VOICE OF AMERICA

Set in Nigeria and America, Voice of America moves from boys and girls in villages and refugee camps, to the disillusionment and confusion of young married couples living in America, and then back to bustling Lagos. These are stories of two countries and of the frayed bonds that connect them. In ''Waiting'', two young refugees make their way through another day, fighting for meals and hoping for a miracle that will carry them out of the camp; in ''A Simple Case'' the boyfriend of a prostitute gets rounded up by the local police and must charm his fellow prisoners for protection and survival; and in ''Miracle Baby'' the trials of pregnancy and mother-in-laws are laid bare in a woman''s return to her homeland. Written with exhilarating energy and warmth, the stories of Voice of America are full of humour, pathos and wisdom, and mark the debut of an immensely talented new voice.