Literature Archives

Readers flock to New Finnish Grammar

Imagine our surprise when a novel called New Finnish Grammar appeared at the top of the Guardian bestseller list.

Finnish contemporary literature: A wealth of voices

Finnish literature is going further than ever. Join our tour of prose, poetry and publishing (and Finland-Swedish books).

Life & society Travel

Roughing it in exotic Finland

The co-author of a new guide to Finland tells how the book was made, drops travel tips and reveals what’s best about the Finns.

Arts & culture Literature

Between memory and forgetting

Elina Hirvonen talks about her critically acclaimed novel When I Forgot, which offers a mix of Finnish and American perspectives on September 11, Iraq, Vietnam and the Second World War – and on love.

Life & society History

Unveiling Finland’s mediaeval secrets

A pioneering research project aims to shed light on parchment fragments that represent Finland’s literary culture during the Middle Ages.

Life & society Language

The Finnish pain of the profane

Can the same word be profane and profound? We check up on Finnish swearing habits.

Arts & culture Literature

Kalevala: the Finnish national epic

The Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, has inspired generations of artists and helped shape the nation’s identity.

Arts & culture Literature

Finland’s other epic: The Kanteletar

The Kanteletar’s ancient ballads form a companion work to the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic.

Literature

Readers flock to New Finnish Grammar

Finnish contemporary literature: A wealth of voices

Roughing it in exotic Finland

Between memory and forgetting

Unveiling Finland’s mediaeval secrets

The Finnish pain of the profane

Kalevala: the Finnish national epic

Finland’s other epic: The Kanteletar

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