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Editorial

This'n'that
Lauri Otonkoski on new poems by Pentti Saaritsa; Mervi Kantokorpi on Anja Snellman's new novel; writers against stupidity; literary prizes, Erno Paasilinna in memoriam; errata

Pentti Saaritsa
A fifth season
Poems from Elävän mieli ('A mind alive', Tammi, 1999), translated by Hildi Hawkins
The Helsinki poet Pentti Saaritsa (born 1941) walks the autumnal, rain-lashed streets of his city in the company of philosophy – always headed toward the warmth and welcome of his favourite bar

Anja Snellman
Briefcase man
Extracts from the novel Aura (Otava, 2000), translated by Hildi Hawkins
The loquacious father in the new novel by Anja Snellman (born 1954) has his roots in another country, and two mother tongues – but despite his many words, he never managed to find a language in common with his daughter

Outi Heiskanen
Eyes
A short story and illustration from the collection Heis hius hajalla (WSOY, 2000, edited by Metti Nordin)
In this story by the artist Outi Heiskanen (born 1937), an old woman meets a god of surprise and pleasure

Lauri Otonkoski
The truth about the world
Four articlettes, or prose poems, from a forthcoming collection, translated by Anselm Hollo
The poet and music critic Lauri Otonkoski is present at the birth of Mozart and contemplates how a space becomes a home

Johanna Sinisalo
Into the animal kingdom
Extracts from the novel Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi ('Not before sunset', Tammi, 2000), translated by Herbert Lomas
Felipithecus trollius is an extremely rare Pan-Scandinavian carnivore, found only north of the Baltic and in western Russia. A living troll, which indeed exists in the first novel by Johanna Sinisalo (born 1958), is a mixture of folklore, zoology, fact and fiction. Her story could be labelled science fiction, but her characters, including a charming young troll, live in the city of Tampere today.
Interview and introduction by Soila Lehtonen

Pekka Tarkka
Love and war
Tuntematon sotilas (The Unknown Soldier, 1954), the famous novel by Väinö Linna (1920–1992), told the story of the Second World War from the point of view of ordinary soldiers, with forthright criticism of the country's chequered military leaders and their policies. His publisher edited his texts and made cuts, all with Linna's agreement; but when The Unknown Soldier was published in English in 1957, editing was not enough: the text was reinvented. Pekka Tarkka examines the history of this controversial novel.
An extract from the novel Sotaromaani ('A war novel') by Väinö Linna (first published in 1954 as Tuntematon sotilas, The Unknown Soldier, reprinted in 2000 in the original, unedited, version), translated by Anselm Hollo

Tomi Kontio
An imagined death
An essay from Stadin nuoret ('City youth') by Stefan Bremer and Jouko Lehtola (Tammi, 2000), translated by Hildi Hawkins
Stadin nuoret is a collection of work by 29 photographers of the young people of Helsinki from the 1950s to the end of the millennium, accom-panied by commentary on the five decades it covers. For the poet and writer Tomi Kontio, the 1990s began with an imagined death – his own.
This is the final article in our series to mark Helsinki's participation in the European Cities of Culture celebrations in 2000

Reviews

Jorma Hinkka
True to type
Suomen typografinen atlas 1642–1827, I–II [An atlas of Finnish typography 1642–1827, I–II], edited by Anna Perälä

Esko Häkli
Learning curve
Suomen tieteen historia, 2, 3 [A history of learning in Finland, 2, 3], editor-in-chief Päiviö Tommila

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