Recommended Books in Finland

The Unknown Soldier, by Väinö Linna, presented on both stage and screen, this masterpiece depicts soldiers in the Winter War with Russia. Most portraits of that period portrayed Finnish soldiers as larger than life -- "heroes in white" -- but this was a more realistic "warts and all" depiction.

Kalevala is the greatest cultural masterpiece of the Finnish folkloric repertoire. It was gathered by Lönnrot, a regional doctor, and it is the embodiment of the oral traditions of ancient Finland and has been translated into many languages, including English.