Earth Day is every day and we’re celebrating it this Saturday

This year the library has planned its first ever, all day, Earth Day celebration. If you don’t have plans this Saturday, April 27th, we’d love to see you at the Millennium Library.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the programs happening – and this is in addition to all of the regular, wonderful things that we offer at the library.

Register online or call your local library to attend any of these programs:

During Indigenous Ways and Interconnectedness, join the circle and listen to Carl Stone share about the environment, interconnectedness, and the importance of both.

Carl Stone was born on the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and raised by his grandmother, Eliza Stone, a respected Elder and of the Anishinabe Midewin Society. He has been active in reclaiming Anishinabe spiritual and cultural ways for the past 48 years. Currently, he is an Elder-in-Residence at the Indigenous Student Centre, University of Manitoba.

Could you live your life without producing any trash? Nope! Can you drastically reduce your reliance on single use plastics, while also sending less to the landfill? Yes! Marisa Loreno has been practicing a low waste lifestyle for many years and is the owner of Refill Market. During Zero Waste Living, Marisa will share simple swaps and local resources that can springboard you into climate action.

Did you know that you can’t recycle paper coffee cups? Or that you need to empty containers before recycling? During Recycling Myths, learn what actually goes in your recycling cart or bin and where you can take other items to keep them out of the landfill. 

Eco-anxiety is a perfectly rational response to the climate and environmental crises. The problem is that it can make us feel completely overwhelmed and unsure of what action to take. In From Eco-Anxiety to Meaningful Change, Kristina Hunter will guide us through tackling this tricky issue with real solutions to get past the overwhelm and figure out how to make meaningful, lasting change in the world. 

Drop in for these programs:

From 3-4:30pm, we’ll be watching the film Life Off Grid in the Carol Shields Auditorium. It documents a two-year journey exploring the lives of Canadians in every province and territory who made the choice to disconnect. It focuses on the people who have chosen to build their lives around renewable energy, with beautiful, inspiring, and often challenging results.

There’s also a Stuffie Hospital and Earth Day crafts for the kids. For the adults, we’re offering a Mending Cafe and the opportunity to make Recycled Book Art. And it goes without saying that we have books on all of these important topics, ready for you to borrow.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

– Reegan, Nadine, and Stephanie

A new year and a full January

You’ve probably heard this several times already, but here it is from the Library – HAPPY NEW YEAR! We wish you a year full of new memories, happy times, and of course, spending time with us.

There are a lot of things happening at the Library in January to highlight, so without further ado, here goes! This is a snapshot – there’s more listed in our Programs and Events calendar.

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Graphic Novel Book Club

Next meeting on January 6

Join us for an interesting conversation about favourite graphic novels and comics. The book club will discuss a new graphic novel each month. Session runs to May.

Register online

Looking for graphic novels? Get started here.

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All Things Yarn Club

Next meeting on January 11

Come and join a group of people who love creating things from yarn! Whether you are seasoned in yarn crafts, are starting out, or are just curious about knitting, etc., you will find like-minded crafters here. Share ideas, techniques, and get inspired by books and conversation. Just bring your creativity and the materials you need to join the fun.

Register online

Looking for knitting books? Get started here.

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Tales at Night

Happening on January 17

Tales are on tap at our storytime for adults! Feel like a kid again by listening to some fun tales read aloud by your local librarians at the Good Will Social Club, 625 Portage Ave.

Get the details

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Make Your Own Podcast

Happening on January 20

Interested in making your own podcast? Join us as we discuss what it takes to create and share a podcast. We’ll talk about planning your show, getting it made, and getting your podcast online.

Register online

Connect with fiction and non-fiction reads about podcasting.

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Winter Cycling (online)

Happening on January 22

Are you ready to try winter cycling? Or extend your cycling season? Learn the ins and outs about what to wear, cold weather gear for your bike, and riding tips for snow and ice. Presented in partnership with the Green Action Centre.

Register online

Connect with our Green Choices Information Guide for more ways to reduce your environmental impact.

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Brain Health

Happening on January 24

Join the WRHA Healthy Aging Resource Team during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month to talk about brain health. Topics include the normal aging of the brain, threats to brain health, and tips for reducing risks and keeping your brain healthy.

Register online

Connect with reads about brain health.

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eMedia HELP One-on-One Appointments

Being offered on four days at four library branches throughout January through March.

Book a 45-minute one-on-one help appointment with Library staff and get help with Digital Library services: eBooks, audiobooks, emagazines, enewspapers, streaming music and video, and databases.

Make an appointment

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We look forward to seeing you at the Library in 2024!

~Reegan

Makers-in-Residence at the Library

You can find a gem of a space on the 3rd floor of the Millennium Library called the ideaMILL. Not only does it have a cool name, but everything inside of it is cool too. The ideaMILL is a makerspace. And if you haven’t heard that word before here’s what it means: a makerspace is a space that supports making things and learning in a collaborative setting.

A fun and key feature of makerspaces is that they include a variety of equipment and tools. In the ideaMILL, you can work with sewing machines, audio equipment, electronic equipment, photography/video equipment, tools, and digitization equipment. Best of all, you don’t need to know how to use the equipment – you just need to be curious and open to it out.

This year we embarked on a new and exciting program: the Makers-in-Residence program. This program connects library visitors with Winnipeg-based professional makers. Part maker and part mentor, the two Makers-in-Residence are creative innovators.

Osani Balkaran, rapper and music producer

Osani Balkaran is a Guyanese/Cree abstract rapper and music producer. Incorporating philosophies and aesthetics from both of his cultures, he shapes and delivers his thought-provoking lyrics. With cinematic dreamlike performances, Osani illustrates the dualities of imperfection and beauty using instrumentals and sound design.

To get connected with Osani:

Drop-in to the ideaMILL during his drop-in hours.

• Learn about free apps you can download onto your device (cell phone, tablet, or laptop) to help you with recording beats
• Get started writing and recording your own lyrics
• Learn about music theory
• Experiment with beat making.

Upcoming date/time: March 13, 4:45-7:45PM

Attend his workshop “Make Your Own Beats” in the ideaMILL.

Beat making and sound making are essential parts of hip-hop music. In this workshop, learn about hip-hop and its influence on contemporary music. Learn about how beats are made and then get started making your own. Osani will show you how to create your own patterns using a drum machine grid and melodies using a melody randomizer. Then, he’ll show you how to bring your beats and melodies together to form a radio-ready structure. All levels of experience welcome. 

Date: Saturday, March 11, 2-4PM. Register online.

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Sean McLachlan, artist and letterpress printer

Sean McLachlan is an artist and letterpress printer. Through an intersection of traditional printing and modern technologies, such as laser cutting and 3D printing, Sean focuses on the power of place to understand how people interact with their environments. In addition to being one of the founders of Letter Peddler Press, his portable postcard printing studio that brings printmaking into public spaces, Sean also has a series of public artworks which explore the history of the East Exchange District in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

To get connected with Sean:

Drop-in to the ideaMILL during his drop-in hours.

• Learn about the process of drawing and refining images to make icons that represent what pandemic life has meant to you.
• Print postcards using Sean’s custom portable letterpress studio, Letter Peddler Press.
• Add your postcard to the Pandemic Postcard Time Capsule.

Upcoming date/time: March 16, from 1- 6PM

Attend his upcoming “Intro to Relief Printing” workshops in the ideaMILL.

Two dates are being offered for this program.

Learn the basics of relief printing. Participants will create a series of artworks using traditional linoleum carving and water wash-up printing inks. Learn how to design and carve an image out of linoleum using carving tools and ideaMILL dremels. Print your image using a printing press and create an edition of prints to take home.

Date 1: Friday, March 17, 1-4:30PM. Register online.

Date 2: Saturday, March 18, 1-4:30PM. Register online.

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If you’re new to a makerspace, what better way to get acquainted than to meet with one of our Makers-in-Residence? They’re happy to introduce you to what they’re working on and teach you aspects of their art practice. The ideaMILL is a space for you to get exploring, learning, making, and having fun. Come by for a visit!

~Reegan

Indigenous Peoples’ Day – every day.

cw: Residential schools / cw: Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls & Two-Spirit Peoples

A little over a month ago my family and I got on a plane (for the first time since August 2019) and flew to Saskatoon for a family member’s wedding in The Battlefords in Treaty 6 Territory. The dearly loved couple were wed under tepee poles adorned with flowers and ribbons, members of the Northern Cree Singers sang while our cousin, the bride, walked down the aisle. The wind was blowing gently, and they were surrounded by loved ones. The site chosen for the wedding had previously been an industrial school, and nearby were the graves of 74 First Nations children. This is but one of many experiences where extreme joy and celebration intermingle with a recognition and honouring of incredible loss.

After the wedding and before the reception, we visited the Allen Sapp Gallery. Allen Sapp was born on January 2, 1928 and walked forward on December 29, 2015. To see his art in person was an incredible experience. The way he captured moments in time from memory – moments showing his life and loved ones and community – was something to see. Really, any description I share will not do them justice, so if you want to learn more about him, check out these resources from the library or browse his art online. Here are a couple of books in our collection.

“Renowned Cree painter Allen Sapp’s inspired and stunning artwork beautifully complements this sweet story of a young First Nations boy preparing for his first pow-wow. The young boy’s Nokum, his beloved grandmother, guides him through the exciting day and watches over him as events unfold. David Bouchard’s rhythmic and informative text is based on remembrances from Allen Sapp’s childhood.”

This book celebrates Allen Sapp’s portrayals of his Plain Cree culture and Plains Cree people.

A week later, we went to the Manito Ahbee Pow Wow and you could feel the excitement in the air, as Elders, dancers and drummers, family and friends young and older, and those wanting to learn came together in-person to celebrate and experience Indigenous cultures and traditions.

Today, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation is having the grand opening celebration of their multi-use arbour and powwow grounds. Maamawittaawiinan (“gathering place” in Anishinaabemowin) will be used to host powwows, Treaty Days, workshops, cultural teachings and other traditional ceremonies and celebrations.

So what does all of this have to do with Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Everything, really. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is every day.

No matter where you go in this country, you do not have to go far to connect with and learn about the history of the lands we live on and the Indigenous Nations who have been here since time immemorial. There are more than 50 Indigenous Nations and 50 Indigenous languages spoken here. From coast to coast to coast you can learn about histories, languages, foods and traditions, listen to stories and music, look at art, and participate in recognition, celebration, and reconciliation efforts. And the Library is one of many places where you can get started.

Connect with books, films, music, and more from the Indigenous Resources Collection.

Explore an Information Guide (or two or three…)

• Indigenous-related topics
• First Nations Communities
• The Métis
• Indigenous Languages
• Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls & Two-Spirit Peoples
• Rooster Town
• Treaties

There are also many places and events that you can visit in the city.

Go to (or mark your calendar for) these events:

• Today! Nistumee Neepinee Keesikow Concert
• Today! National Indigenous Peoples Day at the WAG
• sākihiwē festival
• Indigenous Day Live (held annually at The Forks)
• Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival
• Festival du Voyageur

Visit these places:

• Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Education Centre
• Urban Shaman Gallery
• Gabeshiwin at the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site
• Indigenous Art at the WAG
• Qaumajuq at the WAG
• Riel House National Historic Site
• The Forks self-guided audio tour
• Oodena Celebration Circle at The Forks
• Human Rights Museum Truth and Reconciliation Exhibit

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day to our family, friends, and community members far and wide.

~ Reegan

The Winnipeg Public Library is located in Treaty One Territory, the home and traditional lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininew (Cree), and Dakota peoples, and in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. Our drinking water comes from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, in Treaty Three Territory.

Video games are fun for everyone.

Video games are meant to be just one thing: Fun! Fun for everyone.

~ Satoru Iwata

The library has video games. This is great for a couple of reasons: you can try a game out to help you decide if you want to buy it, or you can save your money and only borrow games.

We offer video games for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Switch. And we have them for kids, teens, and adults. All games are rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) so you can pick and choose. Visit their website for the list of ratings and details about what each rating means.

Here are some of the games that have been added to the collection recently (game descriptions provided by the game developers):

Balan Wonderworld (Switch, PS4, XBSX)

Rating: E 10+

“Balan Wonderworld is a 3D action platformer game themed around the Balan Theatre. Led by the enigmatic Maestro named Balan, the stars of the show Emma and Leo will use special abilities from a multitude of characterful costumes as they adventure in the bizarre and imaginary land of wonder world. Twelve different tales await our stars in the Wonderworld, each with their own unique quirks. They will explore all corners of these stages, filled with a myriad of tricks and traps, to get to the heart of each story.”

Harvest Moon (PS4, Switch)

Rating: E

“Ride camels across the deserts of Pastilla, venture deep into the snowy mountains of Salmiakki, and visit a volcano near the mountain town of Lebkuchen. Can you imagine a world without cabbage, tomatoes, or even carrots? In the world you’ll find yourself in at the beginning of Harvest Moon, the Harvest Goddess, the queen of crops herself, has vanished. Before she vanished she imbued the tiny Harvest Wisps with the knowledge of various seeds to ensure the fruits and vegetables of the world would not be lost. Using the power given to these Harvest Wisps, you’ll unlock various seeds as you progress through the game.”

Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (PS4, Switch, XBOX ONE)

Rating: E 10+

“Kick some grass in Plant vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville, the wackiest shooter game yet! Unearth 20 fully customizable character classes at launch. Customize every character for battle. Bring the unique abilities of each character class to six pvp modes. Venture to the outer edges of Neighborville, squad up with up to three friends in the Giddy Park social region, and take back Weirding Woods, Mount Steep, and Neighborville town centre.”

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (PS4, Switch, XBOX ONE)

Rating: E 10+

“It’s about time – for a brand-wumping new Crash Bandicoot game! Crash Four Ward into a time shattered adventure with your favorite marsupial. Neo Cortex and N. Tropy are back at it again and launching an all-out assault on not just this universe, but the entire Multiverse! Crash and Coco are here to save the day by reuniting the four quantum masks and bending the rules of reality.”

Little Nightmares II (PS4, Switch, XBSX)

Rating: T

“Little Nightmares II is a suspense-adventure game in which you play as Mono, a young boy trapped in a world that has been distorted by a mysterious transmission from a distant signal tower. With Six, the girl in a yellow raincoat, Mono sets out to discover the dark secrets of The Signal Tower and save Six from her terrible fate; but their journey will not be easy as Mono and Six will face an array of new threats from the terrible residents of this world.”

Want to explore the entire video games collection? Here’s the link for the list in the library catalogue!

~Reegan

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

News. We get it through word of mouth, the web, social media, newspapers, magazines, podcasts, email, radio, and television. Everywhere you look there’s news: good, bad, true, false, and questionable. At the library, part of our role is to connect you with information and help you wade through it too.

With so much news readily available an important life skill to have (and build) is media literacy.

To be media literate means that you can access media, analyze it, evaluate it, and produce it yourself. One of the Branch Head Librarians at WPL, Trevor, created a very helpful information guide on this topic – Media Literacy and Spotting Fake News. It shares information about what media literacy is, how to spot fake news, and much more. Here are some resources that Trevor has shared through it. Visit the guide for even more resources.

Fact-checking websites ↗

We love our fiction books, but when it comes to news do we want fact or fiction? This page lists organizations that fact-check.

Media smart kids ↗

If you’re a parent or caregiver you will likely need to navigate through the world of video games and social media with your kid(s). There are lots of good resources to help you from MediaSmarts.

Bad News game ↗

A game created by two Cambridge University researchers to show you how easy it is to create and share bad/fake news by becoming (not really) a person who creates it! Read the background on the game.

Feel like putting your media literacy skills to the test?

Building up media literacy skills takes time, but you can start testing them out immediately. Check out PressReader – one of our online resources for news sources from around the globe. We also offer several additional sources for news-related information. After you read or listen to media ask yourself some key questions like these from Common Sense Media:

• Who created the message and why?
• Whose perspectives are included and whose are missing?
• Who paid (or is paying) for the message?
• How is the message trying to get your attention? Is the language extreme or characterized by all-or-nothing statements? Does the message simplify or over generalize?
• Are there any resources to support what’s being said?

Need help finding information about a subject to get the fullest picture possible? Ask us!

~Reegan

Browse or get started with these…

Kanopy is one of the streaming services that we offer through our Digital Library. Similar to Netflix, Prime, Crave, Tubi, Hulu, and Disney+, you can visit one of these services intending to watch something right away and then realize that you’re still browsing the collection an hour later. It’s okay. It happens.

We invite you to do the same with Kanopy – browse away and add things to your list to watch later. But if you’re looking to spend less time browsing and more time watching, look no further than these titles from these film and television companies:

The History Channel

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• Roots is a historical portrait of one family’s journey through American slavery and their will to survive and preserve their legacy in the face of unimaginable hardship. Based on the book by Alex Haley.
• Underwater Universe tracks the history and evolution of the ocean’s seven deadliest zones.
• Game Changers is the story of the personal battles that gave rise to the multibillion-dollar video game industry.
• Mountain Men follows individuals who have devoted their lives to surviving off the grid in unforgiving terrain.

A&E

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• Learning to Skateboard in a War Zone (if you’re a girl) tells the story of a class of young girls from disadvantaged neighbourhoods who learn to read, write, and skateboard, in the war-torn city of Kabul.
• Born this Way follows a group of seven young adults born with Down syndrome as they pursue their dreams, explore friendships, romantic relationships, and work, all while defying society’s expectations.
• Sitting Bull: Chief of the Lakota Nation shares some history about the Hunkpapa Lakota leader who led his people during years of resistance against colonialism.
• Vincent Van Gogh: A Stroke of Genius is about the famous and well-known artist who did not experience commercial success during his lifetime. He died by suicide when he was 37 after numerous years of struggle.

Women Make Movies

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• Forbidden Voices focuses on courageous, world-famous bloggers whose voices are suppressed, prohibited and censored in the countries where they live. These women represent a new, networked generation of modern rebels.
• The Grace Lee Project – Deconstructing an Asian-American Stereotype is about Grace Lee, award-winning Korean-American filmmaker who after she moved to New York and then California seemed to meet many people who knew “another Grace Lee”. They also held assumptions about who “Grace Lees” were that she explores in this film.
• 93 Queen is about Rachel “Ruchie” Freier, a Hasidic lawyer and mother of six who created Ezras Nashim, the first all-female volunteer ambulance corps in New York City.
• Ohero:kon – Under the Husk is a documentary about two friends, Kaienkwinehtha and Kasennakohe, from Akwesasne who undertake a four-year rite of passage for adolescents, called Ohero:kon, or “under the husk.”

There are many, many more where these came from! Have fun exploring Kanopy.

~ Reegan

Newfoundland

It was exactly what we had imagined, and much, much more. I’m talking about a family trip that we took a couple of years ago to the easternmost part of Canada, the absolutely gorgeous, awe-inspiring Newfoundland.

While there we went on a hike to Mistaken Point – did you know that the tilted mudstones there are the oldest fossils of complex multicellular life found anywhere on Earth? Yeah, pretty mind blowing. Along the way to the fossils we ate freshly-picked berries that grew along the path: snowberries (they taste like mint Tic Tacs) and cloudberries (they taste like apple pie).

We also went to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, were absolutely astounded at the cliffs and huge seabird colony at Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, and saw puffins and whales in Bonavista.

Until we’re able to travel there again – and we certainly hope we’ll be able to – Gros Morne, we’re looking at you! – I’m staying connected to Newfoundland through its tourism site and of course, books.

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Future Possible: An Art History of Newfoundland: In Future Possible, writers and artists come together to explore the histories and cultures of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the art pieces inspired by both.

Food, Culture, Place: Stories, Traditions, and Recipes of Newfoundland by Lori McCarthy and Marsha Tulk: This one hasn’t made it to the shelves quite yet, but it’s on order so you can place your hold. The authors have been eating the wild foods of Newfoundland for decades and collecting stories along the way – this book brings both together.

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The Innocents by Michael Crummey: A brother and sister are orphaned in an isolated cove on Newfoundland’s northern coastline. With nothing more than the family’s boat and some knowledge passed down to them from their parents, this story explores their journey together.

The Woman in the Attic by Emily Hepditch. This one’s a thriller about a daughter who returns home to prepare her mother for the move to assisted living. The old saltbox house is in a horrible state after years of neglect. While packing up her mother’s things, Hannah discovers a trap door and the secrets hidden behind it.

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Barry Squires, Full Tilt by Heather Smith. It’s 1995 and 12-year old Finbar (Barry) wants to join the Full Tilt Dancers troupe, Irish step dancers in St. John’s. Although Barry’s talent is questionable, he has a lot of support from a diverse cast of characters! If you like this one you can also check out Ebb & Flow and The Agony of Bun O’Keefe by the same author.

If Newfoundland (or any other place for that matter) is on your mind, do a subject search for it in our catalogue. You’re sure to find a range of entertaining and informative reads to keep that fire lit while you patiently wait to visit again.

~Reegan

“You have been my friend. That in itself has been a tremendous thing.”

A beautiful quote from one of my favourite childhood books, Charlotte’s Web. Through a quick scan of children’s literature you’ll find so many stories about relationships with animals: Flora and the Penguin, Hello, Mr Dodo!, South, Saving Winslow, and A Circle of Elephants.

As we move into the literature for adults we see fewer of these stories, but if you look they can still be found. And is it any wonder? Go to any dog park and you’ll see many adults with their furry companions. Go on social media and you’ll see many a post about our beloved cats. From rabbits to hamsters, lizards to birds, cats to dogs, and cows to horses, there are so many animals in our lives. And these human-animal relationships feature prominently in many adults’ lives, bringing friendship, comfort, love, and lessons.

Here are some stories that have made their way into adult literature and that add to the stories we were introduced to during our childhood: ones that chronicle these amazing relationships that we nurture and celebrate in adulthood.

The Dog by Kerstin Ekman

“A young puppy leaves his home to follow his mother and master, but soon becomes lost and left to struggle in the wild. The puppy becomes wild himself, trusting no human and furiously fighting the hunting dogs that enter his domain. But one man is intrigued by the now-unruly dog and very slowly begins to gain his trust. Each day he visits the dog, bringing food and awakening memories of his distant domestic past. The lost relationship between man and dog is rebuilt in this sensitive and intelligent story about the true nature of trust and friendship.”

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

“A woman unexpectedly loses her lifelong best friend and finds herself burdened with the unwanted dog he has left behind. Struggling with her own grief, that of the dog, a huge Great Dane traumatized by disappearance of its master, and the threat of eviction: dogs are prohibited in her apartment building, the woman refuses to be separated from the dog. While troubles abound, rich and surprising rewards nonetheless lie in store for both of them.”

A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines

“Billy Casper is a troubled teenager growing up in a Yorkshire mining town. Beaten by his drunken brother, ignored by his mother and failing at school, he seems destined for a hard, miserable life down the pits. But Billy discovers a new passion in life when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk, who inspires in him the trust and love that nothing else can.”

The Candlelit Menagerie by Caraline Brown

“In late eighteenth-century London, Lillian, a freakishly tall woman who struggles to fit into society because of her size and desire to wear trousers, discovers a candlelit exotic animal emporium, where she finds her natural home taking care of and befriending wild animals brought from around the world.”

The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy

“In the 1930s, Billy and his family come to Hidalgo County, New Mexico, where he becomes obsessed with a wild wolf that lives a precarious existence threatened by the region’s ranchers.”

The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson

“In 1766, a ship docks at Bristol, England, disgorging a crate with two young elephants in poor health, but alive. A wealthy sugar merchant purchases them for his country estate and turns their care over to a young stable boy, Tom Page. It takes time for Tom and the two elephants to understand each other, but to the surprise of everyone on the estate, a remarkable bond is formed, which changes the lives of all who meet them.”

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

“With his crooked tail – a sign of good fortune – and adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. As they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love.”

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

“When the author’s father dies and she is knocked sideways by grief, she becomes obsessed with the idea of training her own goshawk. She buys Mabel, fills the freezer with hawk food, and unplugs the phone, ready to embark on the long, strange business of trying to train this wildest of animals. H is for Hawk is a record of a spiritual journey – an honest account of Macdonald’s struggle with grief during the difficult process of the hawk’s taming and her own untaming.”

~Reegan

Stories from the land of a thousand lakes

Where is this? I’m talking about Finland – where there are 187,888 lakes! Finland is the home of the Sámi peoples, the most saunas (pronounced sow-na) per capita, an incredible number of metal bands, strong coffee and delicious cardamom bread (Pulla), the only home of the Saimaa ringed seal, and where the amazing Espoo and Oodi Libraries are.

Finland is also the home to writers of detective novels, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy, humorous stories about daily life, poetry, and many more interesting tales. To get a sense of what Finnish literature offers – the dark and the funny – here are some authors to connect with, including a brief description of one story from each.

Author Antti Tuomainen lives in Helsinki and writes crime and noir fiction with a style that has been called “piercing and evocative”.

“Olli looks at me with his brown eyes. He has thick, dark hair, combed back with gel, and an angular, friendly face. This is what George Clooney would have looked like if he’d been born in Hamina, eaten plenty of carbohydrates and spent his life working with mushrooms.” ― from The Man Who Died

The Man Who Died is about Jaakko Kaunismaa, a 37-year old man who finds out that he is dying from a prolonged exposure to toxins – someone has been poisoning him. In keeping with the Scandinavian noir tradition, this story follows Jaakko through a suspenseful rollercoaster ride as he tries to find out who this person is.

Arto Paasilinna was from Lapland and was a journalist turned comic novelist and one of Finland’s most successful writers. He wrote 35 novels, two of which (lucky for us English-speakers) were translated into English.

“She began to cry. “Cry quicker, or the call’ll get too expensive.” ― from The Year of the Hare: A Novel

In The Year of the Hare: A Novel, Vatanen, an unhappy Helsinki journalist, accidently hits a hare with his car. Leaving his car, he follows the hare into the forest, bandages its leg, and then keeps on going. With his newfound friend the hare, he ditches his unhappy marriage, sells his boat, and begins a new adventure in northern Finland, making money from odd jobs and finding trouble every step along the way. 

Monika Fagerholm lives in Ekenäs, Finland, is the recipient of numerous literary awards, and has been compared to David Lynch. Her writing has been called circular, creepy, and baffling.

In The American Girl, a teenager from the United States drowns in a marsh in rural Finland. Her boyfriend dies by suicide. And their friend ceases to speak. There’s nothing simple about this story that’s part mystery and coming-of-age.

Johanna Sinisalo is from Lapland, Finland and the author of fantasy and science fiction novels and comics. Her work has been called “Finnish weird”.

“I guess you can’t compare humans to birds. Humans are rational beings. They’re not just creatures without any sense of responsibility, ruled by drives and instincts, as our teachers at eloi school keep impressing upon us. Human beings are the pinnacle of creation, able to use rational, organized methods to place themselves outside nature, to control nature. But no sooner have they said that than they start evoking what is “natural,” and to whom, and how such and such is the “natural order” of things.” — from The Core of the Sun

The Core of the Sun tells the story of Vanna who lives in dystopian Finland and has been raised as an eloi, a new human sub-species of submissive women. Women who are independent, called morlock, are sterilized to stop the “defective” line from continuing to the next generation. Secretly, Vanna is a morlock. When her sister goes missing, she goes searching for her while also being drawn into the illegal chili pepper drug trade. Ultimately, she’s left with a choice – family or independence?

Tove Jansson was from Helsinki, Finland, and any list of Finnish authors would be incomplete without her. She was the creator of the beloved children’s book series about the Moomins, and also wrote fiction and non-fiction for adults. Not only did she write, but she also was an artist and writer of comics.

“Passion. As you can see, I’ve lived quite a long time, which is to say I’ve been working for quite a long time, which is the same thing. And you know what? In the whole silly business, the only thing that really matters is passion. It comes and it goes. At first it just comes to you free of charge, and you don’t understand, and you waste it. And then it becomes a thing to nurture.” — from The Woman Who Borrowed Memories

The Woman Who Borrowed Memories is a book of her short stories including one about a single inhabitant of a remote island who encounters a visitor, an artist who takes over a comic that has run for decades, a railway-obsessed loner with murderous fantasies, and more.

Also not to be forgotten are these Finnish authors: Elias Lönnrot, Riikka Pulkkinen, Emmi Itäranta, and Sofi Oksanen.

Enjoy.

-Reegan

Photo credits:

• Antti Tuomainen photo by: Ville Juurikkala
• Arto Passeliina photo by: Frode Hansen/VG

• Monika Fagerholm photo by: Ulla Montan
• Johanna Sinisalo photo by: Teemu Rajala