Sholeh Wolpe
Encyclopedia
Sholeh Wolpe is a poet, literary translator, and visual artist.
She was born in Iran
, and has lived in Trinidad
, England
and United States
.
. She spent her teen years in Trinidad and later at a boarding school in Eastbourne, England. She traveled to the United State for her higher education, but was later unable to return to Iran after the Iranian 1979 revolution
.
She is the author of two collections of poetry
, Rooftops of Tehran (Red Hen Press
2004), The Scar Saloon (Red Hen Press 2007), and a book of literary translations, Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad (University of Arkansas
Press 2007) for which she was awarded the Lois Roth Translation Prize in 2010 by the American Institute of Iranian Studies
. About Wolpé’s translations, the judges wrote: “In Wolpe's fresh and vital translation, a musical and compelling English version that draws the reader along and captures a sense of the exquisitely balanced pacing of Farrokhzad's language, and the immediacy and authenticity of her voice, the members of the Lois Roth jury found themselves experiencing Forugh's Persian poems with new eyes. “
Wolpe edited the 2010 Iran issue of the Atlanta Review, and is the associate editor of Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East edited by Reza Aslan
(W.W. Norton 2010).
Wolpe’s poem, I Am Neda, featured On PBS’s FrontLine, was performed in 2010 at the Hammer Museum
in Los Angeles by singer Mamak Khadem, and read in Persian by actor Navid Negahban. The program was part of a PEN USA program featuring Maxine Hong Kingston
as well as other notable poets and writers.
-- B.A.
in Radio/TV/Film
Northwestern University
-- M.A.
in Radio/TV/Film
Johns Hopkins University
-- MHS
in Public Health
The Scar Saloon (Red Hen Press 2004)
Rooftops of Tehran (Red Hen Press 2007)
Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad (University of Arkansas 2007)
Tablet & Pen — Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East (W.W. Norton 2010) Edited by Reza Aslan; Sholeh Wolpe, associate editor
She was born in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and has lived in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Biography
Wolpe was born in TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. She spent her teen years in Trinidad and later at a boarding school in Eastbourne, England. She traveled to the United State for her higher education, but was later unable to return to Iran after the Iranian 1979 revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
.
She is the author of two collections of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, Rooftops of Tehran (Red Hen Press
Red Hen Press
Red Hen Press is an American non-profit press specializing in the publication of literary fiction and poetry located in Pasadena, California. Founded by Kate Gale, the mission of Red Hen Press is to discover, publish, and promote works of literary excellence that have been overlooked by mainstream...
2004), The Scar Saloon (Red Hen Press 2007), and a book of literary translations, Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad (University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
Press 2007) for which she was awarded the Lois Roth Translation Prize in 2010 by the American Institute of Iranian Studies
American Institute of Iranian Studies
' is a non-profit consortium of US universities and museums, founded in 1967, for the purpose of promoting the interdisciplinary study of Iranian civilization and knowledge of Iran and the Persian-speaking world from the earliest periods to the present...
. About Wolpé’s translations, the judges wrote: “In Wolpe's fresh and vital translation, a musical and compelling English version that draws the reader along and captures a sense of the exquisitely balanced pacing of Farrokhzad's language, and the immediacy and authenticity of her voice, the members of the Lois Roth jury found themselves experiencing Forugh's Persian poems with new eyes. “
Wolpe edited the 2010 Iran issue of the Atlanta Review, and is the associate editor of Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East edited by Reza Aslan
Reza Aslan
Reza Aslan is an Iranian-American activist, a nationally acclaimed writer of religions. He is on the faculty at the University of California, Riverside, and is a contributing editor for The Daily Beast...
(W.W. Norton 2010).
Wolpe’s poem, I Am Neda, featured On PBS’s FrontLine, was performed in 2010 at the Hammer Museum
Hammer Museum
The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center, or the Hammer Museum as it is more commonly known, is an art museum in the Westwood district of Los Angeles, California...
in Los Angeles by singer Mamak Khadem, and read in Persian by actor Navid Negahban. The program was part of a PEN USA program featuring Maxine Hong Kingston
Maxine Hong Kingston
Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American author and Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated with a BA in English in 1962. Kingston has written three novels and several works of non-fiction about the experiences of Chinese immigrants living in the United...
as well as other notable poets and writers.
Education
George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
-- B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Radio/TV/Film
Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
-- M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Radio/TV/Film
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
-- MHS
MHS
MHS may refer to:*Air Memphis, and Egyptian airline that uses the ICAO-Code MHS*Malignant hyperthermia syndrome, a condition that is triggered by exposure to drugs used for general anaesthesia*Master of Health Science, a graduate degree program...
in Public Health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
Books
The Painted Sun (Confluence Press 2002)The Scar Saloon (Red Hen Press 2004)
Rooftops of Tehran (Red Hen Press 2007)
Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad (University of Arkansas 2007)
Anthologies
Atlanta Review --Iran Issue 2010 Edited by Sholeh WolpeTablet & Pen — Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East (W.W. Norton 2010) Edited by Reza Aslan; Sholeh Wolpe, associate editor
Other Publications
Wolpe's work can be found in the following anthologies:- The Poetry of Iranian Women (Reelcontent Publishing, 2008)
- Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia & Beyond ( W. W. NortonW. W. NortonW. W. Norton & Company is an independent American book publishing company based in New York City. It is well known for its "Norton Anthologies", particularly the Norton Anthology of English Literature and the "Norton Critical Editions" series of texts which are frequently assigned in university...
, 2008) - Powwow: American Short Fiction from Then to Now (Da Capo PressDa Capo PressDa Capo Press, is an American publishing company with headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1964 as a publisher of music books, as a division of Plenum Publishers. it had additional offices in offices in New York City, Philadelphia and Emeryville, California...
, an imprint of the Perseus Books Group Inc., 2008) - Been There, Read That: The Armchair Traveller's Companion (Victoria UniversityVictoria UniversityVictoria University may refer to:* Victoria University, Australia, Melbourne, Australia* Victoria University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh* University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada...
Press, 2008) - In Our Own Words-- A Generation Defining Itself (MW Enterprises, New York 2007)
- Evensong: Contemporary Poems of Spirituality (Bottom Dog Press, 2006)
- Yellow as Turmeric, Fragrant as Cloves, — An anthology of Asian American Female Poets (Deep Bowl Press, Feb. 2008)
- Inlandia: A Literary Journey Through California's Inland Empire (Heyday BooksHeyday BooksHeyday Books is an independent nonprofit publisher based in Berkeley, California.Heyday was founded by Malcolm Margolin in 1974 when he wrote, typeset, designed, and distributed The East Bay Out, a guide to the natural history of the hills and bayshore around Berkeley and Oakland...
, 2006) - Let Me Tell You Where I've Been: New Writing by Women of the Iranian Diaspora (University of ArkansasUniversity of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
Press, 2006) - The Other Side of Sorrow (Poetry Society of New Hampshire 2006)
- Java Monkey Speaks (Poetry Atlanta Press, 2006)
- Strange Times, My Dear: The PEN Anthology of Contemporary Iranian Literature (Arcade PublishingArcade PublishingArcade Publishing is an independent trade publishing company that started in 1988 in New York, USA. They are publishers of American and world fiction and non-fiction...
, April 2005) - Poetry That is Life: Mehregan Festival Anthology of Poetry - Mehregan 2005
- Di-verse-city, The Austin International Poetry Festival Anthology (2005)
- City Dialogues: Life During Wartime (California Arts Council 2004)
- So Luminous the Wildflowers, An Anthology of California Poets (Tebot Bach, 2003)