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Editorial: A God for
good times
This'n'that
Summer's past; Pertti Lassila on Pentti
Saaritsa's new poems, Maria
Antas on Erik Wahlström's new novel of God, Bror Rönnholm
on new mini-prose by Susanne Ringell; Raija Majamaa on the correspondence
of Mr and Mrs Snellman in 1847; Jarkko Laine in memoriam
Pentti Saaritsa
Contemplating the cosmos
Poems from Valkoiseksi maalattu musta laatikko ('A black
box painted white', WSOY, 2006), translated by Herbert Lomas
The poet Pentti Saaritsa (born 1941) has spent a couple of decades
with South American literature, with numerous translations of Spanish-language
classics. But he has had time to write around 20 poetry books as
well; in his new poems he shows a calmly philosophical outlook on
this difficult life, not without irony and humour
Susanne Ringell
Adam, Eve and vegetarianism
Stories from En god havanna. Besläktad ('A good Havana.
Kith and kin', Söderströms, 2006), translated by David
McDuff
In this new collection of short prose —
the stories are a page or two long - Susanne Ringell (born 1955)
sketches portraits of relatives of the narrator and of other folk,
examining samples of their lives, funny or sad. Cousin Siv, for
example, has the following motto: Take your plastic bag and go!
The mushroom forests are for everyone
Erik Wahlström
Being God
Extracts from the novel Gud ('God', Schildts, 2006; Finnish
translation, by Leena Vallisaari, Jumala), translated by
David McDuff
Adam and Eve are not in the least interested in being fruitful and
multiplying, until the archangel Raphael suggests to God that if
coupling were forbidden, it would perhaps become tempting. In his
second novel Erik Wahlström (born 1945) tells the life story
of God — and Gud speaks
volumes about humankind, too
Jyrki Kiiskinen
Poetry in the age of the internet
The poets Jyrki Kiiskinen and Eino Santanen discuss features of
poetry by writers who have made their debuts between 1996 and 2005;
a collection of their work was published in Uusi ääni,
edited by Eino Santanen and Saila Susiluoto; 'New voice', Otava,
2006) Translated by David Hackston
Poems by Mikko Rimminen, Eino Santanen, Olli Sinivaara and Juhana
Vähänen, translated by Herbert Lomas
Olli Jalonen
Finding eyes to see
The text, translated by Owen Witesman, is based on the doctoral
dissertation Hitaasti kudotut nopeat hetket ('Quick moments
slowly woven', Otava, 2006).
The writer Olli Jalonen (born 1956) became fascinated with the significance
of association in an author's work and began to investigate; for
his fellow writers, it turned out, the associative process has been
a powerful and even mystical factor in motivation
Johan Vilhelm Snellman & Jeanette Snellman
Yours truly
Correspondence of Mr and Mrs J.V. Snellman, translated by Silvester
Mazzarella
J.V. Snellman (1806-1881) was a philosopher and a pillar of society
— and still single at 39. He finally
succeeded in marrying a 'honey-lipped rosebud', Jeanette, aged 17.
In these extracts from their correspondence J.V. Snellman describes
the wonders of the 1840s England to his young wife, who replies
with humble words of longing
Kaarina Hazard
I'm not a feminist, but....
Extracts from Kontallaan. Muistiinpanoja mediasta ('On all
fours. Notes on the media', Teos, 2006), translated by Owen Witesman
Kaarina Hazard (born 1966) is a sociologist, a writer and a feminist
who is not afraid of nailing her colours to the mast. In these observations
she ironically explores the requirements for a woman in this media
society as well as the everlasting silliness of advertising
Review
Soila Lehtonen
A style between east and west
Riitta Koskinen & Katja Hagelstam: Kartanoita ja porvariskoteja.
Sisustuksia ja tapakulttuuria 1800-luvun Suomessa [Manor houses
and upper-class homes. Interiors and lifestyles in 19th-century
Finland']
New translations
Book business: statistics 2005
Select bibliography
Jyrki Pölkki
My favourite thing
In this series guest writers discuss Finnish things they adore.
In this article Jyrki Pölkki, instrument builder and musician,
writes about the loves of his live, the guitar — as well as
the kantele, the ancient instrument of the Finns
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