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by Marja-Leena

book meme

Amy passed on the stick for this book meme which I didn’t want to do for a lack of time, but it stuck in my mind. So here’s a quick list because I’ve not been reading as much as I would like.

You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
I haven’t read it, hmmm – how about a monograph of my work?

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
Probably long ago, I can’t remember now, some romantic hero like the prince who wakes up Sleeping Beauty?

The last book you bought is:
The Power of Place, St. Michael’s Printshop & 30 years Printmaking in Newfoundland, in conjunction with the exhibition I visited

What are you currently reading?
1. Patterns That Connect: Social Symbolism in Ancient & Tribal Art by Schuster & Carpenter recommended by Anna Conti
2. The Dying Animal by Philip Roth – someone wrote about Roth’s latest books & I thought I’d check it out
3. Nick Bantock’s Artful Dodger, actually recently finished (a Christmas gift)

Five books you would take to a deserted island:
1. The Kalevala, both Finnish & English – still haven’t read it all
2. The Lord of the Rings, to re-read after 25 years
3. An Atlas of the World – I love looking at maps
4. The Gift – Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property by Lewis Hyde, also recommended by Anna – I’ve not had time to read past the first chapter
5. Archaeology or Anthropology books such as Return to Chauvet Cave by Jean Clottes

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Anna because she recommends so many good art books
Miriam, English prof & lover of memes
Beth, beautiful & thoughtful writer, dare I ask for she is a busy lady
Later….Oops, I see Miriam has already done this meme!

UPDATE: Thanks to Anna for taking up this challenge. As I expected, she has some wonderful sounding selections. They’re going on my to-read-list if I ever have enough time for it all. Anna says she doesn’t usually read fiction, which for me has always been a favourite if I want to relax my over-tired mind and body, but I’ve been doing even less of that lately. Maybe reading so many great blogs is the reason?

March 21, 2005 in Books by Marja-Leena 2 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

‘Rings’ debut in Toronto

The much-anticipated stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy will have its world premiere in Toronto, producers announced in London Tuesday. The $27-million show, co-produced by Toronto’s Mirvish Productions, will open in March 2006 at the Princess of Wales Theatre with a largely Canadian cast […] The show had been scheduled to debut in London this spring […] However, there was no theatre available to accommodate the massive and technically complex three-hour production. (from CBC.ca*)

Last year I wrote about some interesting Finnish connections to the ‘Lord of the Rings’. First it was about Tolkien’s study of the Finnish language and the Kalevala. Then I wrote about the contributions of Finnish culture including folk group Värttinä’s music to the stage adaptation musical of the ‘Rings’.

Now I also discover several Canadian connections, including a Canadian creator of the music score and composer of a Rings symphony:

The music is by Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman, responsible for the U.K. hit Bombay Dreams, and Finnish group Värttinä’.[…] The Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus produced an opera adaptation of Tolkien’s The Hobbit last summer and Toronto-born composer Howard Shore, who created the score for Jackson’s films, adapted his music into a symphony work entitled The Lord of the Rings: A Symphony in Six Movements for Orchestra and Chorus. The piece has been performed to sold-out audiences around the world.

Some further reading in news around the world:
more in CBC*
BBC
the Aussie news*
Kaleva.plus in Finnish*

Thanks to a new reader in Finland who sent me a scanned clipping of the news item from the print version of Helsingin Sanomat. Now, I wonder if my cousin in Toronto has a spare bedroom?

** Updated 27.08.2015 – expired links removed

March 17, 2005 in Books, Films, Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric, Folk Legends & Myths, Music by Marja-Leena 2 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

all about trolls

troll.jpg
Illustration by Rudolf Koivu, “The troll and the shepherdess” in “Matka Satumaahan” (A Trip to the Land of Fairytales) by Raul Roine, Otava, Helsinki 1954

Sometimes I wonder if some readers think I’m silly when I write about my interest in folk legends, myths and fairy tales. I enjoy these for some light-hearted posts to intermingle with all this serious art stuff and to please my inner child, right?

Well, this item in Helsingin Sanomat International makes me feel a lot more intelligent:

Finland has received what appears to be the first doctoral dissertation on traditional forest trolls. Master of Philosophy Camilla Asplund Ingemark, 30, has researched the subject for six years. She will defend her doctoral dissertation, which is classified as a work on folklore, at the Åbo Akademi University in Turku on Friday. The study describes the world of trolls according to the beliefs in the folklore of Swedish-speaking Finns.

This doctoral dissertation is a part of a broader magic and troll boom in literature and the visual arts. The adventures of trolls were also recounted in the novel Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi (‘Before sundown you cannot’) by Johanna Sinisalo. Her trolls are a species that is a cross of cats and monkeys. Sinisalo was awarded the Finlandia Prize for her work in 2000.

The troll has been seen as a humorous phenomenon or a symbol of fears.
But Tove Jansson’s ultra-sympathetic Moomintroll is a different story altogether.

Facts about Trolls & Witches
Moominworld and author Tove Jansson* (link has since expired)
Not Before Sundown (Troll) by Johanna Sinisalo
And who can forget The Lord of the Rings phenomena!

February 4, 2005 in Books, Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric, Folk Legends & Myths by Marja-Leena 7 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

why do we like art?

Recently (Jan.17th) Arts Journal had a post with a question, “We like art, anyone know why? …. why do we care about art? And, given that we obviously do (and that this is worldwide phenomenon that has stretched throughout history), what is it in art that we care about?”

This originated at Financial Times (UK) 01/17/05, available by registration only, so I never did learn more. Today I see that Maex art blog found it. So, these questions are posed in a book by Matthew Kieran, Revealing Art. There’s a short blurb available at this Amazon link.

My flu fuddled brain does not want to deal with any heavy thinking right now so I’ll leave my readers to think about this. Have you read the book? Please let me know your thinks…er…thoughts on this subject.

January 27, 2005 in Being an Artist, Books, Concepts by Marja-Leena Comments Off on why do we like art?

by Marja-Leena

My favourite things

about Christmas are the things that appeal to the romantic and the child in me. I love the visual delights of little white lights, red candles, evergreens, snow, red berries, pine cones and red folk embroidery on linens. I love exquisitely illustrated childrens’ books like Jan Brett’s The Wild Christmas Reindeer, something I bought just for myself to enjoy every Christmas.

I love Christmas music, especially when sung by young voices like Heintje (O Tannenbaum), romantic voices from the 40’s and 50’s like Doris Day, Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby (I Dream of a White Christmas), or powerful operatic voices.

Virtual Finland’s Christmas* appeals to the romantic and the child. Visit Santa or “Joulupukki” in his gorgeous clothes, with his elves and reindeer in Lapland (that’s where Santa lives, didn’t you know?). Look at the lovely cards from Christmases past and recipes for traditional Finnish Christmas foods. I also love these little Finnish folk poems** about the little animals in the wintry woods (click on ‘lorupiha’ then each creature, in Finnish only but sounds interesting). (Thanks to Irma in Finland for sending me this link!)

We are busy preparing the house, the decorations, the gifts, and all the favourite foods for our family Christmas of blended traditions. Christmas Eve is our big night, a tradition with both the Finns and the Germans, with a lovely meal, carols around the piano, and then Santa’s visit, so carefully planned to happen out of sight of little children. Oh, such excitement! Happy childhood memories evoked by all the sights, sounds and tastes and watching the shining happy eyes of another generation (a grandchild) make Christmas special for me.

Happy Christmas, Hauskaa Joulua, Frohe Weihnachten, Joyeux No&#235l, or Happy Holidays! Thank you, dear readers, for making this year’s blog adventure such a great pleasure for me by sharing your thoughts with me.

xmas04.jpg

*Virtual Finland no longer exists but has been replaced with This is Finland. This link fortunately takes you to the new Christmas pages.

** Expired link removed.

December 17, 2004 in Books, Culture, Music by Marja-Leena 3 Comments »

by Marja-Leena

Pierre Berton 1920-2004

Pierre Berton died today at the age of 84. A well-known award-winning author of 50 books and a broadcaster, he was one of Canada’s best known and beloved figures. He wrote about his life in the Yukon and about Canada with love, becoming a Canadian icon himself. I feel as if I have lost an old friend.

I’m sure there will be a great deal written about him in the coming days, but for now, here is the announcement in CBC, and his life story on Wikipedia.

UPDATES: CBC and Canada.com

November 30, 2004 in Books, Culture by Marja-Leena Comments Off on Pierre Berton 1920-2004

by Marja-Leena

more about Elvish

Shelley at Burningbird wrote this about a Guide to Elvish**: “If you’re a Tolkien fan, or interested in linguistics, David Salo’s new book on the linguistics of Elvish, Gateway to Sindarin, A Grammar of an Elvish Language from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is out now.”

“From the 1910s to the 1970s, author and linguist J. R. R. Tolkien worked at creating plausibly realistic languages to be used by the creatures and characters in his novels. Like his other languages, Sindarin was a new invention, not based on any existing or artificial language. By the time of his death, he had established fairly complete descriptions of two languages, the “elvish” tongues called Quenya and Sindarin.”

I’m tickled pink about this, having posted some time ago about Elvish study in a UK school, and about the surprising connection to the Finnish language.

In fact, a Finnish IT student (probably graduated by now) Harri Perälä did very extensive research (in English) into Quenya, the other language created by Tolkien that resembles Finnish. Fascinating stuff!

More about Tolkien’s languages.

Addendum March 21.05: Tolkien’s Elvish prayers** – This site reveals some Elvish words and text. Found via mirabilis**

Edited March 12th, 2012: Sadly many links marked ** no longer exist and have been removed. However here is an interesting wikipedia page on author David Salo with information about his research and book. The name “Salo” is a very common Finnish name so I wonder if he has Finnish roots?

November 23, 2004 in Books, Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric, Linguistics by Marja-Leena Comments Off on more about Elvish

by Marja-Leena

Stonehenge book

Here’s an interesting tidbit about Stonehenge found in today’s Arts Journal: Daily Arts News:

Stonehenge Under Attack (For 150 Years) – Debate is roaring over a plan to redo the Stonehenge site to accomodate tourists. But photographs over the past 150 years show that successive generations have meddled with the site trying to make it more “user friendly.

This refers to an article in Guardian: Hundreds of photographs dating back 150 years show how the site has developed in new book: Stonehenge, A History in Photographs by Julian Richards. It is fascinating and appalling how much tourism has impacted on the site even so long ago.

I’d like to see these photos! And the numerous related links in this article will keep me busy. This is timely since a recent mention of Stonehenge in an article about endangered art.

November 22, 2004 in Books, Rock Art & Archaeology by Marja-Leena Comments Off on Stonehenge book

by Marja-Leena

archaeology & anthropology books

As my dear readers know, I’m fascinated by archaeology and anthropology. So, this article in the Guardian caught my eye:

Michelle Paver’s favourite books on archaeology and anthropology. All the listed books, some new to me, make me greedy for them. (Did you know I have a weakness for books, with bookshelves in almost every room in the house but no more bookshelf space?) I will look for these in the library and maybe put some on my wish list for Christmas and birthday, with Return to Chauvet Cave at the top (because I love picture books). But, aah, too many books, too little time!

I’m not familiar with Michelle Paver, who is the author of four historical novels. Her latest book, for older children, Wolf Brother, is the first in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, set 6,000 years ago in the world of the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers.

This sounds remarkably like Jean M. Auel’s The Earth’s Children series. I loved these books. The author has done a tremendous amount of research into Mesolithic and Cro-Magnon civilization in central Europe which, along with her expert knowledge of herbs and plants, made for a fascinating saga of what life may have been like in that period. (Now the secret’s out – I’m also a fan of well-researched historical novels!)

November 19, 2004 in Anthropology, Books, Rock Art & Archaeology by Marja-Leena Comments Off on archaeology & anthropology books

by Marja-Leena

The Museum Called Canada

Imagine this – an interesting website with a virtual tour about a book The Museum Called Canada. The “tour guides” are “a renowned academic and author with a documented love for unconventional histories” Charlotte Gray and “museum curator” is the publisher of Toronto’s Otherwise Edition’s Sara Angel.

The story behind this unusual book and virtual tour is on The Globe & Mail. Here’s an excerpt:

“Published by Random House Canada, The Museum Called Canada is certainly one of the best-looking books produced in the country’s publishing history. […] The cover is mocked up to be an archive box from a museum, some front pages showing the entranceway to a museum, a coat-check room and the elevator. The 25 “rooms” (that is, chapters) are organized thematically, not chronologically, and cover everything from Canada’s ice age to its position in the modern global village.”

October 13, 2004 in Books, History by Marja-Leena Comments Off on The Museum Called Canada

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