On the Border

Published to mark Finland's accession to the European Community, this anthology in English of modern Finnish writing includes stories, poetry and reportage. Finnish literature in Finnish and Swedish reflects Finland's location and recent history - on the edge of Europe and in transition. Miniature stories by Petri Tamminen condense this century into half-page installments and Leena Krohn embarks on journeys into virtual space, exploring computer consciousness. Paavo Haavikko's "Winter Poems" are forest meditations from the rim of Europe. Inner boundaries are crossed in Leena Lander's tales of metamorphosis, in Tove Jansson, who tells of age, and in Finland-Swedish poet Bo Carpelan's vision of his Helsinki childhood. Documentary writers explore in Finnish terms common European themes: unemployment; provinical life; love; and solitude.