The Civilized World by Susi Wyss

This books takes place in Africa. Susi Wyss set out to write a book to, as she says, "represent the Africa I know and love, not the sensationalistic one people hear about in the media. Yes, famines exist, as do civil wars and AIDS. But people still live their lives, with the same joys and frustrations and desires all of us experience. I pictured characters who were like people I'd known, often struggling, sometimes succeeding--both supported and held back by their rich traditions."

I think there is no doubt that she did just that in this book.

The Civilized World is actually a collection of short stories that connect to form a bigger story. Some of the stories are independent of the bigger story, but most of them are interconnected.

I enjoyed her female characters especially. Her male characters are either flawed or flat generally, and her portrayal of marriage is rather negative. But her writing is clear and evocative and the book is definitely a good read.

One note of caution, there is a sex scene (married) in the chapter titled "Waiting for Solomon".

The book is well worth reading.