Tea Obreht Wins 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction

Posted on June 8, 2011

Serbian/American author Tea Obreht won the 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction with her debut novel, The Tiger's Wife. Obreht is only 25-years-old. This makes her the youngest author to ever win the Orange Prize.

At an awards ceremony, Tea Obreht was presented with a 30,000 pound prize (about $49,000 U.S.) and the Bessie, a limited edition bronze figurine.

Bettany Hughes, the 2011 Chair of Judges, said, "The Tiger's Wife is an exceptional book and Tea Obreht is a truly exciting new talent. Obreht's powers of observation and her understanding of the world are remarkable. By skilfully spinning a series of magical tales she has managed to bring the tragedy of chronic Balkan conflict thumping into our front rooms with a bittersweet vivacity. The book reminds us how easily we can slip into barbarity, but also of the breadth and depth of human love. Obreht celebrates storytelling and she helps us to remember that it is the stories that we tell about ourselves, and about others, that can make us who we are and the world what it is."

The Orange Prize is awarded to the best novel of the year written in English by a woman. The award was established in 1996. The prize money is anonymously endowed.