Prestigious Lauri Jäntti Prize to Tuula Karjalainen for her Tove Jansson biography

Karjalainen newsletter 140120We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Tuula Karjalainen, author of The Life and Art of Tove Jansson (Tove Jansson – Tee työtä ja rakasta, Tammi 2013), has been awarded this year’s Lauri Jäntti Prize. This major award, dating back to 1985, is given to the author of an outstanding work of Finnish nonfiction. The prize is worth 15,000 euros. Rights to the book have been sold in several territories, most recently in Russia (Ast).

The jury described its motivations as follows:

“Karjalainen successfully analyzes [Tove Jansson’s] artistic output within the framework of her private life and the trends of the era. At the same time she deepens the character of this grand Finnish cultural personality: known for her Moomin books and comics, Jansson was also a fierce participant in societal conversation through her work…this new biography is a stylish introduction to Tove Jansson’s 100th anniversary year.”

Tuula Karjalainen (b. 1942) is a Finnish art historian and nonfiction writer who has previously worked as director of the Helsinki Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki. Through her research Karjalainen has become an expert not only in Jansson’s work, including the iconic Moomin characters and Jansson’s long career as a painter, but also in her personal correspondence and journals, which spanned several decades.

Tove Jansson (1914–2001) was one of Finland’s best-known artists, and her Moomin books have been translated into 43 languages. Jansson was an artist of many talents; she worked, for example, as a painter, author, illustrator, scriptwriter and lyricist.

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND, Schildts & Söderströms (Swedish)
GERMANY, Urachhaus
JAPAN, Kawade Shobo Shinsha
NORWAY, Heinesen
RUSSIA, Ast
SWEDEN, Norstedts
WORLD ENGLISH, Penguin

Original publisher:
Finland, Tammi (Finnish)

Reading material
Finnish edition
English sample
German sample

Format
300 pages, four-colour illustrations, about 150 pictures

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

About author


Tuula Karjalainen

Dr. Tuula Karjalainen is a Finnish art historian and non-fiction writer who has previously worked as a director of the Helsinki Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki. As the author of Tove Jansson’s biography, Tuula Karjalainen has become an expert not only on Jansson’s works but also on her several decades of personal correspondence and journals.

Bibliography


2013, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

Tove Jansson: Work and Love

Tuula Karjalainen