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Editorial

This ’n’ that
Kristina Carlson on Aki Kaurismäki’s film The man without a past; Hannele Jyrkkä interviews the translator Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila; Hands off our library!; Networking in the north; the Dancing Bear poetry prize; Reading to learn

Eira Stenberg
Time walks slowly
Poems from Siksi seurustelen varkaiden kanssa (‘That’s why I consort with thieves’, Tammi, 2002), translated by Herbert Lomas
When the poet Eira Stenberg (born 1943) began writing in the heat of of Africa, her pen sank into the paper like a tattooing needle into the skin, she says. Her experiences there are alive in her new book of poetry

Markus Määttänen
Displaced persons
Outsiderdom is a theme shared by Eksyneet (‘The lost’), the second novel by Asko Sahlberg (born 1964), and his well-received first book, Pimeän ääni (‘The voice of darkness’, 1999). In order to find his voice as a writer, Sahlberg found it necessary to move to Sweden, to take distance from his homeland, he tells Markus Määttänen

Asko Sahlberg
Brighter than darkness
An extract from the novel Eksyneet (‘The lost’, WSOY, 2001), translated by Hildi Hawkins
The main character of Asko Sahlberg’s second novel flees a crime he has committed, and at the same time himself. On his journey he encounters Laura, and gradually the question arises: should he flee this kindred spirit too – or make her a a part of his own freedom?

Elina Brotherus
Ordinary days
Photographs and extracts from an interview with Jan Kaila from Decisive days. Valokuvia. Photographies. Photographs 1997–2001 (Pohjoinen, 2002)
The photographer Elina Brotherus (born 1972) has held solo exhibitions in London, Derry (Northern Ireland), Lund (Sweden), Milwaukee and Madrid; her Suites françaises 2 was on show in Paris last year. Brotherus arrived in France hardly speaking the language; she learned it by sticking post-it notes on things and people

Raija Majamaa
Doctor’s orders
The compiler of the Kalevala, Elias Lönnrot (1802–1884) was born when no real medical aid was available to ordinary people. He became a doctor, and on his poem-gathering trips he tended to both the people’s health and the Finnish language, inventing many of the words that subsequently enabled it to be used for scholarship, science, government and art

Elias Lönnrot
Best foot forward
An extract from Vandraren eller Minnen af en Resa till Fots genom Tavastland, Savolax och Karelen, 1828 (‘The traveller or recollections from a journey on foot in Häme, Savo and Karelia’, first published in 1902), translated by Silvester Mazzarella
In 1828 Elias Lönnrot walked 500 kilometres across Finland collecting folk poems. The walking scholar was not always to be met with respect, as the Medicinae Studiosus and Philosophiae Candidatus discovered at the first inn he stopped at: he was urged to quote his titles to the resident dog...

Ilkka Malmberg
On the road
Earlier this year, the newspaper reporter Ilkka Malmberg decided to retrace Elias Lönnrot's steps. Today’s Finland is a landscape transformed, and modern training shoes are not a great deal of help. Lönnrot was a tough athlete as well as a scholar, Malmberg finds. Photographs by Markus Jokela

Juhani Tolvanen
Like a princess!
Postia Intiasta (‘Post from India’, Suomen Yritysjulkaisut Oy, 2001) by Katja Tukiainen (born 1969) tells the story of the comic strip narrator's journey to India, into yoga and adventure. The second in a series of four articles on new Finnish cartoon art

Esko Valtaoja
Where are they then?
Extracts from a collection of essays, Kotona maailmankaikkeudessa (‘At home in the universe’, Ursa, 2001), translated by Hildi Hawkins
‘They’ are aliens; is there anybody else out there in the universe? Professor of Space Astronomy Esko Valtaoja was awarded the 2001 Finlandia Prize for Non-Fiction for his essays on astronomy, biology and philosophy. He quotes the 1960s American band The Byrds: ‘Life on other planets may exist’ – but, alas, so far we have no proof

Reviews

Anna Kortelainen
From the life
Taiteilijan tiellä. Eero Järnefelt 1863–1937 [An artist’s path. Eero Järnefelt 1863–1937], toim. [Ed. by] Leena Lindqvist

Hannu Marttila
Matter of fat
Markku Haapio & Antti Vahtera & Visa Nurmi: Nakit ja muusi. Suomalaisen makkarakirja [Bangers and mash. The Finn’s book of sausages]

New translations

Select bibliography

Letter from Benin
The poet Eira Stenberg encounters colours, voodoo, joy, a fan club of lizards and her own body in the sweet warmth of the village of Grand Popo
 
 
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