Martyr!: Dua & Kaveh Akbar On Addiction, Art & Exile
Summary
Dua Lipa interviews author Kaveh Akbar about his debut novel, *Martyr!*, which follows Cyrus, an Iranian-American addict grappling with survivor’s guilt after his mother died on Iran Air Flight 655. They discuss themes of martyrdom, addiction recovery, and the role of art in processing trauma. Akbar shares insights on his own sobriety and how fiction restores humanity to historical tragedies.
Topics discussed
Introduction and Bumble partnership announcement
Guest introduction and initial pleasantries
Discussing the novel Martyr! and its themes
Character Cyrus: addiction, martyrdom, and meaning
Iran Air Flight 655 and the power of narrative
Survivor's guilt, gratitude, and secular martyrs
Art as survival and the role of poetry
Orchide: devotion to art and gender expectations
The Angel of Death in the Iran-Iraq War
Sponsor break: Bumble and Service 95
Personal journey with addiction and recovery
Immigrant experiences and the American Dream
Balancing joy and grief in creative work
Friendship with Tommy Orange and structural influences
Differences between poetry and fiction writing
Listener Q&A and concluding remarks
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