![]() Anu Kaipanen in 1963 | |
Born | Aune Helinä Mustonen 14 March 1933 Muolaa , Finland [1] |
Died | 29 September 2009 Helsinki, Finland | (aged 76)
Occupation | Writer, critic, teacher |
Language | Finnish |
Education | Master of Arts |
Alma mater | University of Helsinki |
Notable works |
|
Notable awards | Pro Finlandia (1983) |
Spouse | |
Children | 3, incl. Jouni Kaipainen |
Anu Kaipainen ( née Mustonen; 14 March 1933 — 29 September 2009) was a prolific Finnish writer and literary critic. [1] [2]
Aune ("Anu") Helinä Mustonen was born in Muolaa, Karelia, to the school principal Johan Emil Mustonen and his second wife Signe Julia née Sjöblom. [3]
She completed her secondary education in Helsinki in 1951, after which she studied at the University of Helsinki, graduating with a Master of Arts in 1955. [3]
Before dedicating herself to writing, Kaipainen worked as a Finnish teacher for several years. [3] [2]
She had wide literary and cultural interests, contributing to literary criticism, as well as holding board and council roles at numerous literary and cultural organisations. [3]
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Kaipainen served as city councillor in her home town of Kauniainen. [3]
Kaipainen's debut novel, Utuiset neulat, came out in 1960, followed by a poetry collection, Kädet helmassa, in 1961. [3]
Afterwards she published a new novel every couple of years — over 20, in total — as well as several plays and TV scripts, short stories and a fairytale book. [4] [2]
Her 1967 novel Arkkienkeli Oulussa 1808-1809 (' Archangel in Oulu') is considered her breakthrough work, after which she became a full-time writer. [5]
Her 2002 novel Granaattiomena (' Pomegranate') was shortlisted for the Finlandia Prize literary award. [6]
Common themes in many of Kaipainen's works are on one hand myths and legends; on the other, contemporary realism and criticism of societal injustices and problems. [7] [8] She felt that a novel must be written openly and honestly, without trying to sugar-coat difficult issues. [7]
Kaipainen won the Finnish State Prize for Literature twice, in 1966 and 1969. [3]
In 1983, she received the Pro Finlandia medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland. [9]
She was awarded the state pension for artists (Valtion taiteilijaeläke) in recognition of her life's work, from 1994. [2]
In 2006, Kaipainen was recognised with the annual award (Suomen Kirjailijaliiton tunnustuspalkinto) of the Union of Finnish Writers. [4]
In 1955, Anu Mustonen married the physician and later politician Osmo Kaipainen; the couple had three sons, the eldest of whom was the composer Jouni Kaipainen. [3] [8]
![]() Anu Kaipanen in 1963 | |
Born | Aune Helinä Mustonen 14 March 1933 Muolaa , Finland [1] |
Died | 29 September 2009 Helsinki, Finland | (aged 76)
Occupation | Writer, critic, teacher |
Language | Finnish |
Education | Master of Arts |
Alma mater | University of Helsinki |
Notable works |
|
Notable awards | Pro Finlandia (1983) |
Spouse | |
Children | 3, incl. Jouni Kaipainen |
Anu Kaipainen ( née Mustonen; 14 March 1933 — 29 September 2009) was a prolific Finnish writer and literary critic. [1] [2]
Aune ("Anu") Helinä Mustonen was born in Muolaa, Karelia, to the school principal Johan Emil Mustonen and his second wife Signe Julia née Sjöblom. [3]
She completed her secondary education in Helsinki in 1951, after which she studied at the University of Helsinki, graduating with a Master of Arts in 1955. [3]
Before dedicating herself to writing, Kaipainen worked as a Finnish teacher for several years. [3] [2]
She had wide literary and cultural interests, contributing to literary criticism, as well as holding board and council roles at numerous literary and cultural organisations. [3]
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Kaipainen served as city councillor in her home town of Kauniainen. [3]
Kaipainen's debut novel, Utuiset neulat, came out in 1960, followed by a poetry collection, Kädet helmassa, in 1961. [3]
Afterwards she published a new novel every couple of years — over 20, in total — as well as several plays and TV scripts, short stories and a fairytale book. [4] [2]
Her 1967 novel Arkkienkeli Oulussa 1808-1809 (' Archangel in Oulu') is considered her breakthrough work, after which she became a full-time writer. [5]
Her 2002 novel Granaattiomena (' Pomegranate') was shortlisted for the Finlandia Prize literary award. [6]
Common themes in many of Kaipainen's works are on one hand myths and legends; on the other, contemporary realism and criticism of societal injustices and problems. [7] [8] She felt that a novel must be written openly and honestly, without trying to sugar-coat difficult issues. [7]
Kaipainen won the Finnish State Prize for Literature twice, in 1966 and 1969. [3]
In 1983, she received the Pro Finlandia medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland. [9]
She was awarded the state pension for artists (Valtion taiteilijaeläke) in recognition of her life's work, from 1994. [2]
In 2006, Kaipainen was recognised with the annual award (Suomen Kirjailijaliiton tunnustuspalkinto) of the Union of Finnish Writers. [4]
In 1955, Anu Mustonen married the physician and later politician Osmo Kaipainen; the couple had three sons, the eldest of whom was the composer Jouni Kaipainen. [3] [8]