1963 Väinö Linna, Finland: Täällä Pohjantähden alla 3

Väinö Linna was born in the town of Urjala close to Tampere. Losing his father early, Väinö Linna had to make a living through various jobs, at the same time reading avidly from the library. His breakthrough work, The Unknown Soldier, is imbued with his frightening experience as a soldier during World War II. The Nordic Council Literature Prize 1963 is awarded to Väinö Linna for the third part of his novel trilogy "Täällä Pohjantähden alla" (Under the North Star), a majestic vision of Finland’s recent history, rendered with powerful creation of characters in a tangible realistic portrayal. The second part was published in 1960, while the third novel was selected to receive the Nordic Council Literature Prize.

Under the North Star 3 was to be Väinö Linna’s last novel. It describes the time after the Finnish civil war until the years after World War II. We follow the people in the smallholding Koskela, where the interwar development towards improved living conditions is abruptly interrupted by the general hardship of World War II. Under the North Star 3 is a multi-protagonist novel in the great realistic narrative tradition. The point of perspective is consistently low-keyed, the reader learns about paramount events and modern ideas through their impact on ordinary people. In this way, social and historical insights come across even stronger. Add to this Väinö Linna’s language, pervaded by sweat and poor, lean soil.

Täällä Pohjantähden alla 3 (Under the North Star 3)

Published by: WSOY publishing company 

Publication year: 1962

The Nordic Council Literature Prize 1963 is awarded to Väinö Linna for the third part of his novel trilogy "Täällä Pohjantähden alla" (Under the North Star), a majestic vision of Finland’s recent history, rendered with powerful creation of characters in a tangible realistic portrayal. The account concludes a major epic work of significance for public debate in the Nordic countries.