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Finland

Ernst Blofeld crying and holding a cat, an image from Matti Hagelberg's graphic work How Ernst...

Image copyright © Matti Hagelberg

How Ernst Stavro Blofeld Saved Christmas

By Matti Hagelberg

Just as Hansel and Gretel are destroying the evidence, down through the chimney plops Ernst Stavro Blofeld . . .

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

Two log cabins, one with a grass roof, in a field next to the water

I, Argus fin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sharing Stories: A Brief Introduction to Sámi Literary History

By Mathilde Magga

For Sámi literature to continue playing its essential role in our culture and to expand its benefits, we need more writers, readers, and translators, which is impossible without support—both financially and through the education system.

Past, Future, Present: International Graphic Novels, Volume XII

By Susan Harris

Though much of the art here may be in black and white, the topics addressed are anything but.

Scandorama

By Hannele Mikaela Taivassalo & Catherine Anyango Grünewald

It’s almost impossible to get in, but getting kicked out is easy.

Translated by Saskia Vogel

Joyful, Painful, Surreal: Life As a Parent

By Karen M. Phillips

The intensity of the parent-child relationship, with its high emotional stakes, life-and-death responsibility, and inescapable physical proximity, makes for powerful stories.

An Introduction to Finnish Literature

The literature of Finland has historically been sparsely represented in English translation.

Letter to Lethe

By Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen

But remembering the future helped me to operate in the present.

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

Multilingual

The Message Bearer

By Maritta Lintunen

“Open that parcel when you can. And forgive me.”

Translated from Finnish by Emily Jeremiah

Multilingual

The Weight of Words

The first volume of Bogumil Linde’s Polish-language encyclopedia (Abakus–gulasz) hit his head with a thump.

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

Multilingual

Final Appearance

“I’m interested in that so-called thriller you wrote.”

Translated from Finnish by Eva Buchwald

Multilingual

The White Room

By Tiina Laitila Kälvemark

I have been in the white room for five months and twenty days now.

Translated from Finnish by Eric Dickens

Multilingual

Easy as Flushing

By Mikko Rimminen

The teenage girls began chatting aimlessly in rhythmic tones punctuated by robust usage of the F-word.

Translated from Finnish by Eva Buchwald

from “When the Doves Disappeared”

By Sofi Oksanen

The town shook, burned, smoked, but it was still standing, and she was still alive, and the Red Army was gone.

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

from “Finnhits”

By Kari Hotakainen

It is true that dropping one’s host in the well does not demonstrate much sense of propriety.

Translated from Finnish by Owen F. Witesman

Son

By Peter Sandström

Had he used a bayonet, or a knife? Had he felt hatred? Pleasure?

Translated from Finland-Swedish by Ruth Urbom

One of Those Difficult Feelings We Have

By Petri Tamminen

I was born to be afraid.

Translated from Finnish by Jill Timbers

from “The Eternal Road”

I had not seen meat on my plate since I left home.

Translated from Finnish by Jill Timbers

The Right Place

By Joonas Konstig

Was everything perfect enough?

Translated from Finnish by Douglas Robinson

Daughters!

By Shimo Suntila

“We needed some liquid gold,” Milla says very seriously.

Translated from Finnish by Liisa Rantalaiho

Multilingual

The Garden

By Jyrki Vainonen

I poured water over the sturdy deep green sprouts growing from the middle of my father’s head.

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

From “Baby Jane”

By Sofi Oksanen

The office building across the street lit up like a Christmas tree every morning.

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

From “Purge”

By Sofi Oksanen

She was just going to make a tour of a country that she’d never seen before

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

The Referee

By Kjell Westö

He had felt restless all autumn, but without understanding why.

Translated from Finland-Swedish by Roy Hodson

Heart’s Desire

By Willy Kyrklund

All female psychiatric computers are named Eliza, in accordance with a fine old tradition.

Translated from Swedish by Paul Norlén

Tweety

By Matti Yrjänä Joensuu

But mostly it nested inside his chest, stirring in there like something alive.

Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers

From “The Order”

By Leena Lander

I am writing to you from the Ruukkijoki prison barracks because the guard gave me paper and told me to write my last letter ever, home or to a lover.

Translated from Finnish by Jill Timbers