Non-Fiction

Japanese reprint of THE LIFE AND ART OF TOVE JANSSON!

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We are happy to announce that Japanese publisher Kawade Shobo Shinsha will publish and reprint Tuula Karjalainen’s acclaimed global bestseller  TOVE JANSSON: WORK AND LOVE later this year. The deal was closed by Elina Ahlbäck at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Tove Jansson: Work and Love is the definitive biography of one of the most unique and beloved children’s authors of the 20th century, the creator of the Moomins. Tove Jansson (1914-2001) led a long, colourful and productive life, impacting significantly the political, social and cultural history of 20th-century Finland.

Click here to download the English PDF of TOVE JANSSON: WORK AND LOVE.

Publication Info:
Tove Jansson tee työtä ja rakasta, Tammi 2013, 300 pp.

Rights Sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
CHINA: CITIC
DENMARK: Turbine forlaget
ESTONIA: Varrak Publishers
GERMANY: Urachhaus GmbH
JAPAN: Kawade Shobo Shinsha Ltd, Publishers
RUSSIA: AST Publishers /Mainstream
SOUTH KOREA: Munhak Dogne Publishing Group
UKRAINE: Prometey
UNITED KINGDOM: Penguin Press

Reading Materials:
English edition

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.

Read more

Bibliography


2013, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

Tove Jansson: Work and Love

Tuula Karjalainen

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THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO will be published in China!

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We are very excited to share, that the internationally bestselling THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO written by Aalto’s grandson, Heikki Aalto-Alanen, has been sold to China! The deal was closed by Elina Ahlbäck at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Lens Media will publish the Chinese edition in December 2025, with publisher Algae Xue Wang editing and translators Zhang Lei and Li Yi bringing the iconic design duo’s story to Chinese readers.

This beautiful title, based on unpublished correspondence of Aino and Alvar Aalto, has now been sold to 8 territories – with Solar Films developing a feature film, a love story about the union between Aino and Alvar, two passionate artists, but very different people.

Alvar and Aino Aalto are internationally celebrated for their architecture, furniture, glassware, and other interior design, but their personal lives have been relatively unknown – until now. This book, written by the Aaltos’ grandson, stands apart from countless other works on the Aalto’s lives and careers. It contains photos, sketches, and personal letters between Aino and Alvar, beautifully illustrating how inseparable this couple was both in work and love, and bringing a deeply human element to their story.

International Praise:

This characteristically elegant Phaidon publication, lush with images, is remarkably personal … A beautiful and important contribution to architecture and design history.
– Booklist, Starred Review

A love story, enriched not just by personal photographs and images of their modernist designs, but by the couple’s letters to each other.
– NPR.org

Unique … Such an intimate level of access is possible thanks to the fact that the author is a grandson and has done much to preserve the designers’ legacy.
– Interior Design

A poignant glimpse into [Aino and Alvar’s] deep bond.
– Metropolis

The rights are still available in e.g. Germany, Sweden, World Spanish, Denmark, etc.

Request the materials for THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO here!

THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO publication info:
Rakastan sinussa ihmistä
Otava, August 2021, pp. 460, Approx. 50-80 photographs & drawings

Rights sold: 
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
CHINA: Lens Media
ESTONIA: Postimees
HUNGARY: Európa Könyvkiadó
FRANCE: Phaidon Press
ITALY: Salani
JAPAN: Soshisha
WORLD ENGLISH: Phaidon Press
FILM & TV RIGHTS: Solar Films Inc.

Reading materials: English edition, Italian edition and French edition

About author


Heikki Aalto-Alanen

Heikki Aalto-Alanen is the grandson of architects Aino and Alvar Aalto, who has previously served as vice chairman of the Alvar Aalto Foundation, been a member of Artek’s Board of Directors, member of the Alvar Aalto Academy Board, and held other positions maintaining Aino and Alvar Aalto’s artistic work and heritage. Today he is serving as the chairman of the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation, established in 2020 to preserve Aino and Alvar Aalto's early masterpiece. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Alvar and Aino Aalto Estate Ltd. Heikki Aalto-Alanen is a lawyer by profession and has worked in the Nordic financial market.

His book tells the story of Aino and Alvar Aalto, depicted through their previously unpublished correspondence from 1921-1949, photographs and drawings.

Read more

Bibliography


2021, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

The Story of Aino and Alvar Aalto

Heikki Aalto-Alanen

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Bloomsbury acquires World English rights to PUTIN’S WORLD WAR!

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We are thrilled to announce, that Bloomsbury USA has acquired World English rights to Jessikka Aro’s critically acclaimed and timely bestseller PUTIN’S WORLD WAR: Russia’s Covert Operations to Destroy the West, slated for publication in Spring 2026, with Richard Robinson translating. The deal was closed by Elina Ahlbäck at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Michael Kerns, Senior Publisher for Politics & International Relations at Bloomsbury USA, shared his enthusiasm:

“I loved this project immediately as a compelling narrative that humanizes the real-world consequences of Russia’s global propaganda war against the West. Putin’s World War is a piece of fascinating storytelling by an award-winning journalist — Jessikka Aro unpacks the details behind Russia’s hybrid-war propaganda machine and sheds light on how Putin uses disinformation as a potent weapon against Western values, the international community, and democratic governance. Her relentless investigative journalism provides readers with an invaluable perspective on a war of words, a war of ideas that might otherwise be overlooked amidst countless security threats across the world. We are excited to bring Jessikka’s important work to English readers everywhere.”

PUTIN’S WORLD WAR is a highly topical book featuring horrifying true stories about the secret operations of Putin’s intelligence services. Jessikka Aro is the winner of the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage of Journalism Award and her previous book, Putin’s Trolls, was sold to 16 territories and will be turned into a TV series!

Putin’s World War

Jessikka Aro

Russia is threatening the West with World War III, even though it has been waging it for years. As its weapons, the Kremlin uses agents of chaos, a covert operation, fake priests spreading hate speech, hackers recruited from prison, and the gullibility of people.

Jessikka Aro’s new non-fiction book about the Kremlin’s world war presents the secret operations of Putin’s intelligence services in detail.

The book takes the reader on a breath-taking journey from the lobby of the Helsinki Courts of Appeal to the controversial Bronze Soldier statue in Tallinn, from the media center run by the Russian military intelligence from Berlin to the Russian troll factory that operated in Ghana in West Africa.

Publication Info:
Putinin maailmansota, Johnny Kniga 2024, 352 pp

Rights Sold:
FINLAND: WSOY/Johnny Kniga (orig.)
GERMANY: Goldmann Verlag
HUNGARY: Corvina Books
ITALY: Neri Pozza
LITHUANIA: Briedis
POLAND: Transatlantic Foundation
SWEDEN: Sensor Förlag
WORLD ENGLISH: Bloomsbury USA

Reading Material:
English sample & summary & table of contents, German pdf, Finnish edition

About author


Jessikka Aro

Jessikka Aro is an award-winning reporter with Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, specializing in Russia, extremism and information warfare. In 2014 and 2015, she published a series of articles on pro-Kremlin social media trolls and their influence outside of Russia’s borders. Due to her investigations, Jessikka became the target of a severe and still ongoing international propaganda and hate speech campaign, which she recounts in Putin’s Trolls.

In 2019, the US State Department awarded Jessikka the International Women of Courage Award, but the award was mysteriously rescinded by the Trump administration, allegedly due to her social media criticism of then President Trump. On December 1, 2020, Jessikka Aro received the International Women’s Media Foundation Courage in Journalism Award, presented in partnership with the Washington Post and hosted by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. Jessikka was recognized for her award-winning investigative reporting of Russian information warfare. Jessikka lives in Helsinki, Finland.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, General Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, History & Politics

Putin's USA

Jessikka Aro


2024, Narrative Nonfiction

Putin's World War: Russia's Covert Operations to Destroy the West

Jessikka Aro


2019, General Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, History & Politics

Putin's Trolls

Jessikka Aro

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Sauna Fever in Eurovision and on the Bookshelves!

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One of the Finnish secrets to happy life is of course sauna, or bastu, as the Swedes call it! With Sweden’s entry to the Eurovision songcontest KAJ, the world is catching a serious sauna fever with “Bara Bada Bastu”. The interest in saunas has increased rapidly. We got a perfect combination for the sauna lifestyle. So throw some water on the stones, sit back and “1 – 2 – 3, SAUNA!”

In THE POWER OF HOT AND COLD Carita Harju and Katja Pantzar take readers on a journey into the transformative and energizing powers of hot and cold by pairing the sauna, that quintessential hot Finnish steam bath, with a cold-water dip.

Along the way, it serves up the inspiration and practical tools for creating a wellness retreat using the Nordic contrast bathing philosophy, wherever you are in the world. Originally published by Yellow Kite / Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and US, this title will be published by Heyne, an imprint of Penguin Randmhouse, in Germany this fall.

If Power of Hot and Cold is the energizer, SAUNAFULNESS is your deep exhale. Here, Carita Harju introduces a uniquely Finnish approach to natural wellbeing. Blending ancient sauna traditions with modern mindfulness practices.

The exercises unite the mind, the body, one’s health and all the different senses. Saunafulness can be practiced in any sauna with easy-access materials accompanied by clear instructions.

“First build the sauna. Then the house.” In a world where sauna (bastu) fever raises, this practical and stunningly crafted book is the essential guide to the sauna life.

In FINNISH SAUNA: STEAM, WOOD, STONE & HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN sauna expert Lassi A. Liikkanen shares everything you need to know to design and build your own Finnish sauna. Mixing practical step-by-step instructions with traditions history and science, this is perfect whether you’re already planning to build your own, or just curious about the sauna boom. 

This book is the perfect introduction to löyly and the very Finnish art of living well. The book will be published in the same format and style as the Christmas bestseller Norwegian Wood, and expands on the growing global resurgence of interest in the health benefits of sauna.

Each book brings a new and fresh perspective to the timeless Finnish tradition wherever you are.

Request materials for THE POWER OF HOT AND COLD here.

Request materials for SAUNAFULNESS here

Request materials for FINNISH SAUNA here.

POWER OF HOT AND COLD publication info:

Power of Hot and Cold: From Sauna to Sea: The Finnish Way to a Happy, Healthy Life
Yellow Kite / Hodder & Stoughton, November, 2024

READING MATERIALS: English PDF

Rights sold: WORLD ENGLISH: Yellow Kite / Hodder & Stoughton (orig.), GERMANY: Heyne

Rights are available in, e.g., Iceland, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Japan…

 

Publication info SAUNAFULNESS:

Hyvää oloa saunomalla
Viisas elämä, 2021, 272 pp.

Reading materials: English sample, Finnish edition

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Viisas Elämä (orig.), ESTONIA: Rahva Raamat, HUNGARY: Scolar Kiado, JAPAN: TOYO KEIZAI, INC.

Rights are available in, e.g., Germany, US/UK, Sweden…

 

Publication info FINNISH SAUNA:

Finnish Sauna: Steam, Wood, Stone & How to Build Your Own
MacLehose Press / Quercus UK, September, 2025, 256 pp.

Reading materials: English PDF

Rights sold:
WORLD RIGHTS (excl. Finland): MacLehose Press / Quercus UK (orig.), CZECHIA: offer on the table

About author


Carita Harju

Carita Harju is a Finnish sauna experience expert and marketing professional whose mission is to share the Finnish sauna’s positive health and wellness benefits with the world. She is the founder and executive director of Sauna from Finland, which represents an international network of more than 200 sauna industry companies. The organization’s mission is to create the world’s best sauna experiences, and Harju loves her work, because it allows her to advance an idea that she is personally so passionate about. Carita Harju has always enjoyed saunas, goes to sauna with her family nearly every day and gives talks all over the world.

Her first illustrated guide, Sauna - The Way of Finnish Life (2016), has been published in four languages, including German and Chinese. Her second book, Soul of the Sauna, was released in Japanese and Hungarian, while her newest title Saunafulness (Hyvää oloa saunomalla, 2021) has been sold to 4 territories.

Read more Author's page

About author


Katja Pantzar

Katja Pantzar –  Katja Pantzar is a Helsinki-based writer and journalist who swims in the Baltic Sea year round. Raised in Canada, with stints in New Zealand and England, she is the author of The Finnish Way (Penguin Random House/2018), a bestselling non-fiction book about Nordic well-being, winter swimming and sisu (resilience) that has been translated into 24 languages. Her second book on sisu, Everyday Sisu: Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life (Penguin Random House/2022) explores through expert interviews and research-based information how we can better support our mental and physical health while taking care of each other and our planet. Everyday Sisu has also been published in Japanese, Thai, and Indonesian. Pantzar’s work has been widely covered around the world in media ranging from Le Figaro, Le Monde, and El Paísto Vogue the Washington Post and the New York Review of Books. . She is also the author of three mini-guides to the Finnish capital, including 100 things to do in Helsinki (Siltala/2024).

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Norwegian audiobook deal for PUTIN’S TROLLS by Jessikka Aro!

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We are thrilled to announce that audiobook rights of the Norwegian edition of Jessikka Aro’s PUTIN’S TROLLS have been sold to publisher Cappelen Damm! The deal was closed by Martti Berner.

Cappelen Damm will publish the audiobook this summer!

Jessikka Aro is currently writing her third book titled PUTIN’S USA – How Russia divides and rules the United States to be published in October 2025. 

PUTIN’S TROLLS has been sold to a total of 16 territories and the Film & TV rights have also been sold! The rights are still available in Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Egypt, Greece, etc.

Request reading materials for PUTIN’S TROLLS here

PUTIN’S TROLLS
by Jessikka Aro
Johnny Kniga, November 2019, 453 pp.

A journalistic nonfiction book that reads like a real-life spy thriller and reveals the methods of the Kremlin’s modern information warfare

Putin’s Trolls is a first-hand memoir/reportage account by award-winning Finnish journalist Jessikka Aro who was bullied out of her country by Putin’s internet trolls, revealing the true face of an invisible threat that is only growing in power. Russia wages war against civilians online. Every critical voice is an enemy.

Putin’s Trolls presents the criminal smearing campaign, launched and approved by the Kremlin against private individuals around Western countries. It is a chilling account of Russia’s modern tools of information warfare, shedding light on the individuals and organizations behind the Kremlin’s coordinated, military-style social media psy-ops.

 

PUTIN’S USA – How Russia divides and rules the United States
by Jessikka Aro
Johnny Kniga, October 2025, approx. 400 pp.

Putin’s USA is a page-turner you wish wasn’t true. 

A highly topical nonfiction book on Russia’s cyberwarfare against the United States and democracy, unfolding like a thriller.

Putin’s Russia is waging an increasingly aggressive cold war against the West. The weapons used in cyberspace and the information domains seem straight out of science fiction movies.

In journalist and author Jessikka Aro’s third book investigating Russia’s covert operations, the focus is on patriotic hackers, honey traps infiltrating the Republican Party, connections between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign team and Putin’s spies, and electronic weaponry.

The book provides a close-up look at how systematically the Kremlin has been preparing its society for a major war against the United States and the entire democratic West. In Russia, even universities have been turned into tools for shaping young people into agents of Putinism.

It is worse than the Cold War!

 

Putinin trollit
Tositarinoita Venäjän infosodan rintamilta
Johnny Kniga, November 2019, 453 pp.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Johnny Kniga/WSOY (orig.)
ALBANIA: Muza
BULGARIA: Ciela Norma
CZECH REPUBLIC: Denik N
ESTONIA: Menu Meedia/Stratkom
GEORGIA: Media Development Foundation
GERMANY (Print and e-book): Goldmann Verlag
GERMANY (Audiobook): Sound Neverrest
HUNGARY: Corvina
LATVIA: Pētergailis
LITHUANIA: Briedis
NORWAY: Mangschou Forlag
POLAND: Sine Qua Non
ROMANIA: Lebada Neagra
SWEDEN: Sensor Förlag
WORLD ENGLISH: Ig Publishing
WORLD ENGLISH (Audio): Blackstone Audio
TV & FILM: Onerva Pictures

Reading materials: English edition

About author


Jessikka Aro

Jessikka Aro is an award-winning reporter with Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, specializing in Russia, extremism and information warfare. In 2014 and 2015, she published a series of articles on pro-Kremlin social media trolls and their influence outside of Russia’s borders. Due to her investigations, Jessikka became the target of a severe and still ongoing international propaganda and hate speech campaign, which she recounts in Putin’s Trolls.

In 2019, the US State Department awarded Jessikka the International Women of Courage Award, but the award was mysteriously rescinded by the Trump administration, allegedly due to her social media criticism of then President Trump. On December 1, 2020, Jessikka Aro received the International Women’s Media Foundation Courage in Journalism Award, presented in partnership with the Washington Post and hosted by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. Jessikka was recognized for her award-winning investigative reporting of Russian information warfare. Jessikka lives in Helsinki, Finland.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, General Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, History & Politics

Putin's USA

Jessikka Aro


2024, Narrative Nonfiction

Putin's World War: Russia's Covert Operations to Destroy the West

Jessikka Aro


2019, General Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, History & Politics

Putin's Trolls

Jessikka Aro

Related news

Bestseller titles from the Ahlback Agency!

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Titles represented by the Ahlback Agency have been on the official bestseller lists of Finland in March 2025!

What Finland Reads is a monthly statistic compiled by the Booksellers’ Association of Finland, which brings together the best-selling literature in Finland. The list includes literature in print form as well as audio and e-books.

 

Dad Man and the Mysterious Puppet Master by Arttu Unkari and Kai Vaalio is included in both All Genres and Children’s and Young Adult lists.

In Finnish literature list you can find Crimson Web by Aamos Honka, which has been one of the most purchased books in Finland since it’s release in January!

Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life by Frank Martela can be found on the most purchased Non-Fiction books list.

Traces by Anna Harju is one of the most purchased print books. Traces has been on the best selling lists since it’s release in January!

Princess Rascal and the Dark Fairy by Elina Hirvonen and Mervi Lindman is one of the most purchased Children’s and Young Adult books in e-book form.

 

Dad Man and the Mysterious Puppet Master

BY ARTTU UNKARI AND KAI VAALIO

The quirkiest cop in town! The Dad Man Series offers fast-paced adventures and humour for all ages – especially lower middle grade.

✓ Bestselling series: over 200,000 copies sold in Finland!

✓ Rights sold to Germany (2 books) and Denmark (2 books)!

✓ Perfect for reluctant readers and for fans of David Walliams and Captain Underpants

✓ All books in the series have been nominated for the Storytel awards Best children’s audiobook prize!

✓ Books in the series have also been recognized with Best Newcomer of the Year 2020, and the Runeberg Prize 2023!

✓ Bold and fresh 4-colour comic-book style artwork that add visual jokes to the narration

✓ Work as standalones and can be read in any order!

The wackiest cop in town is messing up again! A fast-paced adventure full of humor for elementary school readers.

A supervillain calling himself the Mysterious Puppet Master robs the Museum of Ancient Diseases and threatens to unleash deadly germs if the city’s smartest detective doesn’t complete the tasks he’s assigned.

Who else but Dadman rises heroically to the challenge, dragging Oona and the gang back into action. They must solve the Puppet Master’s riddles before it’s too late — and before Dadman ruins everything. Because those tasks? They’re not quite as heroic as Dadman thought..

DOWNLOAD READING MATERIALS HERE

 

Crimson Web

BY AAMOS HONKA

A frighteningly topical debut thriller from an insider in the intelligence world, revealing the hidden heart of secrets ops and hybrid warfare.

Planes collide in London. Electricity and information networks are attacked in Finland. Janne Peura from military intelligence and Laura Vesterinen from the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service track down signs of foreign power operations. When Janne and Laura’s lines cross, they take on major roles in a high stakes international game.

Once you read the book, the news headlines will never look the same to you.

The sequel to Crimson Web, book #2 in the Janne Peura series, is slated to be published in Finland in November 2025.

DOWNLOAD READING MATERIALS HERE

 

Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life

BY FRANK MARTELA

A guide to finding happiness by Finland’s leading happiness expert UK publication on March 20, 2025!

✓  World English rights sold to Allen & Unwin, German rights to Knesebeck, and Finnish rights at auction to Gummerus!

✓ Full English manuscript available!

✓  Frank Martela, PhD, is Finland’s #1 internationally bestselling non-fiction author – his previous title, A Wonderful Life, has been sold to 30 countries!

✓  A unique blend of personal stories and quirky anecdotes combined with deep understanding of the latest psychological research on well-being

✓  Finland has been ranked the happiest country 7 times in a row and Frank Martela has explained the secret to Finnish happiness for Fox News, New York Times, Scientific American and New Scientist.

What if the secret to happiness isn’t finding it—but letting it go?

In a world obsessed with success and self-improvement, the chase for happiness often leaves us feeling lost. The real path to contentment lies in unlearning the habits holding you back: stop obsessing over what others think, stop being so sensitive about your feelings, stop measuring your value by what you have.

In Stop Chasing Happiness, academic and philosopher Frank Martela – hailing from Finland, the world’s happiest country – reveals why our fixation on happiness and achievement is making us miserable. With wisdom rooted in science, philosophy, and personal experience, Martela shows you the path to a life of energized contentment.

Through this transformative book, you’ll discover:

* the courage to free yourself from the pressures of what you should do

* the serenity to accept whatever life throws at you

* the sparkle to energetically pursue whatever you identify as your real values.

Stop the anxious chase. You have already arrived. Start living your own life through accepting the past, enjoying the present, and working towards a better future – it all starts here.

DOWNLOAD READING MATERIALS HERE

Traces

BY ANNA HARJU

“Perfect suspense!” – Max Seeck, New York Times bestselling author

The opening of a gripping crime series set in trendy Tampere. Taro Auramo Series #1

There are secrets whose revelation will have fatal consequences. There is no escaping them, no matter how hard you try. Must one always pay for their mistakes?

A well-liked pharmacist is found murdered at his workplace. Suspicion falls on pharmacist Joanna Vihervuori, the last person to see her boss alive. Joanna insists she is innocent, but the case begins to twist around her in a strange way.

For Tampere Police Detective Inspector Taro Auramo, this murder investigation is the place to prove himself. The white dust on the dead pharmacist’s cheek raises doubts about whether his business is completely clean, and soon nothing will be as it seems.

Psychologically astute and utterly addictive, Traces is the first in the Taro Auramo crime series set in Tampere. Book #2 is slated to be published in 2026 and book #3 in 2027.

DOWNLOAD READING MATERIALS HERE

Princess Rascal and the Dark Fairy

BY ELINA HIRVONEN AND MERVI LINDMAN

A picture book about being scared of the dark

✓ Shows day-to-day challenges of families with children with a lot of warmth and humor

✓ Rights in series sold into 5 languages

Would a crown of courage or a string of pearls with happy things help in the dark?

Beloved Princess Rascal is a little girl with big feelings and magical powers. The popular picture book series continues!

Princess Rascal stays awake all night, because there’s a monster under her bed. No one believes that, but Princess Rascal knows it’s true. She feels that no one else has such big worries and that no one else is even afraid of anything! Somehow this problem has to be solved: could there be something in Princess Rascal’s toy box that could help?

The Princess Rämäpää series by Elina Hirvonen and Mervi Lindman takes the reader on magical adventures that can be found right in the middle of everyday life, as long as you have enough imagination.

DOWNLOAD READING MATERIALS HERE

DAD MAN AND THE MYSTERIOUS PUPPET MASTER
ISÄMIES JA SALAPERÄINEN NUKKEMESTARI
Otava, 2025, 176 pp.

READING MATERIALS:
Finnish pdfs books 1-6
German edition books 1-2
Danish edition book 1
English sample book 4

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
DENMARK: Bogoo (2 books)
GERMANY: Mixtvision (2 books)

 

CRIMSON WEB
PUNAINEN VERKKO
Gummerus, 2025, 489 pp.

READING MATERIALS:
English sample
English synopsis
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Gummerus (orig.)

 

STOP CHASING HAPPINESS: A PESSIMIST’S GUIDE TO A GOOD LIFE
ÄLÄ ETSI ONNEA: EPÄTYYPILLISIÄ ELÄMÄNOHJEITA NYKYIHMISELLE
Allen & Unwin, 2025, 200 pp.

READING MATERIALS:
Full English edition
English chapters

RIGHTS SOLD:
UK: Allen & Unwin (orig.)
FINLAND: Gummerus
GERMANY: Knesebeck
WORLD ENGLISH: Allen & Unwin

 

TRACES
JÄLJET
Tammi, 2025, 382 pp.

READING MATERIALS:
English sample & synopsis
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)

 

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE DARK FAIRY
PRINSESSA RÄMÄPÄÄ JA MÖRKÖTAIKA
Tammi, 2024, 44 pp.

READING MATERIALS:
English sample & synopsis
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)

About author


Aamos Honka

Aamos Honka has been a part of the Finnish intelligence community for over a decade and continues to work for the Finnish government. Drawing from his professional expertise, Aamos crafts gripping and realistic thrillers that delve deep into the high-stakes world of international espionage. He lives with his family in the picturesque Finnish archipelago, where he finds inspiration for his writing. In his free time, Aamos enjoys hunting and ice swimming.

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About author


Anna Harju

Anna Harju (b. 1983) enjoys atmospheric detective stories with a compelling, complex plot. By profession, she is a translator and communication multitasker.

Traces is her debut novel and takes place in Tampere, where Harju is from.

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About author


Arttu Unkari

Arttu Unkari is a teacher from Helsinki and a Master of Education (University of Helsinki, 2015) who majored in ethics and philosophy.  He combines his educational background and experience as a teacher in his books – his stories are anarchist and zany, but at the same time the humour often revolves around profound and intriguing concepts such as honesty, obedience, and morality in ways that speak to children in their own language. His books are enjoyed by adults as well because they contain layers that open up differently to readers of all ages. This is one of the reasons Dad Man is such a great series for the whole family.

As an author Unkari is a Runeberg prize nominee 2023 for the third instalment of the Dadman series: Dad Man and the Horrible Hypnosis (Isämies ja hyytävä hypnoosi, Otava 2022). The Runeberg Prize is a literary prize awarded by the newspaper Uusimaa, the City of Porvoo, the Finnish Writers' Union, the Finnish Critics' Association and the Finland’s-Swedish Writer’s Association. The prize was established in 1986 and it is awarded annually in Porvoo on 5th February, the day when Finland celebrates their national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg.  All of his previous books (Dad Man and the Exploding poop, Dad Man and the Evil Little Brother,  Dad Man and the Horrible Hypnosis and Dad Man and the Impossible Time Warp) have been nominated for best children’s audiobook in the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Finnish Storytel awards. He’s also participated in making a Finnish language schoolbook (Loikka 3, Otava 2022).

Unkari is a sought after inspirational speaker in his home country. He’s visited schools all over Finland advocating for the importance of reading.

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About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author of adults' and children's prose and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

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About author


Frank Martela

Professor Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind, Harvard Business Review, Salon, CNBC and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. His research has been published extensively in numerous academic journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal of Personality, Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy, and Academy of Management Review. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, including invited lectures in universities on five continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He’s been interviewed by the New York Times, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Vice News, Fox News,and Monocle Observer among others. He is Assistant Professor at Aalto University in Finland. Outside of work, Frank is a father to three lovely children, an amateur-level soccer player, with an occasional skiing trip in the winters. He is made in Green Bay, so Packers holds a special place in his heart.

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About author


Kai Vaalio

Kai Vaalio (b. 1986) is an illustrator, comic artist, and a bit of a cosmopolitan as well. He’s written and illustrated underground comic books for adults about his travels in South-East Asia and Latin America — the latter won Mondo magazine’s Travel book of the year award back in 2014. Recently he’s ventured into the world of illustrating children’s books mainly with Arttu Unkari’s Dad Man Series. Together they’ve made several books about this goofy detective and his clever little posse. The Dad Man Series has received Storytel Awards and Runeberg Junior 2023 award nominations. Vaalio’s been on and off in the graphic industry since 2005 when he graduated as a graphic designer from Lahti College of Arts and Crafts. In 2018 he got his bachelor’s degree from Lahti University of Applied Science.

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Jennifer De Paola interview on BBC

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We were thrilled to see that our author Jennifer De Paola was interviewed about the World Happiness Report on BBC World News. Watch the interview here.

In her forthcoming book, The Happiness Puzzle, she explores the paradox of Finland – how can a nation of quiet, introverted people who keep their emotions in check be the happiest in the world?

We are currently selling the world rights. An English book proposal and English sample chapters are available.

Download the English materials for THE HAPPINESS PUZZLE here!

The Happiness Puzzle

Jennifer De Paola

The starting point in The Happiness Puzzle is the paradox of Finland: how can a nation of quiet and somewhat introverted people who tend to keep their emotions in check be the happiest nation on Earth? Perhaps it’s not just a question of being contented, satisfied with your life? This is what clinical psychologist and researcher Jennifer De Paola, PhD, sets out to do.

The Happiness Puzzle bridges the gap between academic research and everyday life, making complex psychological insights accessible to a broad audience and relying on years of empirical research. Dr De Paola’s research includes 70 in-depth conversations with ordinary Finns, offering an unparalleled glimpse into how happiness is actually lived and experienced in the so-called happiest country in the world. This is not just a book about theories – it is a book about real people, real struggles, and real happiness.

THE HAPPINESS PUZZLE publication info:

Reading materials: English book proposal and sample chapters for the book.

Rights sold: World rights available

About author


Jennifer De Paola

Jennifer De Paola, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and researcher with a fascination for how ordinary people understand life’s biggest questions. Her research on happiness—particularly its cultural aspect in Finland—has been published in top social sciences journals like Public Understanding of Science, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, and Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science. Along the way, her research has sparked conversations on international platforms, including interviews on BBC TV and Business Insider.

Jennifer divides her time between research at the University of Eastern Finland and clinical practice in the private sector. But what truly drives her is listening to people’s stories—whether in the therapy room, in an interview, or over a cup of coffee. Currently, her work focuses on immigrants in Finland and how they imagine their futures, a topic that resonates deeply with her as an immigrant herself. In Helsinki, she also provides psychological support to the English-speaking community drawing from evidence-based and scientifically supported therapeutic approaches such as Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Despite having lived in Finland for 15 years, a part of her is still the child from rural southern Italy. Her happiest moments? Passing on little pieces of that heritage to her two-year-old Finnish-Italian son—through museums, library visits, and long hikes where she teaches him Italian words and he sneaks in Finnish and English ones.

Read more

Bibliography


2025, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Happiness Puzzle

Jennifer De Paola

Related news

A SHORT HISTORY OF ETERNAL LIFE by Tiina Raevaara sold to De Bezige Bij in the Netherlands!

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We are thrilled to announce that the Dutch rights to Tiina Raevaara’s A SHORT HISTORY OF ETERNAL LIFE have been sold to De Bezige Bij. The deal was closed by Martti Berner at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

De Bezige Bij is renowned for their list of both upmarket – momentous, interesting and literary – non-fiction and high standard fiction, consisting of promising debutants and a large number of the most well-known and praised Dutch, Flemish and international authors. Their non-fiction list can be described as engaging, refreshing, influential and meaningful.

“This is a fascinating and witty combination of history, science, and philosophy, that invites us to think deeper about mortality.” – Mariska Kortie, Editor Non-Fiction, De Bezige Bij

A SHORT HISTORY OF ETERNAL LIFE is a narrative non-fiction title by the award-winning popular science author for fans of Yuval Noah Harari and Rutger Bregman. The book was awarded the 2024 Nonfiction Jury Award by the Association of Finnish Nonfiction Writers.

Would you like to find out more about this title? We have an English sample for you to read!

Rights are available in the UK, US, Nordics, Poland, Czechia, France, Italy, Asian territories…

Click here to download all materials for A SHORT HISTORY OF ETERNAL LIFE!

About A SHORT HISTORY OF ETERNAL LIFE:

Science is developing at an even faster pace, and people are living longer and longer. With what methods has humanity over time fought against aging and death, and what methods will be used in the future?

Tiina Raevaara’s book weaves together the beginnings of scientific history, vampire stories, as well as the discoveries of stem cell treatment and gene editing. It dives into the cryotank and asks whether the vision of a lengthy life is still worth pursuing. If humanity accepted that they are part of all things organic – both living and dead – could we finally get rid of all the exhaustion, anxiety and need to rush?

 

Publication Info:
Ikuisen elämän lyhyt historia, Otava/Like 2024, 318 p.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava/Like (orig.)
NETHERLANDS: Uitgeverij De Bezige Bij

Reading Material:
English sample & synopsis, Finnish edition

About author


Tiina Raevaara

Tiina Raevaara (b. 1979) is a writer, science journalist, and biologist who received a PhD for her work in genetics. She received the State Award for Public Information and the Pro Scientia Prize from the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. She has published ten novels, five non-fiction books, and a novella collection which was awarded the Runeberg Prize. Her suspense novel Double Helix (2020), the opening chapter of a new thriller series, received the Laurin Kirja audio book award, and the second installment in the series, Polar Vortex (2021), has been widely praised.

Raevaara’s books combine grand perspectives of natural science with compelling literary expression. She draws inspiration from Nordic nature, the major questions of science, and the complexities of humanity.

Raevaara lives in Kerava, a small town in Southern Finland, and goes on daily walks in the forest with her two black dogs.

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Bibliography


2024, Narrative Nonfiction

A Short History of Eternal Life

Tiina Raevaara


2022, General Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction

Me, My Dog, and Humanity: A History of Coexistence Between Species

Tiina Raevaara

Related news

8th year in the row – Finland is the happiest country in the world!

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We are thrilled to hear that Finland is the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year, according to the World Happiness Report of 2025!

You can read CNN’s coverage of the latest results here: These are the world’s happiest countries in 2025 | CNN

The report itself can be accessed here: World Happiness Report 2025

We are not shy to share the secrets of our happiness and well-being with others! What a perfect time to acquire rights for books that teach and give insights about our happiness!

The starting point in  The Happiness Puzzle is the paradox of Finland: how can a nation of quiet and somewhat introverted people who tend to keep their emotions in check be the happiest nation on Earth? Perhaps it’s not just a question of being contented, satisfied with your life? This is what clinical psychologist and researcher Jennifer De Paola, PhD, sets out to do.

The Happiness Puzzle bridges the gap between academic research and everyday life, making complex psychological insights accessible to a broad audience and relying on years of empirical research. Dr De Paola’s research includes 70 in-depth conversations with ordinary Finns, offering an unparalleled glimpse into how happiness is actually lived and experienced in the so-called happiest country in the world. This is not just a book about theories – it is a book about real people, real struggles, and real happiness.

All rights are currently available. We are looking for an English language original publisher and selling world rights.  As reading materials, we have an English book proposal and sample chapters for the book.

Despite having lived in Finland for 15 years, a part of her is still the child from rural southern Italy. Her happiest moments? Passing on little pieces of that heritage to her two-year-old Finnish-Italian son—through museums, library visits, and long hikes where she teaches him Italian words and he sneaks in Finnish and English ones.

– Jennifer De Paola

Request the materials for The Happiness Puzzle here.

Professor Frank Martela, one of the leading researchers of happiness and meaning in life, has been sharing his insights about the secret to Finnish happiness for media ranging from  CNBC, Fox News and New York Times to Scientific American and New Scientist.  His latest book Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life, is published in the UK today by Allen & Unwin. 

In Stop Chasing Happiness, Frank Martela sets out to show that the true secret to happiness is to stop trying to find it. Instead of trying to learn new tricks, it’s better to unlearn the ways of thinking that are holding you back. Instead of chasing happiness, one should stop obsessing about what others think about them, stop caring too much about how they feel, and stop making sacrifices for personal success.

Relying on latest scientific research, ancient traditions, and the author’s personal encounters with people across the world, Frank Martela shows that living with purpose and contentment is much more beneficial than striving to be happy.

Rights have been sold in Finland and UK & US, and also in Germany, where Knesebeck will publish the book later this year. We have the full English Edition for you to read. Rights are still available for France, Sweden, Italy, Korea, Hungary, etc! 

As a Finn living in the UK, one of the questions I’m most often asked is “why are Finnish people so happy?” – and now I have an answer to give in the form of Frank’s wonderful book! I’m beyond excited to be bringing Frank’s wit and insight on happiness and life satisfaction to an English-speaking audience, and for Frank to have found the perfect home at Allen & Unwin.

– Erika Koljonen, Editor, Allen & Unwin

Request the materials for Stop Chasing Happiness here!

One of the most important ways for the Finns to boost their physical and mental well-being is the hot and cold contrast therapy – pairing a good steam in a sauna with an icy dip in a lake or the sea.

You can learn more about the Finnish hot and cold method from Katja Pantzar and Carita Harju‘s non-fiction title The Power of Hot and Cold: From Sauna to Sea: The Finnish Way to a Happy, Healthy Life. The book was published in the United Kingdom in November 2024  by Hodder & Stoughton and is  slated to be published in Germany in the Fall of 2025 by Heyne. We have full English edition for your reading.  Rights are still available for Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Japan, Poland, etc! 

What a wonderful, powerful book! The Power of Hot and Cold by Katja Pantzar and Carita Harju summarises in a very fresh, informative and cheerful way the positive holistic effects that sauna and a bath in cold water have on body, mind and soul. A promising trend that is also becoming increasingly popular in Germany.

– Berit Hoffman, Editor, Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH

Request the materials for The Power of Hot and Cold here!

 

The Happiness Puzzle

Jennifer De Paola

The starting point in The Happiness Puzzle is the paradox of Finland: how can a nation of quiet and somewhat introverted people who tend to keep their emotions in check be the happiest nation on Earth? Perhaps it’s not just a question of being contented, satisfied with your life? This is what clinical psychologist and researcher Jennifer De Paola, PhD, sets out to do.

The Happiness Puzzle bridges the gap between academic research and everyday life, making complex psychological insights accessible to a broad audience and relying on years of empirical research. Dr De Paola’s research includes 70 in-depth conversations with ordinary Finns, offering an unparalleled glimpse into how happiness is actually lived and experienced in the so-called happiest country in the world. This is not just a book about theories – it is a book about real people, real struggles, and real happiness.

Stop Chasing Happiness

Frank Martela

What if the secret to happiness isn’t finding it—but letting it go?

In a world obsessed with success and self-improvement, the chase for happiness often leaves us feeling lost. The real path to contentment lies in unlearning the habits holding you back: stop obsessing over what others think, stop being so sensitive about your feelings, stop measuring your value by what you have.

In Stop Chasing Happiness, academic and philosopher Frank Martela – hailing from Finland, the world’s happiest country – reveals why our fixation on happiness and achievement is making us miserable. With wisdom rooted in science, philosophy, and personal experience, Martela shows you the path to a life of energized contentment.

Through this transformative book, you’ll discover:

* the courage to free yourself from the pressures of what you should do

* the serenity to accept whatever life throws at you

* the sparkle to energetically pursue whatever you identify as your real values.

Stop the anxious chase. You have already arrived. Start living your own life through accepting the past, enjoying the present, and working towards a better future – it all starts here.

The Power of Hot and Cold

Katja Pantzar and Carita Harju

Step into the world of hot and cold, where contrast therapy – pairing a good steam in a sauna with an icy dip in a lake or the sea – is an essential part of life in Finland. More than a trending pastime, the traditional Finnish practice of alternating hot and cold has a range of health benefits that boost mental and physical wellbeing, which greatly contribute to happiness. It’s also a large part of the reason Finland has been named the World’s Happiest Country for the seventh year in a row.

This definitive guide by two experts takes readers on a journey into the transformative powers of hot and cold by pairing the sauna, that quintessential hot Finnish steam bath, with a cold-water dip. Along the way, it serves up the inspiration and practical tools for creating a wellness retreat using the Nordic contrast bathing philosophy, wherever you are in the world.

The Finnish hot and cold method boosts happiness by increasing wellbeing and encouraging connection with nature. It’s the secret to how the world’s happiest nation keeps calm and carries on – no matter what life throws at them. Now you too can learn their secrets.

THE HAPPINESS PUZZLE

Reading materials: English book proposal and sample chapters for the book.

Rights sold: World rights available


STOP CHASING HAPPINESS: A PESSIMIST’S GUIDE TO A GOOD LIFE
Allen & Unwin, 2025, 215 pp.
Reading materials: English edition

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Gummerus, GERMANY: Knesebeck, UK & US: Allen & Unwin


POWER FROM HOT AND COLD: FROM SAUNA TO SEA: HE FINNISH WAY TO A HAPPY HEALTHY LIFE 
Yellow Kite / Hodder & Stoughton, 2024, 192 pp.

Reading materials: English edition

Rights sold:WORLD ENGLISH: Yellow Kite / Hodder & Stoughton (orig.), GERMANY: Heyne Verlag/Pengun Random House Verlagsgruppe

About author


Carita Harju

Carita Harju is a Finnish sauna experience expert and marketing professional whose mission is to share the Finnish sauna’s positive health and wellness benefits with the world. She is the founder and executive director of Sauna from Finland, which represents an international network of more than 200 sauna industry companies. The organization’s mission is to create the world’s best sauna experiences, and Harju loves her work, because it allows her to advance an idea that she is personally so passionate about. Carita Harju has always enjoyed saunas, goes to sauna with her family nearly every day and gives talks all over the world.

Her first illustrated guide, Sauna - The Way of Finnish Life (2016), has been published in four languages, including German and Chinese. Her second book, Soul of the Sauna, was released in Japanese and Hungarian, while her newest title Saunafulness (Hyvää oloa saunomalla, 2021) has been sold to 4 territories.

Read more Author's page

About author


Frank Martela

Professor Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind, Harvard Business Review, Salon, CNBC and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. His research has been published extensively in numerous academic journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal of Personality, Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy, and Academy of Management Review. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, including invited lectures in universities on five continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He’s been interviewed by the New York Times, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Vice News, Fox News,and Monocle Observer among others. He is Assistant Professor at Aalto University in Finland. Outside of work, Frank is a father to three lovely children, an amateur-level soccer player, with an occasional skiing trip in the winters. He is made in Green Bay, so Packers holds a special place in his heart.

Read more Author's page

About author


Jennifer De Paola

Jennifer De Paola, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and researcher with a fascination for how ordinary people understand life’s biggest questions. Her research on happiness—particularly its cultural aspect in Finland—has been published in top social sciences journals like Public Understanding of Science, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, and Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science. Along the way, her research has sparked conversations on international platforms, including interviews on BBC TV and Business Insider.

Jennifer divides her time between research at the University of Eastern Finland and clinical practice in the private sector. But what truly drives her is listening to people’s stories—whether in the therapy room, in an interview, or over a cup of coffee. Currently, her work focuses on immigrants in Finland and how they imagine their futures, a topic that resonates deeply with her as an immigrant herself. In Helsinki, she also provides psychological support to the English-speaking community drawing from evidence-based and scientifically supported therapeutic approaches such as Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Despite having lived in Finland for 15 years, a part of her is still the child from rural southern Italy. Her happiest moments? Passing on little pieces of that heritage to her two-year-old Finnish-Italian son—through museums, library visits, and long hikes where she teaches him Italian words and he sneaks in Finnish and English ones.

Read more

About author


Katja Pantzar

Katja Pantzar –  Katja Pantzar is a Helsinki-based writer and journalist who swims in the Baltic Sea year round. Raised in Canada, with stints in New Zealand and England, she is the author of The Finnish Way (Penguin Random House/2018), a bestselling non-fiction book about Nordic well-being, winter swimming and sisu (resilience) that has been translated into 24 languages. Her second book on sisu, Everyday Sisu: Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life (Penguin Random House/2022) explores through expert interviews and research-based information how we can better support our mental and physical health while taking care of each other and our planet. Everyday Sisu has also been published in Japanese, Thai, and Indonesian. Pantzar’s work has been widely covered around the world in media ranging from Le Figaro, Le Monde, and El Paísto Vogue the Washington Post and the New York Review of Books. . She is also the author of three mini-guides to the Finnish capital, including 100 things to do in Helsinki (Siltala/2024).

Read more Author's page

Publication of Stop Chasing Happiness by Frank Martela in the UK and Finland!

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We are excited to let you know that Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life, the latest non-fiction title by Frank Martela, PhD, has been published in Finland and will be published tomorrow in the United Kingdom!

The Finnish edition of Stop Chasing Happiness was published by Gummerus on March 8th and was accompanied with a wide range of events: Frank Martela was interviewed in the Kulttuuricocktail culture program of Finnish national broadcaster YLE, he discussed the book in the Akateeminen Kirjakauppa bookstore, and the publication event itself took place at the Musiikkitalo concert hall and featured a lecture by Frank Martela.

The English edition of Stop Chasing Happiness will be published tomorrow in the United Kingdom by Allen & Unwin.

In Stop Chasing Happiness, Frank Martela sets out to show that the true secret to happiness is to stop trying to find it. Instead of trying to learn new tricks, it’s better to unlearn the ways of thinking that are holding you back. Instead of chasing happiness, one should stop obsessing about what others think about them, stop caring too much about how they feel, and stop making sacrifices for personal success.

Relying on latest scientific research, ancient traditions, and the author’s personal encounters with people across the world, Frank Martela shows that living with purpose and contentment is much more beneficial than striving to be happy.

“As a Finn living in the UK, one of the questions I’m most often asked is “why are Finnish people so happy?” – and now I have an answer to give in the form of Frank’s wonderful book! I’m beyond excited to be bringing Frank’s wit and insight on happiness and life satisfaction to an English-speaking audience, and for Frank to have found the perfect home at Allen & Unwin.”
 – Erika Koljonen, Non-Fiction Editor, Allen & Unwin, UK

Download materials for STOP CHASING HAPPINESS here!

Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life

Frank Martela

What if the secret to happiness isn’t finding it—but letting it go?

In a world obsessed with success and self-improvement, the chase for happiness often leaves us feeling lost. The real path to contentment lies in unlearning the habits holding you back: stop obsessing over what others think, stop being so sensitive about your feelings, stop measuring your value by what you have.

In Stop Chasing Happiness, academic and philosopher Frank Martela – hailing from Finland, the world’s happiest country – reveals why our fixation on happiness and achievement is making us miserable. With wisdom rooted in science, philosophy, and personal experience, Martela shows you the path to a life of energized contentment.

In this transformative book, you’ll discover:

* the courage to free yourself from the pressures of what you should do

* the serenity to accept whatever life throws at you

* the sparkle to energetically pursue whatever you identify as your real values.

Stop the anxious chase. You have already arrived. Start living your own life through accepting the past, enjoying the present, and working towards a better future – it all starts here.

STOP CHASING HAPPINESS: A PESSIMIST’S GUIDE TO A GOOD LIFE
Allen & Unwin, 2025, 215 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Gummerus
GERMANY: Knesebeck
UK & US: Allen & Unwin

About author


Frank Martela

Professor Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind, Harvard Business Review, Salon, CNBC and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. His research has been published extensively in numerous academic journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal of Personality, Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy, and Academy of Management Review. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, including invited lectures in universities on five continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He’s been interviewed by the New York Times, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Vice News, Fox News,and Monocle Observer among others. He is Assistant Professor at Aalto University in Finland. Outside of work, Frank is a father to three lovely children, an amateur-level soccer player, with an occasional skiing trip in the winters. He is made in Green Bay, so Packers holds a special place in his heart.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life

Frank Martela


2023, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Meaning Manifesto: Why Work Needs to Have a Purpose

Frank Martela


2020, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

A Wonderful Life: Insights on Finding a Meaningful Existence

Frank Martela

Related news

By the Seashore by Sanna Nyqvist sold to Ukraine!

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We are happy to let you know that the Ukrainian rights for Sanna Nyqvist‘s Finlandia Prize-nominated non-fiction title By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea have been acquired by Laboratoria! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency. Rights were recently sold to mareverlag in Germany and Rahva Raamat in Estonia.

By the Seashore is a captivating and immersive account of how five literary authors – Jane Austen, August Strindberg, Marcel Proust, Virginia Woolf, and Tove Jansson – found the sea and the seashore and how these experiences affected them and their writing. In addition to detailing the authors’ own relationship to the sea and the seashore, Sanna Nyqvist also shows how these landscapes have changed since and how they form a shared cultural heritage that we should cherish and preserve.

By the Seashore was one of the most acclaimed Finnish non-fiction titles of 2024. It was nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize in Non-Fiction, it received the Lauri Jäntti Prize Honorary Award of 2024, and it was selected as one of the 10 best non-fiction titles of 2024 by Suomen Kuvalehti magazine.

With this latest sale, the rights for By the Seashore have now been sold to 4 territories!
Rights are available in many territories, e.g., United States, France, United Kingdom, Poland, Sweden, Netherlands…

Download materials for BY THE SEASHORE here!

By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea

Sanna Nyqvist

Follow Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Tove Jansson and other classic writers to the beach and experience the landscape through the eyes of a writer.

By the Seashore is a fascinating journey through salt-scented cultural history and to the authors’ favourite beaches. Jane Austen adventured along the south coast of England, Marcel Proust returned year after year to the shimmering light of Normandy, and Tove Jansson created her own paradise on an island in the Gulf of Finland. The magic of the beaches is part of our shared experience and our relationship with nature. But how long will we be able to experience our beloved beaches as they are now? This was already being pondered by August Strindberg in the late 19th century, when industry and tourism were shaping the Stockholm archipelago.

By the Seashore is a gripping and surprising account of why beaches have become landscapes of emotion, safe havens as well as islands of adventure.

BY THE SEASHORE: HOW WRITERS DISCOVERED THE SEA
RANNALLA. MITEN KIRJAILIJAT LÖYSIVÄT MEREN
Tammi, 2024, 283 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English sample
English summary
Author’s vision
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ESTONIA: Rahva Raamat
GERMANY: mareverlag
UKRAINE: Laboratoria

About author


Sanna Nyqvist

Sanna Nyqvist is a literary scholar, author and columnist. She holds a Ph.D in Comparative Literature from the University of Helsinki and has published academic articles and books on imitation and authorship as well as on the lure of the sea. Passionate about the power of literature to transform our lives, she teaches literary analysis to engineering students at the Aalto University and writes columns in the literary magazine Parnasso that open new, often surprising perspectives to classical and contemporary literature.

She has written three nonfiction books on literature for a wider audience, all of which have elicited praise from reviewers and readers. Her latest book, By the Seashore, was nominated for the Finlandia Prize in the nonfiction category and received 2024 Lauri Jäntti Prize Honorary Award.

Sanna Nyqvist lives in Helsinki and, as soon as the sea ice releases its hold in the spring, heads for her beloved island in the archipelago of the Gulf of Finland.

Read more

Bibliography


2024, Narrative Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea

Sanna Nyqvist

Related news

By the Seashore by Sanna Nyqvist sold to Estonia!

Posted on

We are thrilled to let you know that the Estonian rights for Sanna Nyqvist‘s non-fiction book By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea, have been acquired by Rahva Raamat! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Originally published in Finland in April 2024, By the Seashore quickly became one of the most outstanding Finnish non-fiction titles of 2024. It was nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize in Non-Fiction, it received the Lauri Jäntti Prize Honorary Award of 2024, and it was selected as one of the 10 best non-fiction titles of 2024 by Suomen Kuvalehti magazine.

Download materials for BY THE SEASHORE here!

By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea

Sanna Nyqvist

Follow Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Tove Jansson and other classic writers to the beach and experience the landscape through the eyes of a writer.

By the Seashore is a fascinating journey through salt-scented cultural history and to the authors’ favourite beaches. Jane Austen adventured along the south coast of England, Marcel Proust returned year after year to the shimmering light of Normandy, and Tove Jansson created her own paradise on an island in the Gulf of Finland. The magic of the beaches is part of our shared experience and our relationship with nature. But how long will we be able to experience our beloved beaches as they are now? This was already being pondered by August Strindberg in the late 19th century, when industry and tourism were shaping the Stockholm archipelago.

By the Seashore is a gripping and surprising account of why beaches have become landscapes of emotion, safe havens as well as islands of adventure.

BY THE SEASHORE: HOW WRITERS DISCOVERED THE SEA
RANNALLA. MITEN KIRJAILIJAT LÖYSIVÄT MEREN
Tammi, 2024, 283 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English sample
English summary
Author’s vision
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ESTONIA: Rahva Raamat
GERMANY: mareverlag

About author


Sanna Nyqvist

Sanna Nyqvist is a literary scholar, author and columnist. She holds a Ph.D in Comparative Literature from the University of Helsinki and has published academic articles and books on imitation and authorship as well as on the lure of the sea. Passionate about the power of literature to transform our lives, she teaches literary analysis to engineering students at the Aalto University and writes columns in the literary magazine Parnasso that open new, often surprising perspectives to classical and contemporary literature.

She has written three nonfiction books on literature for a wider audience, all of which have elicited praise from reviewers and readers. Her latest book, By the Seashore, was nominated for the Finlandia Prize in the nonfiction category and received 2024 Lauri Jäntti Prize Honorary Award.

Sanna Nyqvist lives in Helsinki and, as soon as the sea ice releases its hold in the spring, heads for her beloved island in the archipelago of the Gulf of Finland.

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Bibliography


2024, Narrative Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea

Sanna Nyqvist

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Introducing Ahlback Agency SPRING 2025 NON-FICTION Catalogue

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We are happy to introduce our Spring 2025 Non-Fiction Catalogue!

Our new titles include By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea by Sanna Nyqvist, The Happiness Puzzle by Jennifer De Paola and Sacred Trees by Reetta Ranta!

CHECK OUT THE SPRING 2025 NON-FICTION CATALOGUE HERE

 

By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea by Sanna Nyqvist

Follow Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Tove Jansson and other classic writers to the beach and experience the landscape through the eyes of a writer.

✓ 2024 Finlandia Nominee in Non-fiction
✓ 2024 Lauri Jäntti Prize Honorary Award!
✓ One of the ten best nonfiction books of 2024 – Suomen Kuvalehti
✓ Rights sold to mareverlag in Germany in pre-empt!
✓ The book has inspired readers to take sailing trips to the Stockholm archipelago and other captivating landscapes.
✓ Thematically, combining place and culture, drawing comparisons to the books of Mia Kankimäki, Dorthe Nors and Nina Burton.

By the Seashore is a fascinating journey through salt-scented cultural history and to the authors’ favourite beaches. Jane Austen adventured along the south coast of England, Marcel Proust returned year after year to the shimmering light of Normandy, and Tove Jansson created her own paradise on an island in the Gulf of Finland. The magic of the beaches is part of our shared experience and our relationship with nature. But how long will we be able to experience our beloved beaches as they are now? This was already being pondered by August Strindberg in the late 19th century, when industry and tourism were shaping the Stockholm archipelago.

By the Seashore is a gripping and surprising account of why beaches have become landscapes of emotion, safe havens as well as  islands of adventure.

The Happiness Puzzle by Jennifer De Paola

This book takes you on a journey through real stories and the author’s own academic research to explore how ordinary people understand happiness, revealing that the key to a happier life lies in embracing the complexity of happiness with flexibility and compassion, rather than relying on simplistic, one-size-fits-all solutions.

✓ English book proposal with chapter samples available!
✓ An innovative and unique take on the happiness paradox by researcher, PhD. Jennifer De Paola

Finns are known for their quiet, reserved nature and their tendency to keep emotions in check, don’t exactly fit the traditional image of a “happy” nation. They don’t smile on command or express emotions as openly as people in other countries might. And yet, Finland continues to top the happiness rankings year after year.

This paradox is where the story begins. Building on Finland’s paradoxical position in the World Happiness Report, this book reveals the limitations of defining happiness purely as life satisfaction (contentment). Adopting a fresh perspective, it suggests a fuller, more nuanced understanding of happiness — one that begins with how ordinary people define and experience it. By exploring how ordinary people in Finland describe their own happiness, the book paints a picture that goes beyond the simple contentment, highlighting the skills needed to navigate three essential dimensions of happiness: emotions, contentment and meaning.

Think of happiness as a kaleidoscope. When you shake it, the small colorful pieces get all mixed up, and the three mirrors inside it create beautiful patterns through multiple reflections. Now think of Emotions, Contentment and Meaning as those three mirrors.

Just like in a kaleidoscope, these three parts reflect off each other, creating a mesmerizing masterpiece. When one of the parts shifts — you experience a powerful emotion, notice your contentment or engage in a meaningful activity — the whole picture transforms.

Through a blend of cutting-edge happiness studies, personal anecdotes, and actionable advice drawn from reliable, science-backed therapeutic practices, Happiness is this is both a framework and a practical guide. It challenges the narrow, one-dimensional views of happiness that often suggest it’s about finding grand, life-altering purpose, revealing instead that embracing contradictions may be the key to a richer, more resilient sense of well-being. The book also tackles the common idea in happiness research that chasing small pleasures is misguided, showing how emotions play a crucial role and why seeking happiness is not always wrong. This book introduces a simple yet profound framework for understanding happiness based on three aspects:

· Emotions: signal what brings joy into our lives and alert us to what may harm our well-being

· Contentment: provides a sense of calm and satisfaction with what we have, helping us appreciate the present moment

· Meaning: gives our lives purpose and direction

Happiness isn’t a goal or destination — it’s a skill. It’s about developing the flexibility to remain open and compassionate to your thoughts and feelings, even when they’re tough, and to adjust your actions when needed. It means being able to cope with challenges, bounce back from setbacks, and live in a way that reflects what’s truly important to you, leading to a happier life. Through De Paola’s journey in Finland, and with a blend of psychology research and cultural insights drawn from interviews with 70 ordinary Finns, Happiness is this seeks to challenge the conventional wisdom on happiness. It’s not about a one-size-fits-all formula. Rather, happiness is this: embracing the complexity and contradictions that exist in all of us with compassion — and learning to adapt across three key dimensions: emotions, contentment and meaning.

Sacred Trees by Reetta Ranta

Sacred Trees invites readers on a journey to discover the stories, rituals, and wisdom entwined with trees in Finnish history and mythology.

✓ Aimed at readers interested in folklore, Nordic and Scandi mythology, and nature’s spiritual aspects
✓ Appeals to those seeking to connect with their roots and find inspiration in diverse and global ancient wisdom, as well as modern audiences drawn to the growing movement of forest therapy, mindfulness, and ecological spirituality

Sacred Trees is a deeply personal and culturally rich exploration of a people’s ancient connection with trees and the spiritual significance they held in Finnish and Karelian traditions. The book uncovers the vibrant traditions of tree worship, many of which persisted into the 20th century; the relationships people held with sacred groves, and offering trees (pitämyspuu), which were woven into daily life. Women played a central role in these practices, tending sacred trees through rituals that fostered the spiritual connection between nature and humanity, making such offerings as tastes of the first harvest, bounty from foraging and hunting, or a mother’s breast milk.

The book also delves into the significance of memorial trees (karsikkopuu) and bear skull pines (karhunkallohonka), which held a central role in hunting magic and honoring the deceased. Readers will learn how these traditions honored nature spirits, ancestors, and life cycles through rituals, offerings, and festivals such as Kekri, the Finnish harvest celebration.

In addition to exploring historical and mythological aspects, Sacred Trees highlights the enduring magic of trees in modern life. Drawing from primary sources from the Finnish Literature Society archives (1700s to 1960s), modern science and wellbeing research, and first-person interviews of people’s current-day relationship with trees, the book is a multidimensional invitation to readers to reconnect with nature.

By the Seashore: How Writers Discovered the Sea
Sanna Nyqvist

Orig. publication
RANNALLA: MITEN KIRJAILIJAT LÖYSIVÄT MEREN
Tammi, 2024, 283 pp.

Reading material:
Finnish edition
English sample
English summary
Author’s vision

 

The Happiness Puzzle
Jennifer De Paola

All rights available

Reading material:
English book proposal & sample chapters

 

Sacred Trees
Reetta Ranta

Orig. publication
PYHÄT PUUT
SKS, 2025, 160 pp.

Reading material:
English sample & synopsis
Finnish edition