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Hannu Niklander (1951- ) |
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Finnish poet, short story writer, critic, and essayist, whose style is marked by irony and subtle humour. Niklander has also worked as a creative writing teacher and edited several anthologies of works of aspiring writers. In his short stories he has depicted modern day country life and everyday misfortunes that turn out to be more or less prosperous. Valoisa yötaivas, A white night sky, Hannu Niklander was born in Helsinki. His father, Veijo Kaarlo Niklander, was a manager of an estate and mother, Maija-Liisa (Suomalainen) Niklander, a nurse. As a poet Niklander made his debut with Kotiinpäin (Homeward bound), which came out in 1974. It was followed by Maakuntalaulu (Provincial song) in 1979. Before becoming a full-time writer, Niklander studied at the University of Helsinki, receiving his M.A. in 1983. Niklander has published critics in several newspapers, among others in Länsi-Uusimaa, Porvoon Seutu, Helsingin Sanomat, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, Suomenmaa and other papers. He has contributed to such publications as Kirjastolehti, Suomen Luonto, Parnasso, Finland's most importanant literary journal, Kanava, a highly influential socio-political discussion forum, and Kaltio, a regional culture journal. From the 1980s Niklander has travelled widely in Canada and Asia, and written several travel essays and books, among them Tuokiokuvia Euroopasta (1990), and Vaahteranlehti ja vaakunalilja (1996). The latter book is based on Niklander's travels in Canada in 1991 and 1993. It combines personal observations and experiences with wide knowledge of literature and culture of past and present Canada. Among central themes are Canadian-Finns and French culture in Canada. The writer linms in his humorous way also the nature and railways in Canada. In 1999 Niklander received the State award for literature for his novel Aurinko katsoo taakseen (1999), a Bildungsroman with autobiographical elements. It is a tragi-comical story about a father, who tries to find his self-respect from the liquor, and his son, Hannu, who sees through his father's pitiful character. The third person in the family drama is Hannu's mother, disappointed in her life. Hannu, the narrator, grows in the milieu of military traditions, operetta music, and sports, which are cherished by his father. But these cultural settings form a more or less empty social facade. Hannu's father has lost the bottom of his middle class life – reflecting the intellectual and social period of transition in Finland after the war. Hannu Waarala noted in his review of the book (Savon Sanomat, 21.10.1999), that in his narration Niklander consciously rejects fashionable literary trends, and approaches the modernist narration of the 1950s, familiar from the works of Antti Hyry. Radan varrella varjo (2003) continued Niklander's autobiographical story, now set in the 1970s. The young Hannu serves in the army and then attends a creative writing course. He plans to become a writer. Again Niklander shows his skill in extracting telling insights from small everyday details. The third volume of the series, Kuu jättää jäljen (2006), focuses on Hannu's studies at the University of Helsinki and the years of left-wing radicalism. Leskimiehen kevät (2000) is a collection of short stories in which a piece of liver sausage becomes a symbol of class distinctions, the last words of a father to his daughter are about a Persian hooker, and a widowed man suspects that his wife was unfaithful. Niklander's humor is again gentle – he doesn't mock his characters but lets them keep their basic human dignity in spite of their follies. "Parhaimmillaan hänen novelleissaan tuntuvat ihmisen arkiset järistykset, jotka tunteiden avoimella asteikolla voivat yltää kauas, vaikka ulkopuoliset eivät niitä huomaisikaan." (Pertti Lassila in Helsingin Sanomat, 21.10.2000) Niklander is married with Kirsti Salmi-Niklander, who has published studies on folk poetry. They live in Karkkila, a small town about 70 kilometers North-West from Helsinki. Hannu Niklander has also spend long periods in Switzerland, Uppsala (Sweden), and Québec (Canada). - See also - other Finnish writers who have published travel books: Pentti Saarikoski, Olavi Paavolainen, Antti Tuuri, Sakari Pälsi, Märta Tikkanen, Mika Waltari Selected works:
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