March 2012 Host:  Sarah

The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht

Summary

This is the story of a young woman’s (Natalia’s) quest for information on the last days of her grandfather’s life.  The novel is set in a Balkan location (possibly Belgrade).  This book is modern day narrative (Natalia’s quest) mixed with mythical folk tales told to Natalia by her grandfather.  One of the tales is about a man who cannot die (the deathless man) and another is about a tiger who escaped from a zoo and the deaf mute girl who befriended the tiger, who eventually becomes known as the tiger’s wife.  These magical tales are linked by the tattered book that is always carried by the grandfather, Rudyard’s The Jungle Book with its story of the great tiger Shere Khan.  The grandfather promises to hand over the book to the deathless man at their final meeting.  The novel encompasses multiple layered stories that draw you in. The underlying themes that run throughout the stories are death and war.  Although the author’s writing is beautiful and she is an incredibly talented writer, some of us had difficulties with the book – it seemed disjointed at times, occasionally confusing, and we really couldn’t empathize with the characters.  The author does not go out of her way to make the characters likable or sympathetic and she manages to allow us to understand the complexities of the characters and not judge them solely on violent or offensive actions. We especially enjoyed the mythical stories, more so than the present day narrative.  This is Ms. Obreht’s first novel and she is definitely an author to watch in the future.

Menu

Fig and Olive Tapenade

Ingredients

-1 cup chopped dried figs

-1/2 cup water

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-1 teaspoon dried rosemary

-1 teaspoon dried thyme

-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

-2/3 cup chopped kalamata olives

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-salt and pepper to taste

-1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

-1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese or equivalent amount goat cheese

Directions

Combine figs and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, and liquid has reduced. Remove from heat, and stir in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne. Add olives and garlic, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Unwrap cream cheese block, and place on a serving platter. Spoon tapenade over cheese, and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with slices of French bread or crackers

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Assorted Breads and Sandwiches

Mint Oreo Cookie Dessert