About two years ago, I was lucky enough to be accepted to an academic conference in Helsinki. And because I don’t really deal in the world of reality all that well, I immediately went to the Library Catalog and found some books set in Helsinki in order to get a feel for the place. Though these books didn’t really help me navigate the streets of Helsinki, it did give me a few wonderful weeks of reading, and the incredible range of stories that were currently being told in Finland.
The facts, so to speak, are these: Finland is the eighth-largest country in Europe by area, and with a population of roughly 5.5 (including over 9,000 indigenous people known as the Sami) , it is also the least sparsely populated country within the European Union. Historically speaking, it was considered a part of the country of Sweden, before becoming incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1809. Though it declared its independence during the Russian Revolution in 1917, it was still deeply effected by the lasting violence of the Russian Civil War, which divided Finland’s population, and resulted in the Soviet Union maintaining political influence over the country throughout the Cold War. Finnish nationalism was sustained, particularly during the time it was under Russian rule, through folk tales and poems. Novels by Finnish authors began to appear in the late 19th century, beginning with Aleksis Kivi’s Seven Brothers in 1870. Because of literature and identity are so bound together, Finland is a highly literate country that genuinely loves its books.
Finland has been ranked among the top performers by international organizations for education, civil liberties, quality of life, freedom of the press, and human development. It is also home to the Akateeminen bookstore, one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, according to a number of tourist and literary sites. From personal experience, I can also say that the people I met were genuinely kind–especially the reindeer herder I met at the Hakaniemi Market (a beautiful outdoor market featuring crafts, food, and reindeer pelts), who very patiently explained all about the reindeer in Lapland to me, even after I got all excited, because the only thing I knew about Lapland was that the Snow Queen lived there, and maintained an impressive equanimity when I face-planted into the display of reindeer pelts he had for sale (the softest. things. ever. Seriously).
So pull up some salmon, and come along with me on a brief tour of the literature of Finland in all its many and wonderfully varied forms, with the benefits of remaining jet-lag free!
Tales from Moominvalley: Tove Jansson is probably the most well-known of Finland’s authors, mostly because of her utterly charming Moomins, a family of fairytale animals who kind of resemble hippos. The Moomin family is made up of Moominmamma, Moominpappa, and their son, Moomintroll, who live in the Moominvalley with their many friends and neighbors. Though the Moomins were created for children, the lessons and messages in the stories are just as meaningful and engaging for adults, perhaps even more so, because Jansson’s stories are so multi-layered and the messages are presented subtly. She stated in interviews throughout her life that the characters in the books were inspired by her friends and family, but that she herself was a combination of Moomintroll and Little My, the little girl who lives with the Moomns and is brash, disrespectful, delights in disorder, but, ultimately, is a good friend to those she loves. I love that Jansson made her own bad qualities into the protagonist of her book, because it makes it so much easier for readers to appreciate everything about themselves, good and bad, as well.
The Unknown Soldier: Väinö Linna’s first major novel is considered a classic work of Finnish literature, and offers a stunningly, often brutally honest look into the lived experience of the Continuation War, fought between Finland and the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944 (though a part of World War Two, it was also seen as a war for Finnish independence). Linna specifically wanted to combat the notion of the stupidly loyal Finnish soldier, and thus portrayed men from all across the country, their inner thoughts, fears, and dreams, and their very, very real experiences on the front-lines of war, with many stories drawn from Linna’s own battle experiences. Though the English translation of the book edited the harsh language that Linna used, it is still an eye-opening read that deserves a much wider audience.
The Healer: Antti Tuomainen’s dystopian crime thriller was an enormous hit in Finland, and this translation by Lola Rogers conveys the intensity of the story deftly, making for an engrossing, and sometimes genuinely unsettling read. Set in a near future where climate change has led to Helsinki disappearing under flood waters, ravaged by diseases and torn about by social collapse, Tuomainen tells the story of Tapani Lehtinen, a poet who had resolved to remain in Helsinki, along with his journalist wife, Johnana. But when Johnana disappears while hunting down a serial killer, Tapani risks everything to find her–and, in doing so, uncovers the deadly secrets his wife was hiding. Secrets that tie her much closer to the murders than Tapani ever dreamed. Antti Tuomainen has a very sparse writing style, making the emotions and revelations in this book feel like a sucker-punch.
The Year of the Hare: Arto Paasilinna’s utterly charming story was first published in 1975, at the height of the “return to native” movement, but this modern-day-fable is just as readable and prescient today. Helsinki journalist Kaarlo Vatanen accidentally hits a young hare on the road one night, but rather than driving on, he stops and tends to the hare (who survives, Mom!), ultimately abandoning his job, his wife, and his life to follow the hare into the wild. Together, Kaarlo and the hare stick together, getting into a number of odd, surreal, and bizarrely funny adventures together, gradually wandering father and farther away from civilization. Though some have said the translation is a little clunky in places, this is a gentle, charming story of two of the most unlikely friends you can imagine, on a journey of self-discovery and solitude that can be read in a few hours–but will brighten your entire day.
Until next time, dear readers…safe travels!