Literature Category

This category is further subdivided as follows:

• General
• Bookstores
• Mythology
• Poetry, Lyrics and Ballads
• Search Engines for Locating Used Books

Updated: Thu 14 Sep 2006

• Aleksis Kivi - Finland's National Author
  A bio, with links to Nurmijärvi, birthplace of Aleksis Kivi (1834 - 1872). Kivi's epic tale "Seven Brothers" and his play "Nummisuutarit" - "The Cobblers of the Heath" - were masterpieces of Finnish literature.
  Updated: Mon 24 Oct 2005
  
  
• Anni Swan (1875-1958)
  Anni Emilia (Swan) Manninen - also used pen name A.S. Finnish writer and translator, who wrote mainly for children.
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• A travelling exhibition of the Finnish series of children's books written and illustrated by Tove Jansson
  Article describes popularity of the family of characters called Moomintrolls. List of books in the Moomintroll Series.
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• Books from Finland
  A quarterly journal of writing from and about Finland - Contemporary writers and their work: profiles, interviews. Poetry, prose, drama, essays, aphorisms: new translations. Classic authors: features, reappraisals. Reviews: literature, history, politics, folklore, architecture, design, painting, photography, music. Comment, debate, publishing news. Some of the writings may be read online.
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• FILI-Finnish Literature Information Centre
  FILI - Finnish Literature Information Centre promotes the translation of literature, raises awareness of Finnish literature abroad and provides financial support for the translation into other languages of both fiction and non-fiction written in Finnish, Finland-Swedish and Saami. In addition FILI provides funding for the translation of fiction and non-fiction into Finnish and for the translation of academic publications and non-fiction into Swedish.
  Updated: Mon 21 Feb 2005
  
  
• Finland and the World of Kids
  "Finnish children watch less television than their peers in many other countries. As a nation that still appreciates reading, the Finns read a lot to their children, who are thereby introduced to books well before they themselves begin reading at 6 or 7." References to Tove Jansson's Moomin characters and Mauri Kunnas' dogs.
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• Finnish Comics' Society Balloon
  Balloon: Items include Finnish Comics Society (About Finnish Comics Society, Publishing, Prize winners, Festivals, Exhibitions), NetComics Weekly (also archives), ProFiles (index of artists & comics), Calendar, Sarjainfo (in Finnish), Links (comics pages in Finland and on www). Nicely laid out site.
  
  
• Finnish Folklore
  Written for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs by Juhani U. Lehtonen Professor of Ethnology, University of Helsinki, May 1993. Easy-to-read article on cultural heritage and traditions. "....folklore is more than old poetry."
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• Finnish Literature
  Authors and poets such as Mikael Agricola, father of Finnish literature (ca 1510-1557), Frans Mikael Franzén, poet, Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884) of Kalevala fame, Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804-1877), Frans Eemil Sillanpää (1888-1964), Nobel prize winner for literature, etc.
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• Finnish Literature Forum
  "The Finnish Literature Forum (FLF) is an Internet magazine which aims at publishing high class Finnish fiction and literary essays, as well as essays on philosophy and literary criticism in English translations." Essays. Interviews. Reviews. Poetry. Prose.
  Updated: Wed 16 Feb 2005
  
  
• Guardian Finn Fest
  Over the last few days The Guardian have flung themselves into Finland. First, in the Guardian Review, an overview of Finnish popular literary action including Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins: “Tove Jansson wrote her last cult Moomin book for children in 1970, but lived till 2001. Tove grew up in a Bohemian household with a sculptor father and graphic artist mother, while her lifelong partner was the woman artist Tuulikka Pietilä. They spent time on the rocky islet in the Gulf of Finland where The Summer Book is set. And, says her niece, she still answered 2,000 fan letters a year by hand.”
  Updated: Wed 15 Feb 2006
  
  
• Index of Nordic Authors
  Brief biographies of over 175 Nordic (Finnish & Scandinavian) authors. Project Runeberg's continuously updated database of more than 12,000 authors and other relevant people from the Nordic countries, includes hundreds of detailed biographies.
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• Juminkeko - An information centre for the Kalevala and Karelian
  Contains a nice discussion on Elias Lönnrot and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, one of the classics of world literature. "The epic took shape in the province of Kainuu, where it was compiled from an extensive collection of rich folk poetry by Elias Lönnrot, district physician in the provincial capital of Kajaani from 1833 to 1853."
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• Jussi Wahlgren, playwright
  Synopses of some of his work, some sample scenes, interviews, reviews.
  Updated: Mon 21 Nov 2005
  
  
• Kalevala
  Some forty links to Kalevala in different languages.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Kalevala
  The site is devoted to the Kalevala (Finnish national epic compiled by Elias Lönnrot): its creation, its characters, its influence in Finnish culture and history. Provides info on six English language translations.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Kalevala
  Internationally, the Kalevala is recognized as a masterpiece of world literature. "The Kalevala was compiled in the 1800s by Elias Lönnrot -- physician, literary scholar, linguist -- who was inspired to uncover a literary heritage of the Finnish people. His medical circuits and research trips took him to outlying villages in Karelia on both sides of Finland's border with Russia, where he recorded Finnish folk poems, called runos, performed by local singers." Runo 1 is given with an English explanation. This site also contains "The Battle of Song" - a hero tale of Finland as retold by Aaron Shepard. A copy of Kalevala in English may be ordered here.
  Updated: Tue 24 Jan 2006
  
  
• Kalevala
  General info about Kalevala - the Finnish national epic, compiled by Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884) from ancient oral poetry.
  Updated: Wed 23 Nov 2005
  
  
• Kalevala - From Myth to Symbol
  Written for Virtual Finland by Professor Michael Branch, University of London, this article describes the genesis of Kalevala, its content and importance as a national Finnish symbol.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Kalevala Index
  Entire English language translation of Kalevala online.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Kalevala, The Finnish National Epic Homepage
  Kalevala, an Epic Poem after Oral Tradition by Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884).
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• KaRuSe Society and The Kalevala metre
  Aim of the KaRuSe society is to revive the Kalevala metre. The site contains an article by Pentti Leino on the kalevala meter and its development, where the main components of the meter are described.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Links to the Moomins
  Updated: Thu 14 Sep 2006
  
  
• Missale Aboense
  A brief description of "the first book printed for use in Finland, 'Missale Aboense', was printed in Lübeck in 1488 by Bartholomeus Ghotan at the behest of Konrad Bitz, who at that time was Bishop of Turku (Åbo) and thus of the whole of Finland."
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin
  Characters, gallery. Intro in English but mostly in Japanese.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin Babel
  Moomin books have now been translated into 34 languages. Here we encounter names of Book titles, Moomin persons, objects and places in different languages.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin Characters
  Moomin character guide and Moomin image gallery.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin Characters
  Colorful Moomin characters on Japanese phonecards (4 galleries).
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin Links
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin Links
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin Links
  Links to Moomin related pages, international Moomin clubs, Moomin pictures, comic strips, game sites, Moomin voices and How do Moomins breed?
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Moomin World
  A Theme park is located on the island of Kailo beside the Old Town of Naantali. Info.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Muumi's Dreamworld
  Brief intro to author, Tove Jansson. Links to: Books - Muumi, Merchandise, Theme Parks, Gadgets, Images and Multimedia and other general links.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Muumi's Dreamworld
  The Muumi books were originally written in Swedish but have been translated into: Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Faroese, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Lettish, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portugese, Russian, Saamish, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish, Ukranian, and Welsh. Includes one of Tove Jansson's stories. Links.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Myths & Legends from Finland (and the World)
  Links to: FINFO - the Ancient Religions of the Finns. The Ancient Finnish Myths Homepage, Kalevala and Finnish Mythology.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Märta Tikkanen, writer and poet
  Ms Tikkanen was born 3.4.1935 Helsinki. Her Finland-Swedish work "The Love Story of the Century" has been translated into some 20 languages. (Includes a drawing by the inimitable Pekka Vuori.)
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Project Runeberg
  Project Runeberg is an open and volunteer-driven initiative to publish Nordic literature on the Internet, founded in December 1992. Author index, good search functions, etc..
  Updated: Thu 14 Sep 2006
  
  
• Seven Brothers in the Sauna
  Exerpt from "Seven Brothers" by Aleksis Kivi.
  Updated: Thu 3 Nov 2005
  
  
• Snufkin the Bestest (Moomintroll)
  A little extract about Snufkin and his encounter with the park keeper - from "Moomin Summer Madness" (c)1954 Tove Jansson.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Sointula: Island Utopia (book review)
  Book review by Stephen Escritt. "Sointula: Island Utopia" by Paula Wild. About a Finnish colony in Canada.
  Updated: Mon 21 Feb 2005
  
  
• The Birth of Finnish Literature
  Written for Virtual Finland by Esko Häkli, Director of the Helsinki University Library. A historical perspective: Literature in medieval Finland. Missale Aboense. Manuale Aboense. Literature of the early Reformation period: Michael Agricola(ca 1510-1557). Paulus Juusten (1516-1576). Jacobus Petri Finno (ca 1540-1588). Ericus Erici Sorolainen (ca 1546-1625). Development of literature after the Reformation. The first complete Bible in the Finnish language, 1642.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The Finnish Institute for Children's
  The Finnish Institute for Children's Literature (SNI) established 1978, is a documentation, information and research centre providing information to teachers, university students and members of the general public. The institute serves as a connecting link for organizations, researchers and individuals active in the field. Brief descriptions of aims, library collection, information services, publications and research.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The Finnish Land
  A poem by Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872), the Finnish writer best loved by his countrymen. His novel "Seven Brothers" has been widely translated, as has his comedy "The Country Peddlers", and his tragedy "Kullervo" (developed from a "Kalevala" story) is the basis of Aulis Sallinen's opera of the same name. Keith Bosley's English translation of the poem is given. One can listen to the poem in Finnish, read by a leading Finnish actress Liisamaija Laaksonen. (long download time)
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The Finnish Literature Society
  The Finnish Literature Society was the first publishing house to bring out the Kalevala in book form The Society’s archive houses documents that reveal the creative process involved in the the Kalevala’s composition. Visitors can view Elias Lönnrot’s notes and manuscripts.
  Updated: Thu 1 Dec 2005
  
  
• The Fuzzy Felt Moomins
  Moomin characters, wallpaper, music, screensaver, The Moomin valley Trail game.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The Literature of Finland
  Written for Virtual Finland by Irmeli Niemi, Professor, former Director General at the Ministry of Education. Sections on: Original realism. The modernism of the lyrics and "the new poetry". The novel after the Second World War. International influences transform the novel. Women authors with their own voice. Dramatic literature. Children’s literature.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The Maiden of Northland: A Hero Tale of Finland From the Kalevala
  An Aesop Accolade Winner. General info. Reviews. Sample writing. Sample text copyright © 1996 Aaron Shepard.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The Moomin World and It's Creator
  Written for Virtual Finland by Thomas Warburton, Ph.D. Link to Tove Jansson, artist and writer of fiction, world-reknown creator of the world of the moomintrolls. Other moomin links.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The World of the Kalevala - book
  UCLA Folklore Archives - Library. Ordering info. Sample article online - The Kalevala: The Finnish National Epic by Kai Laitinen.
  Updated: Wed 14 Dec 2005
  
  
• The World's Classics: The Kalevala
  The poem's overall structure is the work of Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884).
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Tove Jansson (Nordic author biographies), writer, artist
  Biography with list of links.
  Updated: Thu 14 Sep 2006
  
  
• Tove Jansson, writer, painter and illustrator
  Tove Jansson (1914-2001) is known as the creator of the children's Moomintroll books and was a gifted artist. Short biography. ".....a strip cartoon entitled Moomin, which was drawn by Tove Jansson and her brother Lars Jansson. It was syndicated and, at the height of its success, was read in 60 languages in the newspapers of 40 countries."
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  

• Finnish-American Books
  Books for sale. The title, author, abstract, thumbnail photo of cover and price of each book is given.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Publications of the Finnish Historical Society
  This website lists various publications of the FHS as well as other learned societies mainly dealing with Finnish history and culture. Publications can be ordered electronically directly from the FHS as well as from other retail outlets.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Selection of Finnish History & Literature (English language books)
  Northern Lights Superstore. Book purchase via e-Commerce.
  Updated: Thu 3 Nov 2005
  
  
• Tiedekirja Bookstore
  Owned by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies. Tiedekirja, opened in 1987, specialises in supplying titles issued by the member societies of the Federation. Publications can be ordered electronically.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  

• Finnish Royal Family at the "Viking Age" according to Nordic Saga-poetry
  Finnish kings - Viking age.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  

• Finnish Poetry
  Electric Verses presents a selection of modern Finnish poets, both Finnish and Swedish speaking. The site contains their poetry in the original and translations into other languages. There is also a short introduction to each poet. These are available in Finnish, Swedish and English
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• J.L. Runeberg
  The national poet of Finland who wrote in Swedish, and also exercised great influence on Swedish literature. Runeberg's poetry has been compared to that of the great European romantics, such as Hugo, Shelley, Keats, Lermontov and Petöfi.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Mirkka Rekola, poet
  English translations by Sari Hantula.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• The Kanteletar
  Written for Virtual Finland by Keith Bosley. Finland's treasury of folk lyrics and ballads: The Kanteletar, published in Helsinki in 1840-41 is a collection of more than 660 lyrics and ballads considered to be a companion work to the national epic, The Kalevala.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  
• Yahoo! Groups: Kalevala Mythology
  A repository of information and discussion concerning the Kalevala which is the national epic poem of Finland.
  Updated: Thu 24 Nov 2005
  
  

• Collector's Book Market
  Includes: Reference links for book collectors and sellers alike Book auction website Forums for posting questions "Wanted" book auction website
  Updated: Sun 26 Mar 2006
  
  
• Used and Out-Of-Print Book Search Website
  One of several search engines available to the public for the purpose of searching for used and out of print books for sale.
  Updated: Sat 12 Feb 2005