# Introducing Finnish literature to my friends back home



## japanilainen

Hei!

I have been thinking about how wonderful Finnish language and culture are, and been lately mesmerized by all the great Finnish cultural heritage. I want to introduce some very interesting Finnish stuff to my friends back home. (They're all into books and would love to be inspired by something totally new!)

Do you guys have any suggestions as to what might suit in this category, "The Great Finnish Cultural Heritage"? Elias Lönnrot (Kalevala), Väinö Linna, Arto Paasinlinna, Mika Waltari, Tove Jansson comes to mind immediately.


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## Hakro

japanilainen said:


> Do you guys have any suggestions as to what might suit in this category, "The Great Finnish Cultural Heritage"? Elias Lönnrot (Kalevala), Väinö Linna, Arto Paasinlinna, Mika Waltari, Tove Jansson comes to mind immediately.


You've got them all! I suppose that you can find Japanese translations from all these authors.

Do your friends need translations in Japanese or is English OK? Or other languages?

I'd like to add Aleksis Kivi but the main point in his texts is the special Finnish language rather than the story. 

One of the best (most easily understandable) authors of today is in my opinion Jari Tervo.

Today everybody is reading Sofi Oksanen but I can't say anything about her.

What about poems? J.L. Runeberg for example?


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## japanilainen

Well, if good literature is not translated into Japanese yet, I just might be the first to do so in the future! 

My personal wish is to translate "Viivi ja Wagner" into Japanese, that'd be cool!

But I have a question for the Finns (in this case Finnish speaking), do you regard Swedish-language literature like "Vänrikki Stooli" and "Muumi" Finnish enough to be proud part of "Finnish Cultural Heritage"? Or do they belong exclusively to and shared by Finnish-Swedish cultural heritage? What are your opinions?


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## Hakro

Both Swedish and Finnish are official languages in Finland. I believe that practically all Finns think that Vänrikki Stool and Muumi belong to the "Finnish Cultural Heritage". Many people don't even know that the original language of Muumi was Swedish (_Mumin_ in Swedish).


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## japanilainen

Hakro said:


> Today everybody is reading Sofi Oksanen but I can't say anything about her.


 As for Sofi Oksanen, I can't say I love her work and hence hesitate to  recommend to my friends back home. I recently went to see the play of  her work, "Puhdistus", and it was so dark and melancholy I couldn't bear  it to the end. Besides, she always says negative things about Finland  to the outside world (despite her claim to be truthful and  honest--personally I don't think that helps much in selling Finnish  litterature outside of Finland) I believe Finland is much more than male  violence and deserves better!


Hakro said:


> What about poems? J.L. Runeberg for example?



My personal opinions regarding poems is that they're much rather be read and appreciated in its original language. Especially when it's written in somewhat old Swedish. (needs a lot of footnotes, otherwise impossible to appreciate it to the max!)



Hakro said:


> I'd like to add Aleksis Kivi but the main point in his texts is the special Finnish language rather than the story.



I can make a compromise and introduce seitsemän* koira*veljestä to my friends back home instead of Aleksis Kivi's work 



Hakro said:


> One of the best (most easily understandable) authors of today is in my opinion Jari Tervo.



Can you recommend a book by him? I'd like to read his work too.


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## Hakro

japanilainen said:


> My personal opinions regarding poems is that they're much rather be read and appreciated in its original language. Especially when it's written in somewhat old Swedish. (needs a lot of footnotes, otherwise impossible to appreciate it to the max!)


I agree.


> I can make a compromise and introduce seitsemän koiraveljestä to my friends back home instead of Aleksis Kivi's work


That's a good compromise!

(I can't help admiring how largely and deeply you have learned to understand the Finnish culture in such a short time.)


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## japanilainen

Hakro said:


> I agree.
> 
> That's a good compromise!
> 
> (I can't help admiring how largely and deeply you have learned to understand the Finnish culture in such a short time.)


I have a passion for Finnish language. Heard a lot saying the language sounds beautiful, which I agree, but Finns have an awesome cultural heritage too! My dream has been to marry a Finn so that I can speak the language forever   For me, it's more than hobby I intend to die for it.

Thus, in this respect, I think more and more people in Nordic countries should learn Finnish in order to understand their neighbour better! And more Finnish music, too in the whole Scandinavia. (Like Leevi and the Leavings)


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## sakvaka

japanilainen said:


> IThus, in this respect, I think more and more people in Nordic countries should learn Finnish in order to understand their neighbour better! And more Finnish music, too in the whole Scandinavia. (Like Leevi and the Leavings)



Usually they say this other way around.


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