Sholeh Wolpé

Poet, Fiction Writer, Translator

Los Angeles, CA
California US
Email: 
sholeh.wolpe@uci.edu
Website: 
www.sholehwolpe.com
Twitter/X: 
@https://twitter.com/Sholeh_Wolpe

Author's Bio

Sholeh Wolpé is an Iranian-born poet, playwright and librettist. UCLA’s inaugural Writer-in-Residence in 2018, Sholeh is presently the current Writer-in-Residence at UC Irvine. Wolpé is the recipient of the 2014 PEN/Heim, 2013 Midwest Book Award, 2010 Lois Roth Persian Translation prize as well as artist fellowships and residencies in the U.S., Mexico, Spain, Australia and Switzerland. Her most recent books include Keeping Time With Blue Hyacinth (Univ. of Arkansas Press), and The Conference of the Birds (W.W. Norton). Wolpé’s literary work number over twelve collections of poetry, books of translations, and anthologies, as well as several plays . She has performed her literary work with world-renowned musicians nationally and internationally. More information: www.sholehwolpe.com

Literary agent: 
Lindsay Edgecombe of Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency

Publications & Prizes

Fiction

Anthologies:
Ordinary Chaos of Being Human, Tales from Many Muslim Worlds (Penguin, 2020)
,
Flash Fiction International, Very Short Stories from Around the World (W. W. Norton & Company, 2015)
,
Flash Fiction Funny (City Lights Publishers, 2013)
,
Tremors: New Fiction by Iranian American (University of Arkansas Press, 2013)
,
Sudden Flash Youth, 65 Short-Short Stories (Persea Books, 2011)
,
Pow-Wow: Charting the Fault Lines in the American Experience - Short Fiction from Then to Now (Da Capo, 2009)

Poetry

Anthologies:
Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy (Trinity University Press, 2020)
,
Displaced Lives (University of Hawaii Press, 2020)
,
Ink Knows No Borders (Seven Stories Press, 2019)
,
The Heart of a Stranger: An Anthology of Exile Literature (Pushkin Press, 2019)
,
Making Mirrors: Writing//Righting by Refugees (Interlink Publishing Group, 2018)
,
The Golden Shovel (University of Arkansas Press, 2018)
,
The Golden Shovel (The University of Arkansas, 2016)
,
Wide Awake: Poets of Los Angeles and Beyond (Beyond Baroque Books, 2015)
,
Dead and Undead Poems (Everyman, 2014)
,
The Pacific Coast Poetry Series (Tebot Bach, 2014)
,
Malala: Poems for Malala Yousafzai (FutureCycle Press, 2013)
,
Veils, Halos, and Shackles: International Poetry on the Oppression and Empowerment of Women (Kasva Press, 2013)
,
Fresh Flash: Short Short Stories About Youth (Persea Books, 2011)
,
Tablet & Pen-- Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East (regional editor) (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010)
,
Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010)
,
Poetry of Iranian Women (CreateSpace, 2009)
,
Powwow: American Short Fiction from Then to Now (Perseus Press, 2009)
,
Language for a New Century (W. W. Norton & Company, 2008)
,
Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry From the Middle East, Asia & Beyond (W. W. Norton & Company, 2008)
,
Yellow as Turmeric, Fragrant as Cloves, — An anthology of Asian American Female Poets (Deep Bowl Press, 2008)
,
Inlandia: A Literary Journey Through California's Inland Empire (Heyday Books, 2007)
,
Evensong: Contemporary Poems of Spirituality (Bottom Dog Press, 2006)
,
Java Monkey Speaks (Poetry Atlanta Press, 2006)
,
Let Me Tell You Where I've Been: New Writing by Women of Iranian Diaspora (University of Arkansas Press, 2006)
,
Poetry That is Life (Ketab Gooya Publishing, 2006)
,
The Other Side of Sorrow (Poetry Society of New Hampshire, 2006)
,
Di-ver-city (Austin International Poetry Foundation, 2005)
,
Strange Times, My Dear: PEN Anthology of Contemporary Iranian Literature (Arcade, 2005)
,
City Dialogues: Life Druing Wartime (California Arts Council, 2004)
,
So Luminous the Wildflowers: An Anthology of California Poets (Tebot Bach, 2003)
Books:
The Conference of the Birds (W. W. Norton & Company, 2018)
,
Breaking The Jaws of Silence: Sixty American Poets Speak to the World (University of Arkansas Press, 2013)
,
Keeping Time With Blue Hyacinths (University of Arkansas Press, 2013)
,
The Forbidden: Poems from Iran and Its Exiles (Michigan State University Press, 2012)
,
RoofTops ofTehran by Sholeh Wolpe (Red Hen Press, 2008)
,
Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad (University of Arkansas Press, 2007)
,
The Scar Saloon (Red Hen Press, 2004)
Journals:
Art/Life Limited Editions
,
Ash Canyon Review
,
Atlanta Review
,
Beacons
,
Callaloo
,
Catamaran
,
Chaffin Journal
,
Chattahoochee Review
,
Circumference
,
City Dialogues: Life During Wartime
,
Connotation Press
,
Consequence
,
Cordite Poetry Review
,
Dum Dum Zine
,
Faultline
,
Grain Magazine
,
Great River Review
,
Green Hills Literary Lantern
,
Guernica Magazine
,
Iranian.com
,
Journal of the American Medical Association
,
Levure Litteraire
,
Los Angeles Review
,
Maize
,
Mochila Review
,
Muse Apprentice Guild
,
Onthebus
,
Orbis
,
Pearl Magazine
,
Persian Mirror
,
Poetry London
,
Poetry Salzburg Review
,
Punch
,
Revista Respiro
,
The Rumpus
,
Runes: A Review of Poetry
,
Sierra Nevada Review
,
Spillway Magazine
,
Spiral Bridge
,
Terrain.org: A Journal of the Built & Natural Environments
,
The Daily Star
,
The Enchanting Verses Literary Review
,
The Offing
,
The Persian Book Review
,
The Warwick Review
,
Two Lines XIV: World Writing in Translation
,
Two Review
,
Women's Review of Books
,
Words Without Borders

Translation

Book:
Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad by Forugh Farrokhzad, translated from the Persian (University of Arkansas Press, 2007)
Prizes won: 

2020-2022  Writer-in-Residence, UCI
2018   Inaugural Writer in Residence, UCLA
2017   Centenary Stage Women Playwrights 
2016  Ashland New Plays Festival, finalist
2016  Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, semifinalist
2015   International Poetry Translation Fellowship, Spain
2015   Le Château de Lavigny Residency, Switzerland
2014  PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grant
2014   Hedgebrook Residency, U.S.A.
2013   Midwest Book Award
2010   Lois Roth Persian Translation Award
2006  Glimmer Train, Open Fiction finalist
2005  Artists Embassy International, “Peace through the Arts” award
2003   The National League of American Pen Women, “Soul-Making” literary award
2003   Houston Poetry Fest, “Juried Poet” award

 

Watch

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Iranian American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English, Persian
Born in: 
Iran
Raised in: 
United Kingdom
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Aug 01, 2020