Non-Fiction

I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER sold to Sweden!

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We are happy to announce that the Swedish rights for the non-fiction title I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER by Tero Mielonen and Mari Ahokoivu have been acquired by Swedish publisher Epix! The deal was closed by Anna Kappauf at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Previously sold to Bulgaria and Latvia, I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER shows children how they can turn their interests into careers in science and research, proofing that everyone can be a scientist!

Praise for I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER:

“I’ll Become a Researcher tells you the basics of every discipline with accuracy and precision. Even If a preschooler will not understand all words, the excellent illustrations can help bring the research equipment and objects of investigation to life.  The presentation was also approved by my 12-year-old son, who is a little older than the target group. The comic in the end of the book gets a special commendation. Clear demonstration, I liked it!”
– Elina Lindfors, Tähdet ja Avaruus -magazine, Finland

We have a full English pdf for you to read and the rights are still available in UK, US, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Korea etc!

Download the full English pdf for I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER here!

 

Maailman tutkijat
Ursa, 2021, 53pp

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Ursa (orig.)
BULGARIA: Enthusiast
LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji
SWEDEN: Epix

Reading materials:
Full English pdf

About author


Mari Ahokoivu

Mari Ahokoivu is a Finnish illustrator and a comics artist. She’s been drawing professionally for over 10 years, mainly drawing graphic novels and comics for children, including Sanni & Joonas and Lola Olifante. Ahokoivu loves everything cute and scary. She lives and works in Copenhagen. Mari Ahokoivu has illustrated WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO which was nominated for the 2021 Finlandia Award and has also won the Tieto-Lauri award!

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About author


Tero Mielonen

Tero Mielonen (PhD) is an atmospheric scientist and a comic book enthusiast. He studies the role of atmospheric aerosols in climate change at the Finnish Meteorological Institute. He also enjoys public outreach in its various forms.

Mielonen has written a children’s book, I'll Become a Researcher (illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu) which gives introductions to several scientific fields and shows how you can still do the things you enjoyed as a child when you become a scientist. Mielonen lives in Kuopio and is partial to cycling everywhere.

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Rockefellers, Windsors, Toyodas – THE 50 MOST DANGEROUS FAMILIES IN THE WORLD by Hannu Sokala published this week!

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We are thrilled to let you know that THE 50 MOST DANGEROUS FAMILIES IN THE WORLD by Hannu Sokala will be published in Finland this week by Otava/Nemo!

Many of the most important big companies around the world are still owned or controlled by their founding families. However, despite wielding significant economic and political power, these families would rather like to remain away from the limelight. What kinds of challenges might these families present for equality and democracy?

In THE 50 MOST DANGEROUS FAMILIES IN THE WORLD, investigative journalist Hannu Sokala presents a unique insight into the possessions of 50 different families all over the world. The reader might already be familiar with the Rockefellers, the al-Sauds, the Windsors and the Toyodas, but many others, including the Quandts, the Safras, and the al-Nahyans, remain mostly unknown. Hannu Sokala’s book reads like a thriller novel and reveals the twists and turns in the history of these absurdly wealthy and powerful families.

THE 50 MOST DANGEROUS FAMILIES IN THE WORLD is an independent sequel to THE 50 MOST DANGEROUS COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, written by Hannu Sokala and Juha-Pekka Raeste and originally published in Finland in 2021, which has been sold to 8 territories!

As reading materials, we now have the full Finnish manuscript and English sample chapters available.

Download materials for THE 50 MOST DANGEROUS FAMILIES IN THE WORLD here!

The 50 Most Dangerous Families in the World

Hannu Sokala

They like to stay in the shadows. Who are the families that wield the most power in the world?

Worse than the Roys
Did you think the Roy family in Succession was distressing? Truth is stranger than fiction. Read about the real-life Roys, the Murdoch family.

How did the BMW owners get rich?
The main owner of the German automaker are the Quandt family. They made their first fortune by supplying the German army with uniforms during World War 1. In the 1930s, they started to collaborate with the Nazis.

What is the greatest ever fortune squandered?
Cornelius Vanderbilt amassed the largest American fortune in the world in the 19th Century. His offspring demolished their fortune by building grand mansions and throwing opulent jet-set parties.

The stories of the families in this book contain larger-than-life characters, unbelievable plots, and numerous conflicts, tragedies, and successes. This non-fiction book by the experienced business journalist Hannu Sokala offers a comprehensive and surprising perspective on the world’s most important – and dangerous families.

THE 50 MOST DANGEROUS FAMILIES IN THE WORLD
MAAILMAN 50 VAARALLISINTA SUKUA
Otava/Nemo, 2023, 428 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English sample chapters
Table of contents

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Otava/Nemo (orig.)

About author


Hannu Sokala

Hannu Sokala works as an investigative reporter for YLE, the Finnish Broadcasting Company. His work covers e.g. international finance and macroeconomics.

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Bibliography


2023, General Nonfiction

The 50 Most Dangerous Families in the World

Hannu Sokala

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GENTLE POWER is conquering the world: Rights sold in Latvia, US, China and Thailand!

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We are thrilled to announce that the Latvian rights for GENTLE POWER: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead, and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu by Emilia Elisabet Lahti, PhD, have been acquired by Zvaigzne ABC! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency. Originally published in the US in January 2023 by Sounds True, the title has also been sold to China to Cheers Publishing, and Thailand to Amarin.

Life is an ultramarathon. The best path is to access your sisu and keep your heart open. Author, and founder of Sisu Lab and Gentle Power Academy, Emilia Elisabet Lahti, PhD, describes GENTLE POWER:
“Love is our base element of life and love has always been there waiting for us to remove the veils that conceal it. Power is our base element too, and together with love it lays the blueprint for how we express our energy and potential in life. I call their harmonious expression gentle power.  This book is the result of my lifelong struggle to learn about love and power through trial and error. Every failure I meet reveals itself as a lesson in love and power.”

GENTLE POWER has garnered excellent reviews by critics and experts and generated a lot of media interest in both Lahti and her book:

“The book prompts readers to consider how they might develop their own compassionate power, urging them to be curious about what’s actually happening in a given conflict and to approach interactions with others without preconceived ideas. When we embody our sisu, Lahti says, we “open our eyes wide to whatever is at hand … with curiosity and courage that are soft around the edges.” – Spirituality & Health Magazine

Read Emilia Elisabet Lahti’s cover feature and 7-page interview for Spirituality & Health here: https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/running-on-gentle-power
Listen to Forging Mettle Podcast: The yin and yang of gentleness and power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Sv5GJjUAI

“In this beautiful book, Elisabet shows us how strength and toughness are not the same thing. A much-needed antidote to the myth of mind over matter, and a touching, honest story of one woman’s journey to discover the true origins of grit and fulfillment.” ―Angela Duckworth, PhD, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York Times bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

“Gentle Power is a brilliant and refreshing idea. Lahti is a rare combination of real-life adventurer and scientist. With the warmth and authenticity typical to her writing, she outlines an inviting path toward our highest expression through the power of everyday relationships.” ―Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD

Download the English PDF for GENTLE POWER here!

GENTLE POWER: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead, and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu

Emilia Elisabet Lahti

The Finnish philosophy of sisu shows us a new way to look at power—not as force and domination but as the harmonious expression of human character in everyday actions. With Gentle Power, Finnish-born Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti shares an illuminating guide to an emerging shift in the way we define true strength—an approach that balances resolve with reason, grit with compassion, and personal success with service to the collective good. Lahti explores sisu, world traditions, and modern research to provide a new way to approach leadership, resilience, and our power to create change.

Power is fundamental in our lives—we express it in every conversation, relationship, and choice we make. All too often, we equate force and domination with power, while gentleness and compassion are considered “soft” or “weak.” The destructive nature of this skewed perspective has never been more obvious, yet there is reason to hope.

GENTLE POWER: A REVOLUTION IN HOW WE THINK, LEAD, AND SUCCEED USING THE FINNISH ART OF SISU
Sounds True, 2023, 194 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
WORLD ENGLISH: Sounds True (orig.)
CHINA: Cheers Publishing Company
LATVIA: Zvaigzne ABC
THAILAND: Amarin Printing and Publishing

About author


Emilia Elisabet Lahti

Emilia Elisabet Lahti (PhD, MSc, MAPP), who goes by Elisabet, is an awarded educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of Sisu Lab that helps create communities and work cultures based on everyday leadership as an expression of courage and compassion. Elisabet holds a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of Tampere in Finland and a master’s in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied under Professors Martian Seligman and Angela Duckworth. Since initiating the research on the Finnish construct of sisu in 2012, Elisabet’s doctoral work has involved exploring the limits of her own sisu through ultra-endurance running and Eastern martial arts. Her work on sisu has been featured by The New Yorker, Business Insider, BBC, Forbes, and more. Born and raised in Finland, she has lived and taught internationally and given talks at Fortune 500 companies, TEDx, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley.

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Polish rights sold for HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN by Prof. Kimmo Rentola!

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We are thrilled to announce that the Polish rights for HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN: From Winter War to Cold War, 1939-1950 by Professor Kimmo Rentola (orig. Stalin ja Suomen kohtalo, Otava) have been acquired by REBIS! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency. Previously, the World English rights were sold to Yale University Press for publication in November 2023 and the Greek rights to Papadopoulos Publishers. Full English manuscript is available!

The Polish publisher REBIS praised the book for being a timely and highly informative title:

“A brilliant and original analysis of the political side of Finnish-Soviet relations under Stalin’s rule, based on excellent knowledge of diplomatic and intelligence sources. Important and alarmingly timely in the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the revolutionary decision of the Finns to join NATO.”
– Tomasz Szponder, co-founder and president of the board, REBIS, Poland

Praise by Yale University Press:

‘I am thrilled to be publishing Kimmo Rentola’s important work on Finland and Stalin. As the leading scholar on Soviet-Finnish relations, his intimate understanding of the intelligence history during this crucial period makes for a uniquely fascinating and revelatory read. And of course this story has huge resonance at the present time, with Finland joining NATO and the parallels between the Winter War and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yale University Press will be proud to publish Kimmo’s book in English in November 2023.’ 
– Julian Loose, Editorial Director Trade & Academic, Yale University Press London

Download the full English manuscript for HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN here!

How Finland Survived Stalin: From Winter War to Cold War, 1939-1950

Kimmo Rentola

A dramatic and timely account of Stalin’s failed invasion of Finland in 1939, and the decade of wars and fraught relations that followed.

✓  Winner of the Lauri Jäntti Prize for non-fiction literature! 
✓  Full English manuscript with updated introduction available!

How did Finland evade Joseph Stalin’s crosshairs three times? Did Stalin have a special relationship with Finland and the Finns? Why didn’t he continue the Soviet onslaught on Finland during the Winter War in 1940? Why did the dictator back down from his aspirations and demands towards Finland during the peace negotiations in 1944? Why did 1948 remain the year of an unfulfilled coup in Finland?

The answers lie in the relations between Finland and Russia. Joseph Stalin has been one of the individuals with the most influence on the history of independent Finland. The book focuses on the decisions of Stalin in which the entire existence or, at the very least, the essential nature of that existence, of Finland was at stake.

HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN: FROM WINTER WAR TO COLD WAR, 1939-1950
STALIN JA SUOMEN KOHTALO
Otava, 2016, 240 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English manuscript

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Äripäev
GREECE: Papadopoulos Publishers
POLAND: REBIS
WORLD ENGLISH: Yale University Press

About author


Kimmo Rentola

Kimmo Rentola (b. 1953), PhD, is a historian and professor emeritus of political history, at the University of Turku from 2006 to 2014 and at the University of Helsinki since 2014. In his research, Rentola has specialized in the history of the Cold War, the relationships between Finland and the Soviet Union, and both Finnish and Nordic communism. His other research areas are the youth movements of the 1960s and the history of intelligence agencies.

His latest title, WINTER WARRIORS: How Finland Survived Stalin, won the Lauri Jäntti Award for non-fiction literature in 2017, while his previous book Vallankumouksen aave (‘The Ghost of the Revolution’) won the Scholarly Book of the Year Award in Finland in 2007.

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First foreign sale for LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: The Finnish Way by Asko Känsälä!

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We are thrilled to announce that the Estonian rights for LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: The Finnish Way by Asko Känsälä (orig. Johtajasta mestariksi) have been acquired by Ühinenud Ajakirjad! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

This is the first foreign sale for this unique book on Finnish perspective of leadership combining art and craftsmanship, like the great Finnish master architect Alvar Aalto. Full English translation is available – join the success of the Finnish Way of Leadership!

Ühinenud Ajakirjad are aiming to publish LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY in Estonian in January 2024. They praised the book for its personal and unique approach to leadership:

“Decades-long career in leadership has made Asko Känsälä understand leadership as a handicraft skill that you can improve upon, up until mastery. [This book is a] human and inspiring personal experience that reveals leadership as a profession from a wholly new perspective and shows that it is possible to become a good leader through learning, learning, and learning. And in order to become a good leader, one has to learn how to lead oneself.”
– Tiina Lebane, Head of Book Department, Ühinenud Ajakirjad, Estonia

Download the full English manuscript for LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY here!

 

Endorsement:

“Leadership is often thought of as a quality of the individual, but in this LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY we learn it is more of an art form to be mastered.  We develop to be an exceptional leader through cycles of practice and reflection, just like the mastery of any other complex skill.”
– Jeffrey K. Liker, PhD, author of international bestseller The Toyota Way

 

LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: The Finnish Way

Asko Känsälä

The Finnish way of leadership combines art and craftsmanship, like the great Finnish master architect Alvar Aalto.

  • Discover a new, Nordic perspective of leadership!
  • Find out what makes a company beautiful?
  • Growing up as a leader: craftsman’s path from apprentice to professional

What does craftsmanship have to do with leadership? What makes a company beautiful? And what can the Japanese culture contribute to a good working life and good leadership? Asko Känsälä spent his career building successful businesses and coaching new leaders. He has refined his leadership experience of more than 20 years into a vision of leadership as a craft. Leadership as Mastery: The Finnish Way presents the thinking patterns, tools of the leader-craftsman that good leadership requires.

Johtajasta mestariksi
Tammi, January 2023, 174 pp.
Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ESTONIA: Ühinenud Ajakirjad
Reading materials:
Full English manuscript

About author


Asko Känsälä

Asko Känsälä (b. 1957) is a Finnish business builder and leader with a successful career as deputy CEO in the Finnish market leading telecommunication and digital services company Elisa; coach, investor, and grandfather to 10 grandchildren. He is passionate about inspirational leadership and has worked in manufacturing industry, public administration, banking, and ICT, as well as for four years in Japan.

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Bibliography


2023, General Nonfiction

Leadership as Mastery: The Finnish Way

Asko Känsälä

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Greek rights to HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN sold to Papadopoulos Publishers!

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We’re thrilled to announce a Greek deal for Professor Kimmo Rentola’s award-winning non-fiction book  HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN: From Winter War to Cold War, 1939-1950 (orig. Stalin ja Suomen kohtalo, Otava, 2016, 240 pp.): Papadopoulos Publishers has acquired the rights in a pre-empt! The deal was closed by Elsa Lindström at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

The planned publication for the Greek edition is spring 2024. Previously, the World English rights were sold to Yale University Press:

‘I am thrilled to be publishing Kimmo Rentola’s important work on Finland and Stalin. As the leading scholar on Soviet-Finnish relations, his intimate understanding of the intelligence history during this crucial period makes for a uniquely fascinating and revelatory read. And of course this story has huge resonance at the present time, with Finland joining NATO and the parallels between the Winter War and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yale University Press will be proud to publish Kimmo’s book in English in November 2023.’ 
– Julian Loose, Editorial Director Trade & Academic, Yale University Press London

Download the English manuscript for HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN here!

HOW FINLAND SURVIVED STALIN: From Winter War to Cold War, 1939-1950

By Kimmo Rentola
A dramatic and timely account of Stalin’s failed invasion of Finland in 1939, and the decade of wars and fraught relations that followed.

✓  Winner of the Lauri Jäntti Prize for non-fiction literature! 
✓  Full English manuscript with updated introduction available!

How did Finland evade Joseph Stalin’s crosshairs three times? Did Stalin have a special relationship with Finland and the Finns? Why didn’t he continue the Soviet onslaught on Finland during the Winter War in 1940? Why did the dictator back down from his aspirations and demands towards Finland during the peace negotiations in 1944? Why did 1948 remain the year of an unfulfilled coup in Finland?
The answers lie in the relations between Finland and Russia. Joseph Stalin has been one of the individuals with the most influence on the history of independent Finland. The book focuses on the decisions of Stalin in which the entire existence or, at the very least, the essential nature of that existence, of Finland was at stake.

Stalin ja Suomen kohtalo
orig. publisher  Otava, October 2016, 240 pp.

Rights sold:
Finland: Otava (orig.)
Estonia: Äripäev
Greek: Papadopoulos Publishers
World English: Yale University Press

Reading material:
English manuscript

About author


Kimmo Rentola

Kimmo Rentola (b. 1953), PhD, is a historian and professor emeritus of political history, at the University of Turku from 2006 to 2014 and at the University of Helsinki since 2014. In his research, Rentola has specialized in the history of the Cold War, the relationships between Finland and the Soviet Union, and both Finnish and Nordic communism. His other research areas are the youth movements of the 1960s and the history of intelligence agencies.

His latest title, WINTER WARRIORS: How Finland Survived Stalin, won the Lauri Jäntti Award for non-fiction literature in 2017, while his previous book Vallankumouksen aave (‘The Ghost of the Revolution’) won the Scholarly Book of the Year Award in Finland in 2007.

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Bibliography

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Introducing Ahlback Agency NON-FICTION Spring 2023 Rights Guide!

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We are thrilled to present our Non-Fiction Catalogue for Spring 2023!

Are you ready to learn the Finnish way of leadership as craftsmanship? Or learn more about why our efforts to halt the current ecological crisis are bound to fail? Or find out about the Finnish hot and cold contrast therapy that boosts your physical and mental health?

From our new catalogue, we’ve picked some of the hottest titles for you – take a look at them below!

View the Spring 2023 Non-Fiction Catalogue here!

Leadership as Mastery: The Finnish Way

Asko Känsälä

Lead like a Finn! The Finnish way of leadership combines art and craftsmanship, like the great Finnish master architect Alvar Aalto.

What does craftsmanship have to do with leadership? What makes a company beautiful?

Full English ms. in March 2023!

“Leadership is often thought of as a quality of the individual, but in Asko Känsälä’s book LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY we learn it is more of an art form to be mastered.  We develop to be an exceptional leader through cycles of practice and reflection, just like the mastery of any other complex skill.”
– Jeffrey K. Liker, PhD, author of international bestseller The Toyota Way

Hot and Cold. From Sauna to Sea: The Finnish Way

Katja Pantzar and Carita Harju

Hot and cold contrast therapy is fast becoming the must-do wellness experience. This new book by two experts inspires readers with insights into the powerful Finnish method of alternating between a hot and cold environment to boost health and happiness and delves into how experiencing these contrasting extremes of temperature can change your outlook, your wellbeing and your life. The Finnish secret of happiness!

Yellow Kite Executive Publisher Liz Gough said, “I have been so struck by the growing interest in cold- water swimming and saunas and the powerful health impact of contrast bathing to help promote happy hormones, soothe away stress, build resilience and promote wellbeing and good mental health. When I started to explore this area more, what became clear was that the Finns have had the right idea all along! I am really excited about this acquisition and about helping Yellow Kite readers build some Finnish fortitude into their own lives to help them thrive.”

Whale in a Glass Bowl

Maria Katajavuori

Join the journey of a whale and a woman and uncover the keys to sustainability – the Earth can be saved with tools of human behavioral biology.

Humans are like a whale in a glass bowl, trapped despite our big brains.

Finlandia Prize jury’s motivations for nomination:
“An uncompromising statement about the current state and future of nature that brings even the most environmentally conscious reader to admit their responsibility in overconsumption. Willpower, intelligence, and any amount of research are not enough if they do not lead to political decisions and action in organized democracies. Information, emotion, and respectable literary activism.”

Back to Nature Finland: Explore Nature, Myths, and Ancient Wisdom

Reetta Ranta and Antti Huttunen

BACK TO NATURE FINLAND is a calming, relaxing experience that takes you on a journey throughout Finnish nature, with a touch of ancient wisdom, mythology and local history. Based on the internationally acclaimed TV show!

Full English PDF available!

The book presents 24 beautiful travel locations in Finnish nature. It reveals stories about Finnish mythology related to those locations, and provides delicious local food tips to enjoy when visiting. Learn the secrets of the Archipelago Sea, discover Lohja’s groves and caves, and meet the most beautiful tree in Finland. Travel with us from the Åland Islands, across the Nordic archipelago’s seashores and dunes, to the mysteries of lake Saimaa. Join us as we follow the origins of the Finnish national epic, Kalevala; climb to the top of Pyhä-Nattanen, the Mountain of the Gods; and explore some of the many sacred sites of Finnish Lapland.

The 50 Most Dangerous Companies in the World

Hannu Sokala

They like to stay in the shadows. Who are the families that wield the most power in the world?

Very few of us know the Lees, the al-Nahyans, the Quandts, the Safras or the Wertheimers. We all know, however, their companies Samsung, Manchester City, BMW, Chiquita, and Chanel. Many of the world’s most influential companies are still family businesses, and many of these families go back many generations, some even to the 18th Century. Many of them operate around the world, and some are worth tens of billions of dollars. Still, we know astonishingly little about these families.

The stories of the families in this book contain larger-than-life characters, unbelievable plots, and numerous conflicts, tragedies, and successes. This non-fiction book by the experienced business journalist Hannu Sokala offers a comprehensive and surprising perspective on the world’s most important – and dangerous families.

How Finland Survived Stalin

Kimmo Rentola

A meticulously researched insight into critical points in the history of relations between Finland and the Soviet Union.

World English rights sold to Yale University Press!

How did Finland evade Joseph Stalin’s crosshairs three times? Did Stalin have a special relationship with Finland and the Finns? Why didn’t he continue the Soviet onslaught on Finland during the Winter War in 1940? The answers lie in the relations between Finland and Russia which remain highly timely to this day.

Yale University Press Editorial Director Julian Loose says: “I am thrilled to be publishing Kimmo Rentola’s important work on Finland and Stalin. As the leading scholar on Soviet-Finnish relations, his intimate understanding of the intelligence history during this crucial period makes for a uniquely fascinating and revelatory read. And of course this story has huge resonance at the present time, with Finland joining NATO and the parallels between the Winter War and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yale University Press will be proud to publish Kimmo’s book in English in the spring of 2024.“


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Breaking news! Yellow Kite, Hodder & Stoughton has acquired World English rights for HOT AND COLD by Katja Pantzar and Carita Harju!

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We are now sharing our secret to how the world’s happiest nation, Finland, keeps calm and carries on – no matter what life throws at us. Now you too can learn our secrets, as we are sharing this brilliant news from the UK:

World English rights of the Finnish hot and cold method boosting happiness, a title called HOT AND COLD. From Sauna to Sea: The Finnish Way to a Happy, Healthy Life were today acquired by Liz Gough at Yellow Kite, Hodder & Stoughton for publication in 2024. The deal was negotiated by Elina Ahlbäck at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

This definitive guide is written by two experts. Katja Pantzar is a Helsinki-based writer and journalist who swims in the Baltic Sea almost every day – all year round. Katja is the author of The Finnish Way, translated into 24 languages. 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. Congratulations, Katja, Carita and Yellow Kite!

Yellow Kite Executive Publisher Liz Gough said:
“I have been so struck by the growing interest in cold-water swimming and saunas and the powerful health impact of contrast bathing to help promote happy hormones, soothe away stress, build resilience and enhance wellbeing and encourage good mental health. When I started to explore this area more, what became clear was that the Finns have had the right idea all along! Alternating between hot and cold environments is a way of life in Finland and in Hot and Cold Katja Pantzar and Carita Harju will explain the science, give insights into their own experiences, and offer readers practical guidance so that they too can reap the benefits and improve their health. I am really excited about this acquisition and about helping Yellow Kite readers build some Finnish fortitude into their own lives to help them thrive.”

Hot and cold contrast therapy is fast becoming the must-do wellness experience. Be among the first ones, forerunners of this trend, and acquire the rights to HOT AND COLD to boost wellness and happiness around the world!

Download the materials for HOT AND COLD here!

Hot and Cold. From Sauna to Sea: The Finnish Way to a Happy, Healthy Life

Katja Pantzar and Carita Harju

Hot and cold contrast therapy is fast becoming the must-do wellness experience. This new book inspires readers with insights into the powerful Finnish method of alternating between a hot and cold environment in order to boost health and happiness and delves into how experiencing these contrasting extremes of temperature can change your outlook, your wellbeing and your life.

  • Inspiration and practical tools for creating a wellness retreat at home using the Nordic contrast bathing method, wherever you are in the world.
  • The Finnish hot and cold method boosts happiness by increasing wellbeing and encouraging connection with nature

The sauna was recently ranked as the No. 1 global wellness trend by the Global Wellness Summit. Cold-water swimming is also a growing trend and is being proposed as a cure for all manner of things – from improving mental health to boosting immunity. But why is being hot good for you, and why is submerging into icy water good for you? And what about alternating between the two? What exactly is hot and cold therapy and why is it so vital for physical and mental health?

Dive into the unique world of hot and cold via Finland, where a good steam and an icy dip in a lake or the sea are the foundations of wellbeing for mind, body and soul.

HOT AND COLD. From Sauna to Sea: The Finnish Way to a Happy, Healthy Life
Yellow Kite / Hodder & Stoughton, 2024, approx. 45,000 words

READING MATERIALS
Book proposal
Sample chapters in Spring 2023
Full English manuscript in Fall 2023

RIGHTS SOLD:
WORLD ENGLISH: Yellow Kite / Hodder & Stoughton (orig.)

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) was published in Finnish and will be published in Estonian in 2023.

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About author


Katja Pantzar

Helsinki-based writer, editor and broadcast journalist Katja Pantzar was raised in Canada with stints in New Zealand and the UK. Pantzar’s The Finnish Way has been translated into 24 languages. She is the author of three guides to the Finnish capital city Helsinki: The Hip Guide to Helsinki, Helsinki by Light and 100 Things to Do in Helsinki. Pantzar’s writing has appeared in a wide range of media, from The Globe and Mail to Elle. Her work has been widely covered around the world, including in Le Figaro, Le Monde, El País, Vogue, Real Simple, and more.

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Celebrating today the US publication date of GENTLE POWER by Emilia Elisabet Lahti!

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Celebrating today the US publication date of GENTLE POWER by Emilia Elisabet Lahti!

Warmest congratulations, Emilia Elisabet Lahti, for the US publication of GENTLE POWER by Sounds True! GENTLE POWER: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead, and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu is being released in the US today, January 24th.  You can join us in the celebrations by listening to Elisabet Lahti at The Courageous Life – Interview and Podcast where she wonderfully explains and talks about Gentle Power:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SKciXFvY0ml71mVtCSbAD

The book prompts readers to consider how they might develop their own compassionate power, urging them to be curious about what’s actually happening in a given conflict and to approach interactions with others without preconceived ideas. When we embody our sisu, Lahti says, we “open our eyes wide to whatever is at hand … with curiosity and courage that are soft around the edges.” – Spirituality & Health Magazine

Read the full review here:  https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/reviews/books/2022/12/28/book-review-gentle-power

Nobody has taught me more about sisu than Emilia Elisabet Lahti. In this beautiful book, Elisabet shows us how strength and toughness are not the same thing. A much-needed antidote to the myth of mind over matter, and a touching, honest story of one woman’s journey to discover the true origins of grit and fulfillment.” —Angela Duckworth, PhD, MacArthur Fellow, Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York Times bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

This captivating and heartfelt book invites readers on a compelling journey to their fullest expression of power and leadership.” —Emma Seppälä, PhD, Yale School of Management, author of The Happiness Track

A beautiful book written by one of the most important voices in positive psychology. Part balm and part rallying call, this book is a deep well for the weary positive champions who are searching for a way to transform the lives of others and to discover a more powerful path to an empowered, connected, and hopeful world.” —Shawn Achor, New York Times bestselling author of Big Potential and The Happiness Advantage

Gentle Power is a brilliant and refreshing idea. Lahti is a rare combination of real-life adventurer and scientist. With the warmth and authenticity typical to her writing, she outlines an inviting path toward our highest expression through the power of everyday relationships.” —Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, host of The Psychology Podcast and Founder and Director of the Center for Human Potential

Lahti examines how attachment styles can be employed to understand ourselves and others with more compassion and thereby assist us into evolved forms of leadership. Throughout Gentle Power, Lahti kindly nudges us toward bold self-inquiry and genuine, life-changing empowerment.” —Diane Poole Heller, PhD, author of Crash Course, The Power of Attachment, and Healing Your Attachment Wounds

Emilia Elisabet Lahti is a pioneering researcher and rising star in the new human potential movement. Gentle Power, her first book, is a bold invitation into what’s possible as a human being. Infused with a powerful combination of backbone, heart, and original research, Lahti gently but persuasively challenges readers to question perceived limitations and, ultimately, transform barriers into frontiers.” —Joshua Steinfeldt, host of The Courageous Life podcast, mindfulness teacher, and professional coach

Congratulations, Emilia Elisabet and Sounds True!

The rights of Gentle Power have also been sold to China and Thailand. Rights for all other languages are still available – join the gentle revolution!
Download the materials here!

GENTLE POWER: A Revolution In How We Think, Lead and Succeed Using The Finnish Art Of Sisu (Sounds True, Jan. 2023) 

By Emilia Elisabet Lahti, PhD
The Finnish philosophy of sisu shows us a new way to look at power—not as force and domination but as the harmonious expression of human character in everyday actions. Finnish-born Emilia Elisabet Lahti explores sisu, world traditions, and modern research to provide a new way to approach leadership, resilience, and our power to create change.

Power is fundamental in our lives—we express it in every conversation, relationship, and choice we make. All too often, we equate force and domination with power, while gentleness and compassion are considered “soft” or “weak.” The destructive nature of this skewed perspective has never been more obvious, yet there is reason to hope. With Gentle Power, Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti shares an illuminating guide to an emerging shift in the way we define true strength—an approach that balances resolve with reason, grit with compassion, and personal success with service to the collective good.

GENTLE POWER: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu

Original publication: Sounds True, January 24, 2023, 194 pp.

Rights sold:

WORLD ENGLISH: Sounds True (orig.),
CHINA: Cheers Publishing Company,
THAILAND: Amarin Printing and Publishing

About author


Emilia Elisabet Lahti

Emilia Elisabet Lahti (PhD, MSc, MAPP), who goes by Elisabet, is an awarded educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of Sisu Lab that helps create communities and work cultures based on everyday leadership as an expression of courage and compassion. Elisabet holds a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of Tampere in Finland and a master’s in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied under Professors Martian Seligman and Angela Duckworth. Since initiating the research on the Finnish construct of sisu in 2012, Elisabet’s doctoral work has involved exploring the limits of her own sisu through ultra-endurance running and Eastern martial arts. Her work on sisu has been featured by The New Yorker, Business Insider, BBC, Forbes, and more. Born and raised in Finland, she has lived and taught internationally and given talks at Fortune 500 companies, TEDx, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley.

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World English rights to “WINTER WARRIORS: How Finland Survived Stalin” sold to Yale University Press

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Breaking news for the new year 2023!

YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS has acquired World English rights to Professor Kimmo Rentola’s award-winning non-fiction book “WINTER WARRIORS: How Finland Survived Stalin” (working title)  (“Stalin ja Suomen kohtalo, Otava, 2016). WINTER WARRIORS will be published in Spring 2024 simultaneously in the UK YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS UK  and in the US  YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS US. The deal was closed by Elina Ahlback at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Editorial Director Julian Loose adds:

‘I am thrilled to be publishing Kimmo Rentola’s important work on Finland and Stalin. As the leading scholar on Soviet-Finnish relations, his intimate understanding of the intelligence history during this crucial period makes for a uniquely fascinating and revelatory read. And of course this story has huge resonance at the present time, with Finland joining NATO and the parallels between the Winter War and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yale University Press will be proud to publish Kimmo’s book in English in the spring of 2024.’ 
– Julian Loose, Editorial Director Trade & Academic, Yale University Press London

Download the materials for WINTER WARRIORS: How Finland Survived Stalin HERE!

WINTER WARRIORS: How Finland Survived Stalin (working title)
orig. publication: Stalin ja Suomen kohtalo
orig. publisher Otava, October 2016, 240 pp.

Rights sold:
Finland: Otava (orig.)
World English: Yale University Press
Estonia: Äripäev

Reading material:
Finnish edition
English manuscript

About author


Kimmo Rentola

Kimmo Rentola (b. 1953), PhD, is a historian and professor emeritus of political history, at the University of Turku from 2006 to 2014 and at the University of Helsinki since 2014. In his research, Rentola has specialized in the history of the Cold War, the relationships between Finland and the Soviet Union, and both Finnish and Nordic communism. His other research areas are the youth movements of the 1960s and the history of intelligence agencies.

His latest title, WINTER WARRIORS: How Finland Survived Stalin, won the Lauri Jäntti Award for non-fiction literature in 2017, while his previous book Vallankumouksen aave (‘The Ghost of the Revolution’) won the Scholarly Book of the Year Award in Finland in 2007.

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Italian rights to THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO sold to Salani!

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We are happy to announce that Salani in Italy has now acquired th rights to THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO, written by Aaltos’ grandson Heikki Aalto-Alanen. We are truly happy for an Italian deal, as Italy was an important country for both Aaltos, who spent a great deal of time there – Italy was also the destination for their honeymoon! The deal was closed by Elina Ahlbäck and Elsa Lindström at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

This beautiful title, based on unpublished correspondence of Aino and Alvar Aalto, has now been sold to 7 territories, having previously acquired by Európa Könyvkiadó in Hungary, Phaidon for World English market and for French market, Soshisha in Japan and Postimees in Estonia! 

The title was published in Estonia in April 2022 to great reception, the Japanese edition will be pubished by Soshisha in Summer 2023, and the Phaidon English and French editions are planned for publication in Fall 2023!

“When we think about great minds, we tend to see more of the result of their work than the people behind it. Aino and Alvar Aalto’s work in the field of design and architecture has had a great impact worldwide, representing beauty, harmony, and comfort. There are books and studies which can tell us many things about it, but I believe that none of them can ever be as personal and intimate as their own love story – written by their grandson. One can only imagine how much their creativity was nourished by their personal relationship. It will be extremely exciting to read their story and to get to know both of them almost as close as they knew each other. The fact that their creations have proven to be timeless since the day they were born is proof in itself of extraordinary, unbreakable love.”
– Piret Veigel, Senior Editor at Postimees Publishing House, Estonia

The rights are still available in e.g. Germany, Sweden, World Spanish, Poland, etc.
Request the materials here!

 

THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO 

By Heikki Aalto-Alanen

The love story of the world-famous, pioneering design couple Aino and Alvar Aalto, written by the Aaltos’ grandson

Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino 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.

“Countless books have been written about Alvar Aalto’s architecture and other works. Recently, Aino Marsio-Aalto has also received the recognition she deserves in her own right as well as in her role as the partner of Alvar Aalto in his rise as one of the leading architects of the 20th century,” says Heikki Aalto-Alanen. “The voice in this book is personal. I want to tell the story of Aino’s and Alvar’s unique partnership, relationship, and their joint life work from the perspective of a family member. I also want their own voices to be heard.”

In addition to the photographs from the family archive, the book is illustrated with Aino’s and Alvar’s drawings of each other and of their children, along with architectural drawings and photographs.

Rakastan sinussa ihmistä
Otava, August 2021, pp. 460

Reading Material:
Full English MS

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Postimees
HUNGARY: Európa Könyvkiadó
FRANCE: Phaidon Press
ITALY: Salani
JAPAN: Soshisha
WORLD ENGLISH: Phaidon Press

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. 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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French rights to THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO acquired by Phaidon Press!

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We are happy to announce that PHAIDON PRESS has now acquired the French rights to THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO, written by Aaltos’ grandson Heikki Aalto-Alanen! The deal was closed by Elina Ahlback at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

This beautiful title, based on unpublished correspondence of Aino and Alvar Aalto, has now been sold to 6 territories, having previously acquired by Európa Könyvkiadó in Hungary, Phaidon for World English market, Soshisha in Japan and Postimees in Estonia! 

We are very proud to have acquired the rights for the English and French editions of Heikki Aalto Alanen’s book on Aino and Alvar Aalto. It is an honour to publish the great story of two talented individuals, who changed forever the course of modern architecture and design.”
– Emilia Terragni, Associated Publisher, Phaidon Press London.

The title was published in Estonia in April 2022 to great reception, and the Phaidon English and French editions are planned for publication in Fall 2023!

The rights are still available in e.g. Germany, Italy, Sweden, World Spanish, Poland, etc.
Download the materials here!

THE STORY OF AINO AND ALVAR AALTO 

By Heikki Aalto-Alanen
The love story of the world-famous, pioneering design couple Aino and Alvar Aalto, written by the Aaltos’ grandson

Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino 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.

“Countless books have been written about Alvar Aalto’s architecture and other works. Recently, Aino Marsio-Aalto has also received the recognition she deserves in her own right as well as in her role as the partner of Alvar Aalto in his rise as one of the leading architects of the 20th century,” says Heikki Aalto-Alanen. “The voice in this book is personal. I want to tell the story of Aino’s and Alvar’s unique partnership, relationship, and their joint life work from the perspective of a family member. I also want their own voices to be heard.”

In addition to the photographs from the family archive, the book is illustrated with Aino’s and Alvar’s drawings of each other and of their children, along with architectural drawings and photographs.

Rakastan sinussa ihmistä
Otava, August 2021, pp. 460

Reading Material:
English sample, table of contents, info, Full Finnish PDF

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

ESTONIA: Postimees
FRANCE: Phaidon Press
HUNGARY: Európa Könyvkiadó
JAPAN: Soshisha
WORLD ENGLISH: Phaidon Press

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. 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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GENTLE POWER by Emilia Elisabet Lahti sold in Thailand in pre-empt to Amarin Books!

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GENTLE POWER by Emilia Elisabet Lahti sold in Thailand in pre-empt to Amarin Books!

A much-needed antidote to the myth of mind over matter, and a touching, honest story of one woman’s journey to discover the true origins of grit and fullfilment.”
– Angela Duckworth, PhD, author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, #1 New York Times Bestseller.

We are over the moon to announce a wonderful pre-empt deal in Thailand for Emilia Elisabet Lahti’s beautiful book GENTLE POWER: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead, and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu (Sounds True, Jan. 2023). Thailand’s No. 1 Publisher Amarin Printing and Publishing acquired the Thai rights for publication in 2024.  The original English language edition of GENTLE POWER will be published in the US by  Sounds True  on January 24, 2023.  In China, Cheers Publishing Company will publish GENTLE POWER in 2023.

Amarin Books, the Thai publisher, loves this unique book, a gift to the world:

Gentle Power is now more than ever of the essence in powerful leadership and in successful life in general. We are so excited and honored to bring the important messages from this great highly relevant book to Thai audience nationwide.”
– AMARIN Printing and Publishing

Hooray and Congratulations, Emilia Elisabet! Join the happy family of Gentle Power Publishers! World Rights available (excl. China, English, Thai).
Download the materials here!

GENTLE POWER: A Revolution In How We Think, Lead and Succeed Using The Finnish Art Of Sisu (Sounds True, Jan. 2023) 

By Emilia Elisabet Lahti, PhD
The Finnish philosophy of sisu shows us a new way to look at power—not as force and domination but as the harmonious expression of human character in everyday actions. Finnish-born Emilia Elisabet Lahti explores sisu, world traditions, and modern research to provide a new way to approach leadership, resilience, and our power to create change.

Power is fundamental in our lives—we express it in every conversation, relationship, and choice we make. All too often, we equate force and domination with power, while gentleness and compassion are considered “soft” or “weak.” The destructive nature of this skewed perspective has never been more obvious, yet there is reason to hope. With Gentle Power, Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti shares an illuminating guide to an emerging shift in the way we define true strength—an approach that balances resolve with reason, grit with compassion, and personal success with service to the collective good.

GENTLE POWER: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu

Sounds True 2023, 194 pp.
Rights sold: WORLD ENGLISH: Sounds True (orig.), CHINA: Cheers Publishing Company, THAILAND: Amarin Printing and Publishing

About author


Emilia Elisabet Lahti

Emilia Elisabet Lahti (PhD, MSc, MAPP), who goes by Elisabet, is an awarded educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of Sisu Lab that helps create communities and work cultures based on everyday leadership as an expression of courage and compassion. Elisabet holds a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of Tampere in Finland and a master’s in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied under Professors Martian Seligman and Angela Duckworth. Since initiating the research on the Finnish construct of sisu in 2012, Elisabet’s doctoral work has involved exploring the limits of her own sisu through ultra-endurance running and Eastern martial arts. Her work on sisu has been featured by The New Yorker, Business Insider, BBC, Forbes, and more. Born and raised in Finland, she has lived and taught internationally and given talks at Fortune 500 companies, TEDx, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley.

Read more

Bibliography

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Georgian rights sold for PUTIN’S TROLLS! Now 16 territories for this eye-opening title!

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We are thrilled to let you know that PUTIN’S TROLLS, the shocking and eye-opening non-fiction title by Jessikka Aro, has just been sold to Georgia, and the publisher is Media Development Foundation! The deal was closed by Elina Ahlbäck and Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Media Development Foundation is planning to publish PUTIN’S TROLLS in Georgian in collaboration with Ilia State University Press.

With Georgia, PUTIN’S TROLLS has now 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, Netherlands, France, Spain, Egypt, Greece, etc.

Download the full English PDF for PUTIN’S TROLLS here!

PUTIN’S TROLLS has just been published in Germany, in print and e-book formats by Goldmann and as an audiobook by Sound Neverrest.
The title has received excellent praise:

“Aro’s shocking insider reports are a wake-up call. I hope that her book finds many readers and guardians of democracy.”
– Ärzte Woche magazine, Germany

“A book every journalist should read [—] Even if Sweden was not forced to deal with “Putin’s trolls”, the in-depth understanding given by the Finnish expatriates as well as the introductions to how Russian influence works is enough to call this book a must-read.”
– Hynek Pallas, Göteborg Posten newspaper, Sweden

“By exposing Putin’s institutionalized trolling operations, Jessikka Aro has gone where no one has had the courage to go before and has done so at great peril. Ms. Aro has done the world a huge service by showing us how these tactics work so we can better defend ourselves going forward.”
– Bill Browder, New York Times bestselling author, Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice, USA

“A terrifying analysis of evil. [—] The havoc wreaked by Putin’s trolls is the leitmotif of Aro’s book—illustrated by more than a dozen chapters detailing a variety of case studies… For anyone who reads [Aro’s] lively book, her words should sound a piercing alarm.”
– Walter Clemens, New York Journal of Books, USA

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.

PUTININ TROLLIT
Tositarinoita Venäjän infosodan rintamilta
Johnny Kniga, November 2019, 453 pp.

READING MATERIALS
Full English PDF

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Johnny Kniga (orig.)
ALBANIA: Muza
BULGARIA: Ciela Norma
CZECH REPUBLIC: Denik N
ESTONIA: Menu Meedia/Stratkom
GEORGIA: Media Development Foundation
GERMANY (print and e-book): Goldmann
GERMANY (audio): 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
FILM & TV: Onerva Pictures Oy

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


2019, General Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, History & Politics

Putin's Trolls

Jessikka Aro

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Introducing: EALA Fall 2022 Non-Fiction Catalogue!

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We are thrilled to present our Non-Fiction Catalogue for Fall 2022: Are you ready to experience meaningful work? Or learn more about Finland’s most beloved artist or about the destructive power of money in football?

From our new catalogue, we’ve picked some hot titles for you – take a look at them below!

View the full Fall 2022 Non-Fiction Catalogue here!

The Meaning Manifesto

by Frank Martela

Are you ready to experience meaningful work and make it possible? Start your journey with this book!   

Work occupies a more central role in our lives than just a way of making ends meet. At best, work fills our lives with meaningfulness, making our whole existence more worth living. At worst, it is a desperate toil that alienates us from who we are and what’s good in life.

How, then, can we make work more meaningful? In principle, the recipe for meaningful work is surprisingly simple: do personally interesting and engaging things, while making a positive contribution to other people. However, making that into reality is the tough part.

THE MEANING MANIFESTO by Frank Martela, the acclaimed author of the internationally-bestselling A WONDERFUL LIFE, helps you navigate modern work life towards a more purposeful career and meaningful everyday work experience.

 

Ella – Helene Schjerfbeck

by Mari Tossavainen

The story of the most well-known Finnish artist in the world, supplemented by previously unpublished correspondence

Helene Schjerfbeck (1862–1946) is one of the most well-known Finnish artists in the world. Her modernist and realist works have been on display in galleries all over Europe, North America and Asia, a biographical film based on her life was released in 2020, and her birthday, July 10th, is a national day for the painted arts in Finland.

This fascinating book, drawing on previously unpublished correspondence and archival materials, paints a far more multithreaded picture of the life of Helene Schjerfbeck and brings into light the significance of previously forgotten people in her creative work. In her letters, Schjerfbeck divulged both her works and her thoughts not only to fellow artists, but also to people outside the artistic world.

 

The Black Book of Football

by Hannu Aaltonen and Tapio Keskitalo

A critical depiction of the destructive power of money in professional association football

During the 2000s, international association football has become a pompous, money-driven business. ‘The Beautiful Game’ has developed into a playing field with its own laws where oligarchs, sheikhs, and American billionaires run amok.

This startling book delves into the outrageously wealthy and powerful football clubs that do not abide by football’s own economic rules. Influential football bosses and governing bodies have become bogged down in bribe scandals, while small football countries like Finland have to count pennies.

The grotesque development culminates with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where the authorities and organizers do not care about costs or construction worker deaths.

 

Stalin and the Fate of Finland

by Kimmo Rentola

A meticulously researched insight into critical points in the history of relations between Finland and the Soviet Union.

Winner of the Lauri Jäntti Prize for non-fiction literature!

How did Finland evade Joseph Stalin’s crosshairs three times? Did Stalin have a special relationship with Finland and the Finns? Why didn’t he continue the Soviet onslaught on Finland during the Winter War in 1940? The answers lie in the relations between Finland and Russia which remain highly timely to this day.

Joseph Stalin has been one of the individuals with the most influence on the history of independent Finland. There are few who have made so many far-reaching decisions as Stalin: he decreed the beginning and the end of the Winter War, the Moscow Armistice of 1944 that ended the Continuation War was signed with his authorization, and when, in 1948, it was time to decide whether Finland would become a ‘people’s republic’ or not, he initially pushed forward but eventually backed down. All of these decisions can be seen as pivotal to the fate of Finland, its society, its independence, the life and death of the Finnish people.

The book focuses on the decisions of Stalin in which the entire existence or, at the very least, the essential nature of that existence, of Finland was at stake.

About author


Frank Martela

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, and Monocle Observer among others. He is University Lecturer at Aalto University in Helsinki.

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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