Twelve stories on human relations. In Charades, a traditional family game on Christmas turns sour when the charades hit too close to home, while in Agnes of Iowa, a woman's ambition to be worldly remains unfulfilled by an encounter with a poet from Africa.

Description: 291 p. ; 22 cm.

Contents: Willing --

Which is more than I can say about some people --

Dance in America --

Community life --

Agnes of Iowa --

Charades --

Four calling birds, three French hens --

Beautiful grade --

What you want to do fine --

Real estate --

People like that are the only people here: canonical babbling in peed onk --

Terrific mother.

Responsibility: by Lorrie Moore.

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