Helsinki

ConversazioniThe City and the Book

Iscriviti a LibraryThing per pubblicare un messaggio.

Helsinki

Questa conversazione è attualmente segnalata come "addormentata"—l'ultimo messaggio è più vecchio di 90 giorni. Puoi rianimarla postando una risposta.

1Ardashir
Mar 25, 2009, 8:56 am

I haven't read many books set in Finland or Helsinki/Helsingfors, although it's a neighbouring country.

My favourite Finnish writer is Mika Waltari, whose novels usually take place in distant times and distant lands.

I recently bought Der vi engang gikk by Kjell Westö, which I have been told is one of the great recent Finnish novels, set in Helsinki between WWI and WWII, when the Finns reveled in having an independent nation for the first time in their history.

Anybody got a tip for a novel showing off Helsinki? Perhaps something by Linna?

2thorold
Mar 27, 2009, 7:17 am

Not a Finnish writer, but Richard Rayner's The cloud sketcher is set partly in Helsinki around the same time (WWI, 1920s) - there's a lot about the civil war and, since the central character is an architect, about buildings in Helsinki and New York.

3qu1d
Lug 12, 2009, 5:48 am

Questo messaggio è stato cancellato dall'autore.

4qu1d
Modificato: Lug 12, 2009, 6:57 am

Well, Väinö Linna hasn't anything about Helsinki (or city life in general). He was born on the countryside near Tampere and lived later in Tampere. His descriptions of the changes in rural life and Finnish society are well worth reading but will not add in your Helsinki knowledge. ;)

Mika Waltari has actually written also some detective stories situated in Helsinki where he lived himself. Some of them have also been translated in English, Swedish or Norwegian. The originals are Kuka murhasi rouva Skrofin? (Hvem myrdet fru Kroll? – note! Also the name of the offer (originally Skrof) has been translated!), Komisario Palmun erehdys (Mysteriet Rygseck) and Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu (not translated in English or Norwegian). The translations are quite old but might be found in the stockroom of your library. Or maybe not. The movies based on these are also quite popular and have some very nice nostalgic views of Helsinki and its buildings, though they may not be any masterpieces and maybe not so funny in the eyes of other than Finns. Waltari has also some novels based in Helsinki, like Appelsiininsiemen and Surun ja ilon kaupunki but it seems there are very few translations of those.

Often the detective stories describe a city most precisely. The works of Matti Yrjänä Joensuu are situated in Helsinki and have some minutely accurate descriptions where you can almost follow the protagonists step by step if you happen to know the surroundings. Also most of the stories Leena Lehtolainen are situated in the capital area.

You already named Kjell Westö. Also some of his earlier novels are situated in a bit more modern Helsinki. I think Drakarna över Helsingfors is especially worth mentioning.

Mikko Rimminen has a lazy story following one day in the life of three guys in Kallio, Helsinki. It seems that Pussikaljaromaani has been translated in German, Dutch and Swedish (Öl, vänskap och tärningsspel). A major part of the fascination lies in playing with language and styles, thus it may loose some of it in the translation.

Several of the books of Anja Snellman (formerly Anja Kauranen) are situated in her hometown Helsinki. Pelon maantiede (Rädslans geografi) demonstrates very convincingly the darker side of the city.

This list is not exhaustive but a selection of books first coming in my mind. It’s always a pleasure when you can recognise some familiar places in a novel.