Poems that delicately unveil the sensual beauty and occasional terror of the author’s Iranian heritage.

Stirring and verdant, the poetry within That Kind of Sleep invites readers behind the opaque curtain that has historically concealed the lives of modern and traditional Iranian women. Susan Atefat-Peckham’s images alternately whet and sting the senses as rich chador fabrics, earthy cooking scents, and the tender guidance of uncles and grandmothers give way to scene of female mistreatment that make the reader ache to return to the shelter that the chador and the curtain—rightfully or otherwise—provide. Atefat-Peckham’s love and celebration of family and culture burnish this collection to a touching glow.