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Editorial

This’n’that
Stolen maps; Riina Katajavuori on the poetry of Anne Hänninen; Suvi Ahola on the prose of Sisko Istanmäki; Soila Lehtonen on the short stories of Sari Malkamäki; Jyrki Kiiskinen on poetry and everyday life; literary prizes; Légion d’honneur for the film-maker Aki Kaurismäki; Kerttu-Kaarina Suosalmi in memoriam

Anne Hänninen
Geneswing
Poems from Tuulen vilja (‘Windcrop’, WSOY, 2000), translated by Herbert Lomas
In the universe of Anne Hänninen (born 1958) all is for the best – except, perhaps, for the presence of human beings

Sari Malkamäki
The last lap
A short story from Ilmatasku (‘Air pocket’, Otava, 2000), translated by Hildi Hawkins
The characters in the fourth collection of short stories by Sari Malkamäki (born 1962) are forced to confront change, small or large. When a bear lives under a little boy’s bed, can he expect any help from his hero, the racing driver Mika Häkkinen?

Sisko Istanmäki
Country matters
A short story from Peili (‘Mirror’, Tammi, 2000), translated by Herbert Lomas
An old bitch recalls her glory days – and those handsome village dogs in a perceptive short story by Sisko Istanmäki (born 1929)

Pirkko Saisio
It’s only me
Extracts from the novel Pienin yhteinen jaettava (‘Lowest common multiple’, WSOY, 1998), translated by Hildi Hawkins
Inventing reality
Extracts from Miten kirjani ovat syntyneet (‘How my books have been born’, a collection of autobiographical articles by 18 writers, edited by Ritva Haavikko, WSOY, 2000)
The writer and dramatist Pirkko Saisio (born 1949), currently Professor of Dramaturgy at the Finnish Theatre Academy, has written novels both under her own name and using the pseudonyms Jukka Larsson and Eva Wein. At the tender age af eight, she decided to become a writer, splitting herself into actor and observer

Pentti Saarikoski
A drinking life
Extracts from Juomarin päiväkirjat and Toipilaan päiväkirjat (‘A drunkard’s journals’ and ‘The convalescent journals’, Otava, 1998 and 2000, edited and introduced by Pekka Tarkka), translated by Anselm Hollo
In his introduction Claes Andersson, psychiatrist, poet and politician, remembers the enfant terrible of the bohemian, boozy 1960s, the young poet and translator Pentti Saarikoski (1937–1983). Without alcohol he could not function – Saarikoski died of drink at the age of 45, but his poems live on as Finnish classics

Caj Bremer
Lights! Camera!
An extract from the memoirs of the press photographer Caj Bremer, En blundergörares bravader / Mämmikoiran muistelmat (‘The exploits of a muddler’ , Musta Taide, 2001), translated by Silvester Mazzarella
Caj Bremer (born 1929) is one of the pioneers of the young art of Finnish documentary photography. In the newspapers of the 1950s, photographers and their work were regarded as a necessary evil. Bremer was one of the first to take a new and more ambitious attitude to photography – whether his subject was fashion, war or the Finnish president

Caught in action
Photographs from Lehtikuvan aika. Suomalaisen kuvajournalismin vuodet. The era of the press photograph. Finnish press photography over the years Edited and with a foreword by Jorma Komulainen (Patricia Seppälä Foundation & Finnish Press Photographers’ Association, 2000)

Reviews

Christopher Browning
Nation = state?
Osmo Jussila, Seppo Hentilä and Jukka Nevakivi: From Grand Duchy to a Modern State: A Political History of Finland since 1809

Erkki Lyytikäinen
Naming names
Sukunimet [Surnames] by Pirjo Mikkonen & Sirkka Paikkala

New translations

Select bibliography

Letter from London
From the safe distance of the British capital, Hildi Hawkins takes exception to Finnish attitudes to foreigners
 
 
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