THEN WE SAILED NORTH by Sohvi Kangasluoma nominated for the 2026 Finlandia Prize in Non-Fiction!

We are very thrilled to announce that THEN WE SAILED NORTH by Sohvi Kangasluoma has been nominated for the 2026 Finlandia Prize in Non-Fiction!

The jury praised the book:

A breathtaking travelogue that draws readers into the transformation of the Arctic. Several narratives unfold side by side: climate change and the development of the Arctic, explored through the perspective of an international politics researcher specialising in the region, alongside an adventure across the northern seas, where a couple spends the winter in the bitter cold. Everyday challenges and questions about the future of humanity converge aboard a single sailboat. The book sparks curiosity, introduces readers to the people of the Arctic, and takes them to places they might otherwise never have the chance to visit.

Finlandia Prize is the most prestigious literary award in Finland, worth 30 000 euros. The winner will be announced on November 26.

Rights to this extraordinary non-fiction title have been sold to four territories. The book blends the narration of a breath-taking sailing journey and reflections on nature and the impact of changing geopolitics and climate in the Arctic region.

Warmest congratulations to Sohvi Kangasluoma and the publisher, and don’t miss out on this title!

REQUEST MATERIALS FOR THEN WE SAILED NORTH HERE

Sohvi and Juho live aboard their sailboat. The sea is their home, and it is also the heart of the entire planet.

This captivating work of narrative nonfiction portrays the couple’s unique way of life, sailing via Alaska to the Northwest Passage and wintering frozen into the ice in Greenland. Along the way, they encounter inhabitants of land and sea and witness firsthand the impacts of climate change in the North.

Grounded in personal experience and solid research, the story reveals how the environmental crisis affects life in the Arctic seas and challenges our understanding of the North. The adventure offers an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between humans and the sea, and on the nature of love amid the ice.