Tea Obreht
Full Name and Common Aliases
Tea Obreht is a Bosnian-American novelist known for her unique writing style and ability to blend historical fact with fictional narrative.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on December 28, 1985, in Ilijaš, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of this writing, Tea Obreht is still alive.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Obreht holds dual citizenship from the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her profession is novelist, with a focus on literary fiction.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in Pečuga, a small village in central Bosnia, Tea Obreht's early life was marked by the trauma of war. In 1992, her family fled to the United States as refugees, settling in New Jersey. This experience would later shape her writing, particularly in her debut novel.
Obreht developed an interest in literature and storytelling from a young age. She attended Barnard College, where she studied English Literature and graduated summa cum laude in 2007. Her academic achievements earned her a Rhodes Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford.
Major Accomplishments
Tea Obreht's debut novel, The Tiger's Wife, was published in 2011 to critical acclaim. The book explores themes of love, war, and mortality through the eyes of a young medical student traveling through post-war Yugoslavia. Her writing style blends elements of fairy tales, mythology, and historical fact.
Obreht's work has been recognized with several awards and nominations, including the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2011 and a National Book Award nomination in 2012.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to The Tiger's Wife, Obreht has published two other novels: Inland (2019) and The Invention of Wings was co-authored with Sue Monk Kidd. Her writing often explores themes of identity, displacement, and the human condition.
Obreht has also been recognized for her contributions to literature and culture. She has written essays and articles on various topics, including war, literature, and social justice.
Impact and Legacy
Tea Obreht's work has had a significant impact on the literary world. Her unique blend of historical fact and fictional narrative has captivated readers worldwide, earning her widespread recognition as a talented young novelist.
Obreht's experiences as a refugee have informed her writing, giving voice to the silenced stories of war-torn communities. Her commitment to social justice and literature has inspired a new generation of writers and readers.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Tea Obreht is widely quoted and remembered for her powerful storytelling, which weaves together historical fact with fictional narrative to create immersive and thought-provoking works of literature. Her writing style is both lyrical and evocative, drawing readers into the world she creates.
Her experiences as a refugee have given her a unique perspective on war, displacement, and identity. As a result, her work often explores complex themes in accessible and engaging ways, making her a beloved figure in literary circles.
Obreht's commitment to social justice and literature has earned her recognition from readers, writers, and critics alike. Her impact extends beyond the literary world, as she continues to inspire new generations of writers, thinkers, and change-makers.
Quotes by Tea Obreht

When you’re in a place, the details you focus on are different than details you focus on when you’re writing about it.

At the end of the day, it’s about the reader’s attachment to and belief in the magical elements that make or break magical realism.

At the end of the day, despite all the other great things that literature does in society and in a person’s life, I think that we read to escape. And I think that place, more than anything, provides that escape quickly, if an author is engaged with the place.

For me it was a lot harder to come to terms with the death of my grandfather than it was to come to terms with what’s happened to the former Yugoslavia.

Kelly Link’s prose is conveyed in details so startling and fine that you work up a sweat just waiting for the next sentence to land. This is why we read, crave, need, can’t live without short stories.

Being taken seriously, for a young writer, is a wonderful form of encouragement, but at the same time, I don’t think one should ever feel like attempting a kind of artistic endeavor is beyond your scope just because of age or inexperience.



