“Abacus of Loss is a remarkable achievement, an unforgettable text.”
“One of 8+ Beautiful, Contemporary Novels Written in Verse That Make Poetry Accessible”
“One of 17 Poetry Collections to read during Women’s History Month”
“Abacus of Loss examines the masks of patriarchy in powerful metaphor and narrative.”
Sholeh Wolpé, photo by Sophie Kandaouroff
Sholeh Wolpé is an Iranian-born poet, playwright and librettist. Her performances, solo or in collaboration with musicians and artists, have been hailed by audiences as mesmerizing.
Her literary work includes six collections of poetry, several plays, three books of translations, and three anthologies.
Wolpé’s most recent book is a memoir in verse, Abacus of Loss (2022) in which according to Prism International: “Desire and love exist in terrifying worlds” yet they are handled with “silken language.” It was chosen by The Mary Sue magazine as one of “8+ Beautiful, Contemporary Novels Written in Verse That Make Poetry Accessible.” She is the recipient of a PEN/Heim, Midwest Book Award, and the Lois Roth Prize and was a 2024 award judge for Neustadt International Prize. Sholeh’s forthcoming books are from Visor Libros in Spain (Feb 2025) and Harper Collins (Sept 2025).
Sholeh Wolpé was the subject of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Spotlight.