Living in that liminal space between theoretical and actual equality, I observe how violence reverberates across a life, fascinated by the human capacity for joy, wonder, and resilience; all of it shaping how we become who we are. Living in places such as Iraq, the West Bank, and Ukraine has shaped my understanding of privilege, hegemonic legacy, and the power of kindness. I write about fierce and funny women overcoming adversity in the aftermath of violence.
Three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Kathy Kelly has said about Alex’s writing:
“Care about these characters and you might help build a warmer world, a less predatory world. The stories seem to unfold effortlessly, but at a deeper level, Alex takes truths that everybody knows and makes them into truths no one can ignore.”
Alex Poppe is the author of four works of fiction: Duende, an American 2024 Legacy Book Award winner, a 2023 International Book Awards winner and a 2023 Readers’ Choice Book Awards finalist; Jinwar and Other Stories, a 2023 Readers’ Choice Book Awards winner and a 2022 International Book Awards finalist; Moxie, and Girl, World, a 35 Over 35 Debut Book Award winner, First Horizon Award finalist, Montaigne Medal finalist, Eric Hoffer Grand Prize finalist, and was awarded an Honorable Mention in General Fiction from the Eric Hoffer Awards. Her short fiction and non-fiction have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and commended for the Baker Prize among others. In 2021, Alex was an artist-in-residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, where Breakfast Wine began.