title: The Civilized World: A Novel in Stories
author:  Susi Wyss 
description: In this smart, urbane debut, characters strive for understanding within a cacophonous modern landscape. Two parallel but conflicting stories open and close the collection, to moving effect: Adjoa and her twin brother, Kojo, are migrant workers from Ghana, having lived for 12 years in the Ivory Coast, saving up to make enough money to return and start a hair salon. Adjoa is serious and single-minded about her mission, but Kojo's impatience at gaining fast money prompts him to get involved in the robbery of the home of Adjoa's wealthy American employer, Janice. The reckless act ends tragically, and Adjoa has to carry a heavy load of guilt back to Accra, where she opens her salon and tries to find a good husband who won't take advantage of her or her business. Elsewhere, Janice reappears on a road trip in the Central African Republic and at an Ethiopian orphanage, where she intends to adopt a child on her own. Wyss offers nuanced takes on vastly different corners of Africa, transcending travelogue to achieve resonant narrativessometimes funny, sometimes starkwith both grit and heart. (Apr.) <br />(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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  # Whirligigs
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### O Henry
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
  THE WORLD AND THE DOOR
  
  
  THE THEORY AND THE HOUND
  
  
  THE HYPOTHESES OF FAILURE
  
  
  CALLOWAY'S CODE
  
  
  A MATTER OF MEAN ELEVATION
  
  
  "GIRL"
  
  
  SOCIOLOGY IN SERGE AND STRAW
  
  
  THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF
  
  
  THE MARRY MONTH OF MAY
  
  
  A TECHNICAL ERROR
  
  
  SUITE HOMES AND THEIR ROMANCE
  
  
  THE WHIRLIGIG OF LIFE
  
  
  A SACRIFICE HIT
  
  
  THE ROADS WE TAKE
  
  
  A BLACKJACK BARGAINER
  
  
  THE SONG AND THE SERGEANT
  
  
  ONE DOLLAR'S WORTH
  
  
  A NEWSPAPER STORY
  
  
  TOMMY'S BURGLAR
  
  
  A CHAPARRAL CHRISTMAS GIFT
  
  
  A LITTLE LOCAL COLOUR
  
  
  GEORGIA'S RULING
  
  
  BLIND MAN'S HOLIDAY
  
  
  MADAME BO-PEEP, OF THE RANCHES
  
  
  
  
  
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  ### THE WORLD AND THE DOOR
  
  
  
  
  
    
  A favourite dodge to get your story read by the public is to
  
  
  assert that it is true, and then add that Truth is stranger than
  
  
  Fiction. I do not know if the yarn I am anxious for you to read is
  
  
  true; but the Spanish purser