm.
Stroud Radical Reading Group 