36 URNS by Sirpa Kähkönen now nominated for both the Savonia Literature Prize and Finlandia Prize!

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We are very happy to announce that 36 URNS: A History of Being Wrong, the latest title by award-winning author Sirpa Kähkönen, has been nominated for the Savonia Prize 2023!

The prize, worth 12 000 euros, is awarded yearly to an author from the Savonia province for a significant fiction title. The award is funded by the city of Kuopio, and the winner is announced on 12th December.

The jury praised the book saying:

“36 Urns is an autobiographical account of a life lived, of love and being left without it, and of humanity and the lack of it. Kähkönen examines the difficult relationship with her mother with the help of both the history of her family and objects and memories left by her mother. The understanding gathered this way grows to be much larger than the experience of a single person. It talks to whole generations who carry the memories of war, loss, and silence within themselves. Kähkönen’s novel rolls onwards with a breath-taking intensity and the reader can’t help but accept it, thankful for the honesty and wisdom.”

36 URNS is also nominated for the Finlandia Literature Prize, and it has sold close to 10 000 copies in Finland since its publication in August!

Massive congrats, Sirpa!

Download the materials for 36 URNS here!

36 uurnaa – Väärässä olemisen historia
Siltala, August 2023, 267 pp.
Rights sold:
FINLAND: Siltala (orig.)
ESTONIA: Koolibri
HUNGARY: Polar
Reading materials:
English sample and synopsis
Finnish edition

About author


Sirpa Kähkönen

Sirpa Kähkönen is one of Finland’s   most acclaimed and widely recognised contemporary authors. Her historical novels   begin where source information ends. It opens the gates to experiencing the   past in a sensory way; the characters live out the story as physical, sensual   beings.

Kähkönen was born to a family that had been harshly treated by the   history of the 1900s. The Second World War and the Civil War preceding it had   wounded her family members and marked them with heavy silence and unspoken   words.

She has published thirteen novels, including 36 Urns: A History   of Being Wrong, which won the prestigious Finlandia Prize and has sold   over 100,000 copies in Finland, with rights sold in six territories.   Four of her other novels have been nominated for the Finlandia Prize, and one   was nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize. She has also published   three works of non-fiction, one of which was nominated for the Non-Fiction   Finlandia Prize, and written five plays.

In 2022, Kähkönen received the Finnish Cultural Foundation's Grand   Prize for significant achievements in culture.

Awards and nominations:

  • Kirjallisuuden        valtionpalkinto 1992 - The State Literary Prize 1992
  • Savonia-palkinto        1999 - Savonia Prize 1999
  • Kuopion        taiteilijaseuran kirjallisuuden tunnustuspalkinto 2003 - The Kuopio        Artist Society's Literary Award 2003
  • Kiitos kirjasta -mitali 2008 - Thank You for        the book medallion 2008
  • Savon Sanomien        Savonmuan Hilima -titteli 2010
  • Otavan        kirjasäätiön Veijo Meri -palkinto 2012 - Otava Literary Fund Veijo Meri        Prize 2012
  • Pro-Finlandia -mitali 2015 - Pro Finlandia        Medallion 2015
  • Suomi-palkinto 2016 - Suomi-Finland Prize 2016        from the Ministry of Education and Culture
  • Savonia-palkinto 2021 - Savonia Prize 2021
  • Suomen Kulttuurirahaston suurpalkinto - The        Finnish Cultural Foundation's Grand Prize 2021
  • Finlandia-palkinto 2023 - Finlandia Prize 2023

Photo   credit: Laura Malmivaara

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2026, Literary Fiction

Marius

Sirpa Kähkönen


2023, Literary Fiction

36 Urns: A History of Being Wrong

Sirpa Kähkönen


2021, Literary Fiction

The Green Chamber

Sirpa Kähkönen

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