"In 'Heritage,' a fierce poem dedicated to an Iranian woman executed for killing the man attempting to rape her, award-winning poet Akbar proclaims, 'in books love can be war-ending/...in life we hold love up to the light/ to marvel at its impotence.' Yet if real-life love is disappointing ('The things I've thought I've loved/ could sink an ocean liner'), Akbar proves what books can do in his exceptional debut, which brings us along on his struggle...