The Dedalus Book of Estonian Literature


Book Description

The Dedalus Book of Estonian Literature offers a wide-ranging selection of fiction from the end of the nineteenth century until the present day, including work by Estonia's classic and most important contemporary authors. This is the most important selection of Estonian fiction to have appeared in English and will be essential reading for anyone wanting to gain an idea of Estonian Literature and for the many American visitors to Estonia. Estonia is one of the smallest and least populated countries in the European Union. It has a population of about 1.4 million. For most of its history it has been part of its larger neighbours, Sweden and Russia. It regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.It is really in the nineteenth- century that Estonian Literature develops and a prose tradition established. This anthology features work by significant authors in this period such as Eduard Vilde and Juhan Liiv and extends to the modern day with contributions from leading contemporary authors such as Peeter Sauter and Eeva Park. Estonia's most famous and widely-translated author is Jaan Kross, who should have become the first Estonian author to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. He is represented in the anthology by Uncle (1990).




Baltic Belles


Book Description

This anthology presents readers with a broad selection of fiction written between the late 19th century and today. The collection opens with the early realist Elisabeth Aspe, who described both village life and urban fear during the final decades of the 19th century. Early 20th-century works by female writers often discussed the young creative individual’s encounters in the transformed urbanised world, some of the most outstanding examples of which are by the great Betti Alver. After World War II, Estonian writing bore the unmistakable signs of Soviet censorship. Nevertheless, Viivi Luik’s momentous novel The Seventh Spring of Peace managed to avoid suppression, and the wonderfully unique Asta Põldmäe seized her opportunity to write. Very strong authors such as Eeva Park, Maarja Kangro and Maimu Berg flourished with the return of freedom of expression in the late 20th century, and continue to do so today. They represent the best of Estonian short-story writing, handling social topics very sharply and suggestively, and scrutinising the country’s soul in a highly personal manner.




The Dedalus Book of Flemish Fantasy


Book Description

This is the eighth volume in Dedalus's highly acclaimed European literary fantasy series and follows volumes from Austrian, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish. During the nineteenth-century, Belgian literature was still largely written in the language of education, French. Then the Flemings, who inhabit the northern half of Belgium, became aware of the value of their own language, whose standardised form is, to all intents and purposes, Dutch. Modern Flemish literature was born. This anthology incorporates fantasy stories from the early twentieth century to the present day. The types of fantasy are various: horror, mysticism and magical realism being the dominant ones. One of the early authors is Felix Timmermans who started out with horror stories, but later ended up writing his inimitable Vitalist novels. Two magic realist authors stand out: Johan Daisne and Hubert Lampo. And horror is well represented by several authors including Hugo Claus, Hugo Raes and Ward Ruyslinck - all household names in Flanders. Interesting new authors include Annelies Verbeke and Peter Verhelst.




Estonian Literary Reader


Book Description

First published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.




Toomas Nipernaadi


Book Description

Toomas Nipernaadi is the eternal wanderer. Each spring he travels into the countryside, drifting from village to village. Wherever he turns up adventure and trouble ensue. He works as a rafter, impersonates a pastor, drains swampland and becomes the master of a farm. He is full of stories and tall tales and enchants the village girls he encounters who fall in love with his elusive will-of-the-wisp character before he is gone as suddenly as he arrived. There is both a fairy-tale element and a darker side to Toomas Nipernaadi who is both the hero and the villain in his own story. First published in 1928 Toomas Nipernaadi remains one of the most popular books in Estonia. It has been widely translated and made into a successful film.




A Sharp Cut


Book Description







The Last of the Vostyachs


Book Description

The second book to be translated into English from the acclaimed author of New Finnish Grammar The Last of the Vostyachs is the tale of a long-lost language and culture, forgotten but for a single man. He is the last of an ancient Siberian shamanic tribe, the Vostyachs, and the only person left on earth to know their language New Finnish Grammar was shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Award and The Best Translated Book Award Judith Landry was awarded the 2012 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize for her translation of New Finnish Grammar 'When I reviewed New Finnish Grammar, I edged towards using the word "genius" to describe Marani, I'm doing so again now.' Guardian Winner of two literary prizes in Italy: The Premio Campiello and The Premio Stresa Disarmingly funny and unexpectedly devastating This book will leave you desperate to learn Vostyach—especially so that the word 'powakaluta', meaning 'something grey glimpsed vaguely running in the snow', won't disappear forever 'A riot of comic unpredictability.' Times Literary Supplement Marani's knowledge of European languages and cultures, both ancient and contemporary, is astounding and is injected into every page of The Last of the Vostyachs Author tour of Australian and New Zealand confirmed for May 2013




An Introduction to Estonian Literature


Book Description

Hilary Bird?s Introduction to Estonian Literature is truly a pioneering work, and a welcome contribution for anyone with an interest in the lively and flourishing literature of this small but culturally vibrant country. Ms. Bird?s coverage is not merely of the modern writers, some of whose work is available in English translation, but also of literature in the Estonian language from the earliest times, which has been a closed book up to now to anyone without a knowledge of the language."0- Christopher Moseley, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London.




Estonian Literature


Book Description