"The Tiger's Wife' picked for One Read

Mid-Missouri readers now know what book will unite them this summer.

"The Tiger's Wife," the debut novel by Téa Obrecht, has been selected as the 2012 One Read Book.

Now in its 11th year, the One Read program aims to select a book each year for the community to read and unite through discussion and programming. This year's candidates came from a pool of suggested books by last years' participants.

Sherry McBride-Brown, adult services librarian at the Callaway County Public Library and member of the One Read Task Force, said the book was selected because several people had requested it.

"This one had quite an interest," she said.

Set in the Balkans, "The Tiger's Wife" follows a young doctor who learns her grandfather has died. In the process of learning the circumstances of his death, she discovers the tale of a deaf and mute woman in her grandfather's former village who befriended a tiger that escaped from the zoo. The One Read program website, oneread.dbrl.org, states that "personal history, quest, myth, superstition and the aftermath of war combine to create a magical narrative."

Interested readers can check out one of several copies of "The Tiger's Wife" from the library for up to three weeks. People can also register as individuals, groups or book clubs for the One Read Program at the library or online, where they can be entered for a drawing for an autographed copy of the book.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.