Jyrki Vainonen
Jyrki Vainonen (b. 1963) is an award-winning Finnish author who is renowned for his Finnish translations of the works of Seamus Heaney, Jonathan Swift and William Shakespeare.
He has lived in Ireland and wrote his licentiate thesis on Swift’s Irish pamphlets.
Written by Jyrki Vainonen
At Swift’s Door
Lennart Beren, having just spent five years in Ireland, gets a phone call from an old friend, Johannes Kelps, who will be dying soon. ”I want you to finish my book”, Johannes says. After the death of Johannes, Lennart moves into his house, as agreed. There he discovers a secret room with a strange device, and suddenly Lennart finds himself back in Ireland. But he has also travelled back in time, and has become Watt, a man-servant of Jonathan Swift. Soon he – and the reader – is initiated into the life of the famous satirist.
This highly inventive novel is a dramatic tale of ill fate and a brave fight against injustice. The drama unfolds in part in a fictitious Finnish setting, in part in Ireland in the 18th century. And the drama ends, finally, where it all began: in the house of Johannes Kelps, once a famous scientist who withdrew suddenly from the academic world and bought an old, remote house in the country. Why? What happened to him?
Written by Jyrki Vainonen
The Towers
A unique story of death, revenge and atonement from a true Master of Surprise. The Towers is a perceptive and psychologically charged story, mixed with the elements of fantasy, erotica and horror. Jyrki Vainonen’s works have previously been likened to those of Roald Dahl and Julio Cortàzar, and his world is found in the wild no-man’s-land between reality and fantasy.
Praise:
“The Towers is also the culmination of literary tradition, myths and dreams. – – The ingenious fantasy is appealing and enchanting.” – Keskisuomalainen
Also available:
in English:
The Garden a short story | 2007 | Original title: Puutarha
Blueberries a short story | 2001 | Original title: Mustikoita
The Pearl a short story | 1999 | Original title: Helmi
in German:
Die Bibliothek a short story | 2007 | Original title: Kirjasto
Die Flasche a short story | 2007 | Original title: Pullo
Der Stumme Gott an extract from novel Mykkä jumala | 2004
in Hungarian:
Egy madarász a short story | 2002 | Original title: Linnustaja
Elina Ahlbäck Literary Agency Oy Ltd.
info(at)ahlbackagency.com | +358 400 512 101 | www.ahlbackagency.com | Korkeavuorenkatu 37, FI-00130 Helsinki, Finland
