Paper, Cotton, Leather

Eloquent, wistful, and inventive, Jenny Sadre-Orafai's first book proves "everywhere is an atlas." She enlarges moments of wonderment and sadness into poems that map radiant intimacies and flickering bonds. Her vivid and exact phrasing streamlines lines, amplifies sonic pleasures. Syllables tick forward beautifully: "Gutting this love, I listen for the grind/ still." Paper, Cotton, Leather is an exhilarating and moving debut. -Eduardo C. Corral