Téa Obreht Turns Serbian Folk Tales Into Fiction Gold

It would be easier to begrudge Téa Obreht's extraordinary success at such a young age if her writing weren't so damn good. Her debut, The Tiger's Wife -- published last year when she was just 24 -- is the hauntingly beautiful tale of Natalia, a young Yugoslavian doctor, struggling to...

By Michael E. Miller

November 17, 2011

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It would be easier to begrudge Téa Obreht's extraordinary success at such a young age if her writing weren't so damn good. Her debut, The Tiger's Wife -- published last year when she was just 24 -- is the hauntingly beautiful tale of Natalia, a young Yugoslavian doctor, struggling to understand her grandfather's mysterious death. Last year, it landed her on The New Yorker's 20 Under 40 list. This summer, Obreht became the youngest ever winner of the prestigious Orange Prize for fiction. She brings her precocity to the Miami Book Fair this weekend. Haters beware: she's already working on her second book.
Sun., Nov. 20, noon, 2011

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Michael E. Miller was a staff writer at Miami New Times for five years. His work for New Times won many national awards, including back-to-back-to-back Sigma Delta Chi medallions. He now covers local enterprise for the Washington Post.

Contact: Michael E. Miller