MINÄ, KOIRA JA IHMISKUNTA
Otava/Like, February 2022, 317 pp.

Reading material:
English sample and synopsis

Me, My Dog and Humanity

A History of Coexistence Between Species

by Tiina Raevaara

Has humanity become so powerful through its own merits alone? Or do other species deserve a thanks as well? 

• An entertaining and narrative deep dive into the shared history of humans and animals
• The Finnish answer to Yuval Noah Harari and Rutger Bregman! 

In the Autumn of 2018, biologist and award-winning author Tiina Raevaara found herself exhausted and anguished, with her mind dark like a Finland November. She did, however, find comfort in the company of her dog, Igor. She started pondering the reasons for her exhaustion and, simultaneously, the evolution of the human species and its relation to other animals.

The current ascendancy of mankind is, according to Raevaara, not a result of humanity’s innate superiority, but, in fact, a result of its connections and relationships to other species. Ours is not a story of a purpose-driven humankind achieving its predominance in grand solitude, but of a humanity which has striven for connections with other animals.

In her new book ME, MY DOG AND HUMANITY, Raevaara compellingly describes the coexistence between humans and animals, both personally and from the perspective of humankind, and seeks answers to a number of questions:

• Why does an exhausted person prefer to spend time with their dog than other people? 
• Why do animals arouse such strong empathy in us?
• What does the human-animal connection mean from the perspective of evolution and humanity?

The domesticated dog is a much older creation of humankind than agriculture, religion or even writing. Mapping out the mutual journey between humans and dogs, Raevaara sheds light on the most fundamental essences of humanity and its relationship with nature.

KANSALAINEN KEKKONEN
Suuri suunnitelma
WSOY, August 2021, 507 pp.

Reading material:
English manuscript

The Finnish Factor

Kekkonen, Kennedy, Khrushchev and the Cold War

by Gordon F. Sander

With the fate of his country and relations between superpowers in the balance, what is the President of Finland to do?  

• A gripping and lucid account of one of the lesser-known crises of the Cold War 
• The latest title from the Pulitzer Prize-nominated reporter, historian, author and Nordic specialist

In the fall of 1961, as is well known, Soviet and American tanks faced off at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin in an explosive confrontation also known as the Berlin Crisis which many feared might lead to World War III. At the same time, 1500 kilometers to the north, in Finland, the USSR and the US were also squaring off for another potentially explosive confrontation over the Kremlin’s desire to maintain its sphere of influence over that country.

This was called the Note Crisis. That crisis, the events leading up to it, and the three figures who were at the center of it—Urho Kekkonen, the Machiavellian president of Finland, who was then fighting for his political life; Nikita Khrushchev, the feisty Soviet premier and Kekkonen’s sponsor; and John Kennedy, the US president, who sent a top secret message of support to Kekkonen—comprise the climax of Gordon Sander’s groundbreaking book.

Sander’s biography, which focuses on Kekkonen’s pivotal first term, which culminated with the Note Crisis and his re-election to the presidency, is based on three years of research, and includes exclusive interviews with Khrushchev’s late son Sergey, Kekkonen’s former chiefs of staff and President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö.

PRAISE:

Over the last quarter-century, the world has learned much about what happened behind the scenes during the Cold War.  One big story, though, remains largely untold, and this book finally tells it.  Finland and its brilliant leader, Urho Kekkonen, managed not only to balance enemy power blocs but also to contribute decisively to peace in Europe.  By telling this story, THE FINNISH FACTOR: KEKKONEN, KENNEDY, KHRUSHCHEV AND THE COLD WAR adds a vital piece to our understanding of modern world history.  It also provides a gripping account of the the greatest crisis in Finnish post-war history, the 1961 Note Crisis. – Stephen Kinzer, former Berlin bureau chief, New York Times; senior fellow, Watson Institute for International Affairs, Brown University (US)   

THE FINNISH FACTOR is remarkable and significant for several reasons. For one, it is the first, not to mention the most thorough examination of Finland’s recent history by an American – particularly its crucial and little understood role in the Cold War, when its status as a Soviet sphere of influence was a test of wills between the East and West… [—] Perhaps the high point of Sander’s spellbinding book is his account of the meeting between Finnish president Urho Kekkonen and US President John Kennedy, on the eve of the so-called 1961 Note Crisis, one of the great “forgotten” episodes of the Cold War, which includes a full never-before-published transcript of the pivotal two day conference. [—] THE FINNISH FACTOR, which reads like a page-turner, is a great read and an important and worthwhile – as well as fun – work of non-fiction and creative biography unto itself.
– Michael Franck, documentarian and film maker

So much has happened since the end of the Cold War that even a serious student of today’s crises would surely learn much by casting an eye back at Finland’s ‘active neutrality’ role in the dangerous Berlin crisis in the early 1960’s. Gordon Sander’s THE FINNISH FACTOR is gripping history, rich with insight, fascinating characters such as Kennedy, Khrushchev and Kekkonen, and valuable lessons in crisis understanding and management. Rarely does a small country play so large a role. – Marvin Kalb, former Moscow bureau chief, CBS News; Murrow Professor Emeritus, Harvard University

PARISUHTEEN PIENI PAHAN MIELEN KIRJA
Otava, February 2022, 128 pp.

Reading material:
English PDF

The Little Book of Bad Moods for Relationships

by Lotta Sonninen and Piia Aho

Channel your disappointments, resentments and negative emotions toward relationships into this helpful and trustworthy book! 

• The newest title in the highly successful THE LITTLE BOOK OF BAD MOODS series, sold in 30 languages!

It’s annoying. It’s irritating. It’s your relationship.

Let’s face it – no relationship is like spending an eternity in the bliss of cloud nine. However lovely, caring, and thoughtful your significant other might be, there are always moments when you have to muster up all of your strength to not let the other know what you really think about them. And why is it that the one closest to you always keeps saying and doing all the wrong things?

Not to worry – THE LITTLE BOOK OF BAD MOODS FOR RELATIONSHIPS is here to the rescue!

Fill this adult activity book with your disappointments in relationships, reveal your true thoughts about your significant other (and exes!) and mark down the romantic duds. Reminisce about your worst dates, play some argument bingo and ensure that your partner’s errors are never forgotten! 

The perfect book for you, who would really rather be single.

PRAISE ABOUT THE LITTLE BOOK OF BAD MOODS:

“A hilarious book to express your negative feelings: cathartic and awesome!”
– Isabelle Dubois, non-fiction publisher, Le Livre de Poche, France

SUSTAINABLE INVESTING
Beating the Market with ESG
Palgrave Macmillan, June 2021, 241 pp.

Reading material:
English edition

Sustainable Investing
Beating the Market with ESG 

by Hanna Silvola and Tiina Landau

Learn how to stay on top of the investing game in an ever-changing world – and how to do it sustainably 

• Rights sold in China and Estonia! Published in the US by Palgrave Macmillan!
• Recommended reading for investors and the interested public alike!

This book reviews the latest methods of sustainable investing and financial profit making, describing how ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) analysis can identify future business opportunities, and managing risk to achieve abnormal returns. Megatrends such as climate change, sustainable development, and digitalisation increase uncertainty and information asymmetry and have an impact on the future returns on investments. From a profit perspective, it is largely about how ESG factors affect the long-term value added by companies and the valuation of companies in the financial markets. Although sustainability provides an opportunity for abnormal returns, this phenomenon must be considered in a critical light. This book describes the risks and limitations associated with the accountability and availability of ESG data and tools.

SUSTAINABLE INVESTING provides both practical models and academic findings for assessing the sustainability of investees and introduces practical tools and methods to practice ESG analysis. It focuses on the ESG analysis of equity investments and fund investments in institutional investment organizations, and provides a handbook for all investment analysts who are involved with investment decisions. Readers will benefit from understanding the methods, opportunities and challenges that professionals use in their ESG analysis with cases, interviews and practical tools for both institutional and private investors.

The English edition of SUSTAINABLE INVESTING is an updated version of the original Finnish title Vastuullisuudesta ylituotoa sijoituksiin.

PRAISE:

“ESG (Environmental. Social, Governance) investment is one of the megatrends at present… [—] This book provides complete and systematic guidance for institutional and individual investors.”
– Dong Huan, Editor, Cheers Publishing, China

EVERYDAY SISU
Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life
TarcherPerigee / Penguin Random House, March 2022, 250 pp.

Reading material:
English manuscript

Everyday Sisu
Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life 

by Katja Pantzar

Discover how the happiest people on earth survive—and thrive—through tough times using inner strength and courage! 

• The brand new book by the bestselling author of The Finnish Way, sold in 24 territories!
• Penguin Random House will publish Everyday Sisu in the US & UK on March 15, 2022
• Rights sold in Japan, Thailand and World English

Sisu is a powerful mindset that makes Finland one of the happiest countries in the world, despite long winters, social isolation, and a history of challenging times.

Words that express happiness can help you improve your own. Katja Pantzar, author of The Finnish Way, says that a good sense of “sisu,” a Finnish concept that means not giving up in the face of challenges, can improve physical and mental well-being, which has the spillover effect of happiness. Practicing sisu “means using resilience-building skills such as looking for solutions when faced with setbacks and trying to break out of negative lifestyle habits and thought patterns,” Pantzar adds.

In Everyday Sisu, journalist Katja Pantzar explores the simple practices that make Finnish life so stable, sustainable, and healthy for body and mind, even when life doesn’t go as planned. You’ll discover ways to boost your mental and physical resilience to face life’s challenges head-on, including:

• connecting with nature
• strengthening community
• using what you have
• reframing what you can’t control
• adopting a solutions mindset
• finding strength in the struggle

Featuring insights from Finnish experts in mental health, wellness, sustainability, social justice, and more, this practical and empowering guide presents a roadmap for overcoming what you thought you couldn’t — and finding hope and tools to create a brighter way forward.

PRAISE:

“I’m thrilled that we’ll be publishing Katja’s next book, and there couldn’t be a more timely topic in these challenging times. We all need more sisu, and this book will help readers cultivate more of it every day.” – Marian Lizzi, Editor in Chief at TarcherPerigee, Penguin Random House, US

THE FINNISH WAY
Hodder & Stoughton (UK); TarcherPerigee (US); November 2018, 320 pp.

Reading material:
English edition

The Finnish Way
Finding Courage, Wellness and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu 

by Katja Pantzar 

• A bestselling title, with rights sold in 24 territories!

Journalist Katja Pantzar took a huge leap to move from North America to the remote Nordic country of Finland. What she discovered there transformed her body, mind and spirit.

In this engaging and practical guide, she shows readers how to embrace the “keep it simple and sensible” daily practices with the power of sisu that makes Finns one of the happiest populations in the world, year after year.

Topics include winter swimming, movement as medicine, forest therapy, healthy eating and the Nordic diet, and the gift of sisu: Why Finns embrace a special form of courage, grit and determination as a national virtue – and how anyone can dig deeper to survive and thrive through tough times.

PRAISE:

“But I learned in this book about this Finnish concept called sisu: it means being tough, which I find quite inspiring. Don’t give up, be resilient, get on with life, challenge yourself. There’s a lot of practical stuff about going into the forest, spending time outside. What really appealed to me was sisu – the idea of something that encourages you to be a bit ballsy and a bit punchy as well as buy the candles and the blankets. The idea that there’s actually a word for it. Instead of ‘I can’t’, or ‘I won’t’, how about, ‘how can I?”
– Sophie Kinsella, author of the bestselling series Shopaholic

GENTLE POWER
A Revolution in How We Think, Lead and Succeed
Sounds True, 2023, approx.. 200 pp.

Reading material:
English manuscript

Gentle Power
A Revolution in How We Think, Lead and Succeed

by Elisabet Lahti

It’s not about whether you’ve won. It’s about how you’ve won. Whether you can look back and say you honored yourself and others. This book, at its core, is both an invitation to examine our relationship to power and awaken to the surprising fortitude of gentleness.

• A pioneering work by the international keynote speaker and researcher of the Finnish power quality of sisu
• Learn how to use Gentle Power to overcome adversity and build a legacy of excellence through your everyday interactions
• Sounds True will publish Gentle Power in the US & UK in 2023. Rights sold in China pre-publication!

Have you ever been inspired by someone’s graceful yet powerful example in a moment of extraordinary pressure or uncertainty over the right course of action? Researcher Elisabet Lahti says: “Love is the base element of you and I. It has always been there waiting for you to remove the veils that conceal. It’s illuminated expression on this earth is what I call gentle power.”

GENTLE POWER is based on cutting-edge research in applied psychology that shows us how future leadership—be it organizational and political decision making, social activism or parenting—is not about winning (and winning at all cost), but about a commitment to developing a good heart and fighting a fair fight. To lead by example. Through the practice of sisu as the formidable inner strength of every individual, we can overcome adversities. By refining sisu into gentle power, which is a path of thoroughly knowing, owning, and integrating both our strong and soft sides in everyday leadership, we can also pursue excellence in the art that is at the heart of the lived experience—and which the world in its current state is in a dire need of—us being more human and succeeding because we choose this quality first.

This book reaches us at a crucial moment of modern human history. As we take stock and reimagine a better path forward, our ability to elevate our standards regarding how we think, lead, and succeed, can offer us an unparalleled opportunity to elevate our own wellbeing and sense of empowerment and ultimately, that of our entire human family.

PRAISE:

“Former student of Angela Duckworth, international keynote speaker and researcher Emilia Elisabet Lahti’s GENTLE POWER: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead and Succeed, co-creating the next level of company and community cultures based on the science of Sisu and Gentle Power, a universal strategy for how to draw from the deep well of inner strength and fortitude in order to lead more effectively in all aspects of life.”  – Diana Ventimiglia, Senior Editor, Sounds True, US

SAUNAFULNESS
Hyvää oloa saunomalla
Viisas Elämä, July 2021, 272 pp.

Reading material:
English sample

Saunafulness
Wellness with Saunas

by Carita Harju

The humble sauna can be your pathway to reducing stress and improving your health!

• A veritable resource of exercises that can be adjusted according to one’s needs
• The newest book by the founder of Sauna from Finland association

A WONDERFUL LIFE
Insights on Finding a Meaningful Existence
HarperCollins, March 2020, 200 pp.

Reading material:
English edition

A Wonderful Life
Insights on Finding a Meaningful Existence 

by Frank Martela

Stop seeking for the meaning of life, for the search will only make you unhappy. Frank Martela is here to help you find meaning in life instead!  

• The book to address our turbulent times, by the eminent happiness researcher!
• An international bestseller with the rights sold to 29 countries!

Is happiness a worthy goal? What is the foundation for meaning in a secular society? Is life an existential void?

Frank Martela answers these questions and more in a relaxed, conversational tone and with a wry sense of humor, placing some of life’s greatest philosophical concerns and quandaries into a modern-day context. Martela quickly and concisely gets to the heart of the matter – your place in the world and how to find meaning in life – yet the emphasis here is on what we do with the life we have and how we can make it more meaningful.

The search for life’s meaning is perhaps the most important quest we can undertake. And for any quest, it’s essential to have a guide. Philosophically probing yet eminently readable, A Wonderful Life is a book you can refer to again and again on your journey toward purpose.

PRAISE:

”A brilliant and charming book that tackles the grandest questions of life in plain terms, with humor and insight…full of anecdotes, history, thoughtfulness, perspective, and entertaining discourse. If you have any curiosity about the meaning of life—and who doesn’t?—this book is a refreshing and important resource. ”
– Roy F. Baumeister, author of New York Times bestseller Willpower, The Power of Bad, and Meanings of Life

TULEVAISUUDEN LUKUJÄRJESTYS
Otava, 2020, 192 pp.

Reading material:
English edition

Future Skills

by Perttu Pölönen
What are the 12+1 essential skills that will help you defeat the fear of the future?

• An essential book for parents, educators and anyone who wants to prepare themselves for an uncertain future!
• Published in the US, Korea and Turkey

The next revolution is a human revolution, says Perttu Pölönen, a futurist, inventor and inspirational speaker. We should develop courage, adaptability, compassion, storytelling, patience and curiosity, to name a few, in order to succeed in the era of machines, robots and artificial intelligence. Pölönen explains how.

FUTURE SKILLS challenges assumptions about the future and provides insightful and thought-provoking observations – there’s a lot to digest. With the world developing so fast, we should not focus on what is changing but rather find what is not going to change. What makes us different from machines, makes us happy.

FUTURE SKILLS has become an instant bestseller in Finland where its readers have reported to have changed their career paths and found meaning in their current jobs. It is a book that gives hope. Pölönen is a bright young mind whose personal experiences and stories make the book lively and engaging, and you will find yourself laughing and sobbing. When nothing is certain, everything is possible.

PRAISE:

“Our capacity for problem solving is a vital attribute of humankind – and Perttu Pölönen has captured the very essence of what our future depends on. Future Skills is an insightful and encouraging book about what skills we as a society should cultivate in the coming years and why. Filled with inspiring personal stories and thought-provoking examples, this is a book I would make my students read. Perttu is a visionary young thinker.” – Esther Wojcicki, educator and best-selling author of How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results

TULEVAISUUDEN IDENTITEETIT
Otava, January 2021, 192 pp.

Reading material:
English synopsis

Future Identities

by Perttu Pölönen
Are you an expander, inspirer, crystallizer, or an enlightener? Find out how to forge your own, unique identity!

• The inspiring and thought-provoking follow-up to Future Skills, published in the US, Korea and Turkey

The years and decades to come will force each of us to rethink our place in this world. Traditionally, identity has been based on a profession, for example, but in the future it is worth building on skills.

Future Identities is an immersive book on identifying one’s own strengths and verbalizing them. If you were an extender, linker or cross-pollinator, what could you do in the future? In his latest book, Pölönen delves into the notion of identity and ponders their formation from different perspectives, then provides the reader with the necessary knowledge and tools to find their strengths and, by extension, their potential identities. Pölönen’s goal is not to arrange people into specific molds, but to break the molds.

PRAISE:

“Perttu Pölönen challenges our current straightforward world of titles in a way that is simultaneously deep, inventive, and fun. This is a refreshingly colourful read in this black and white world.” – Saku Tuominen, author, innovator, creative director, executive producer, keynote speaker

NAISET JOITA AJATTELEN ÖISIN
Otava, November 2018, 448 pp.

Reading material:
English edition

The Women I Think About at Night

by Mia Kankimäki

What can a 40-something childless woman do with her life?  Hop on a plane and follow the footsteps of the historical female heroes of their time!  

• Over 45 000 copies sold in FinlandI
• An international hit published in 20 territories, recently in Italy to raving reviews!
• TV & Film rights acquired by napafilms!

Have you heard about Artemisia Gentileschi, Lavinia Fontana or Nellie Bly? What about Karen Blixen? The Women I Think About at Night follows in the footsteps of 10 historical women, who did what was impossible for women to do in their own times: travel the world or create a career as an artist. And these women were quite successful – some of them actually became celebrities of their own time! So why have they been forgotten by the history books?

Finnish writer Mia Kankimäki sold her house, packed her suitcase and traveled the world to find out. Part biography, part travelogue, this book takes you from Karen Blixen’s farm in Kenya to Renaissance artists’ Florence and modern-day Japan.

Warning: May cause strong case of wanderlust!

A publishing sensation in Finland with over tens of thousands of copies sold, The Women I Think About at Night solidifies Kankimäki’s standing as one of Finland’s leading new authors. Her book was translated by Douglas Robinson and published by Simon & Schuster, one of the four largest English-language publishers in the world. Her book has received positive reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, Travel & Leisure, and Kirkus Review, along with Fortune magazine.

PRAISE:

“THE WOMEN I THINK ABOUT AT NIGHT can cure any fear.“ – Riza Antiage magazine, Italy

“Complicated and engaging … Through each chapter, you’ll learn about women who went against the grain and set out on personal adventures to unapologetically live their lives with passion and fervor. You’ll read about a woman who ran a coffee plantation in Kenya; a travel writer who suffered from depression until she took the advice of a doctor to explore the high seas; a Buddhist nun who became the first white woman to enter Lhasa, a forbidden city in the mid 1920’s; an inventor who traveled around the world with just a handbag; and many more.” – Forbes

ASIOITA JOTKA SAAVAT SYDÄMEN LYÖMÄÄN NOPEAMMIN
Otava, November 2013, 380 pp.

Reading material:
English sample & synopsis
German and Italian PDFs

Things That Make One’s Heart Beat Faster

by Mia Kankimäki

A nonfiction narrative about a Finnish writer’s trip to Japan to look for her soulmate – who lived more than 1000 years ago 

• More than 45,000 copies sold in Finland!
• Rights sold recently in Czech Republic, published in Japan and Germany to excellent reviews!

Mia Kankimäki quits her job and embarks on an adventure. She travels to Kyoto to research Sei Shonagon, a Japanese writer and lady-in-waiting who wrote about her life in the court of Heian era Japan. Mia doesn’t speak a word of Japanese, and isn’t quite accustomed to scientific research, but her endeavor produces the most wonderful book about Japan, Sei Shonagon, and a middle-aged woman’s solo travels.

Despite her struggles and initial culture shock, Mia finds herself mesmerized by temples, cherry blossoms, kabuki theater, Zen meditation and tearooms. She reads the Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon and finds a soul sister – a modern woman who loves making lists of all things charming, annoying, elegant and things that make one’s heart beat faster.

PRAISE:

“[—] THINGS THAT MAKE YOUR HEART BEAT FASTER is a pleasure to read – light and humorous, but also clever and inspired. By reading it, you get new ideas, make exciting discoveries, and learn a lot about a world that is alien to most of us, but, then again, very familiar.” – Alexander Huber, Redaktion Müllheim, Badische Zeitung

HISTORIAN JÄNNÄT NAISET
Atena, August  2020, 503 pp.

Reading material:
English sample

Extraordinary Women of History
Pirates, Psychics, Priestesses and Princess Spies

by Maria Pettersson

Extraordinary, “bad-ass” women of history – meet pirates, psychics, priestesses, princess spies and dozens of other women whose stories your history teacher never told you

• Best-selling nonfiction book in Finland with over 40,000 copies sold!

The captain who ruled the biggest pirate fleet in history. The scientist who changed our understanding of physics, while taking the most famous geniuses of her time as her lovers, and getting in trouble for gambling. The con artist who could fool any jeweler in Europe. The baseball star who played wearing a fake beard. Teenagers recruited by the Resistance because of their innocent looks, who learned to blow up railways and shoot Nazis from their bicycles. The master of Jujutsu who taught the Suffragettes to fight back. The cult leader who made her followers undergo cosmetic surgery to look more like her. The kidnapped girl who ended up ruling the biggest empire that had ever existed, with her female lover as her queen.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN OF HISTORY introduces over a hundred exceptional women from different periods of history and from all corners of the world. It is a veritable treasury of captivating stories and unsung ballads about the exciting women in history. Outrageous, amazing, terrible, heroic, thrilling and above all extraordinary; their life stories make the reader gasp and ask: “Why haven’t I heard of them before?”

PRAISE:

“Pettersson is a splendid storyteller. As a professional writer Pettersson tells her stories well. She has the talent to create varying beginnings that pique one’s interest in reading each lady’s story til the end. The narration is alive and colourful, but simultaneously very informative. The author has gone to great lengths to acquire information from sometimes very scarce and challenging sources.”
– Aki Alanko, Ilkka-Pohjalainen

“From the very first moment on, I was fascinated by the extraordinary women who broke the rules of their time. Girls and women will find numerous inspiring role models – female empowerment at its best. Droemer Knaur is thrilled to be the German publisher!” – Alexandra Eckl, editor, Droemer Knaur, Germany

RAKASTAN SINUSSA IHMISTÄ
Aino ja Alvar Aallon tarina
Otava, September 2021, 450 pp.
Approx. 50-80 photographs & drawings

Reading material:
English sample

The Story of Aino and Alvar Aalto

by Heikki Aalto-Alanen

The love story of the world-famous, pioneering design couple Aino and Alvar Aalto, written by the Aaltos’ grandson 

• Based on previously unpublished correspondence, photography, and drawings from 1921 to 1949
• Full English text available in March 2022!
• World’s most prestigious art publisher Phaidon Press will launch the book in 2023 for the English-speaking world

Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino are internationally celebrated for their architecture, furniture, glassware, and other interior design, but their personal lives have been relatively unknown – until now. This book, written by the Aaltos’ grandson, stands apart from countless other works on the Aalto’s lives and careers. It contains photos, sketches, and personal letters between Aino and Alvar, beautifully illustrating how inseparable this couple was both in work and love, and bringing a deeply human element to their story.

“Countless books have been written about Alvar Aalto’s architecture and other works. Recently, Aino Marsio-Aalto has also received the recognition she deserves in her own right as well as in her role as the partner of Alvar Aalto in his rise as one of the leading architects of the 20th century,” says Heikki Aalto-Alanen. “The voice in this book is personal. I want to tell the story of Aino’s and Alvar’s unique partnership, relationship, and their joint life work from the perspective of a family member. I also want their own voices to be heard.”

In addition to the photographs from the family archive, the book is illustrated with Aino’s and Alvar’s drawings of each other and of their children, along with architectural drawings and photographs.

PRAISE:

“Largely founded on the correspondence of his grandparents, the book [by Aalto-Alanen] carefully addresses both sides and, on numerous occasions, draws attention to how Aino Aalto’s name was consciously omitted during her time or was downright removed from the couple’s collaborations. [—] The book in its entirety is compiled with love and precision. [—] The correspondence gathered by Aalto-Alanen paints a picture of a relationship which had its share of hardships, but of love as well.” – Arla Kanerva, Helsingin Sanomat

“The Story of Aino and Alvar Aalto catches the spirit of the Aaltos’ productions and architecture. The beginning and the end are finely interwoven in this extraordinary piece.” – Suomen Kuvalehti

“We are very proud to have acquired the rights for the English edition of Heikki Aalto Alanen’s book on Aino and Alvar Aalto. It is an honour to publish the great story of two talented individuals, who changed forever the course of modern architecture and design.” – Emilia Terragni, Associated Publisher, Phaidon Press London

MAAILMAN 50 VAARALLISINTA YHTIÖTÄ
Otava/Nemo, February 2021, 528 pp.

Reading material:
English sample and summary

The 50 Most Dangerous Companies in the World

by Juha-Pekka Raeste and Hannu Sokala

How could a few dozen business giants challenge the foundations of democracy, destabilize institutions, and determine the state of the environment?

• Rights sold to 7 countries throughout Europe and Taiwan!

Large multinational corporations influence how we think, what we eat, who we meet, how we spend our time, and even who we vote for. As those businesses grow, their influence and power over people and governments also grows. To make sure the future is not dictated by corporations, but by people, we need to know more about them.

This exciting nonfiction title by experienced financial journalists Hannu Sokala and Juha-Pekka Raeste covers 50 companies that comprise a large part of global market forces. They determine what kind of a world we all live in. Some of the companies in the book are relatively unknown (Zhōngguó Yāncǎo Zǒnggōngsī and BlackRock), some predictable (Google, Amazon), some may seem surprising (Ikea and Disney), and some inevitable (Gazprom and Chevron).

Some of the companies benefit from our everyday needs (Cargill, Coca-Cola), some from our vanity (ByteDance, Facebook), and some from our greed (Goldman Sachs, Berkshire Hathaway). The book reads like a thriller, but it is nonfiction. It offers a comprehensive and often a startling perspective on the most important, and dangerous, companies in the world.

PRAISE:

“The best offering of the work is the presentations of the less well-known giant companies. Each chapter proceeds fluently and describes the history, business model and the owning families of the company at hand. It functions well as a Who’s Who reference book about the wealthiest people in the world. The book can be used for researching investment tips if you’re not steering clear from investing in the arms business, aviation, or alcohol. The book has a clear index and list of sources, and the language is fluent and neat.“ – Saara Koho, Talouselämä Financial Magazine

”I like the idea of 50 MOST DANGEROUS COMPANIES. The title grapped my attention immediately. The authors show the necessary competence and also gain my sympathy by admitting very openly that their selection is subjective. Nevertheless, the mix of well-known and never-heard-before companies is convincing. After reading you are definitely smarter than before. It’s a profound but at the same time timeless and easy to sell title. I am glad to publish this project in Germany.” – Juergen Diessl, Publishing Director Econ Verlag, Ullstein Buchverlage GmbH, Germany

PUTININ TROLLIT
Johnny Kniga, November 2019, 453 pp.

Reading material:
English PDF

Putin’s Trolls

by Jessikka Aro

A journalistic nonfiction book that reads like a real-life spy thriller and reveals the methods of the Kremlin’s modern information warfare

• Rights sold in 10 territories!
• US publication in June 2022
• Jessikka Aro won the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage of Journalism Award for her investigation!

PUTIN’S TROLLS is a first-hand memoir/reportage account by award-winning Finnish journalist Jessikka Aro who was bullied out of her country by Putin’s internet trolls, revealing the true face of an invisible threat that is only growing in power. Russia wages war against civilians online. Every critical voice is an enemy. 

PUTIN’S TROLLS presents the criminal smearing campaign, launched and approved by the Kremlin against private individuals around Western countries. It is a chilling account of Russia’s modern tools of information warfare, shedding light on the individuals and organizations behind the Kremlin’s coordinated, military-style social media psy-ops.

PRAISE:

”By exposing Putin’s institutionalized trolling operations, Jessikka Aro has gone where no one has had the courage to go before and has done so at great peril. Ms. Aro has done the world a huge service by showing us how these tactics work so we can better defend ourselves going forward.”
– Bill Browder, New York Times bestselling author, Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice

SUO, KUOKKA JA HOLLYWOOD
Siltala, July 2021, 346 pp.

Reading material:
English manuscript

US&Us: Surviving Hollywood with Comedy

by Ismo Leikola and Angelika Leikola

What is Hollywood like for a newcomer from Europe? 

• Finland’s #1 bestselling nonfiction title in 2021 with 62,000 copies sold!
• A first-hand account of life in Los Angeles by the Funniest Person in the World
• Frequent visitor on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien with 90 million views!

A Finnish comedian-writer couple arrives in Los Angeles. Is the city ready for them?

The authors share their personal story of navigating through the Hollywood comedy industry and the American way of life as a freshly arrived writer-comedian couple from a very different society. As they examine this new world and how their old one looks from afar, they end up realizing their life is like an ongoing stand-up bit. And that the line between tragedy and comedy is truly so fine it’s in many ways non-existent.

US&Us: SURVIVING HOLLYWOOD WITH COMEDY is the international version of Finland’s #1 bestselling nonfiction title Suo, kuokka ja Hollywood, by the same authors, which was published in Finland in March 2021 and has sold more than 62,000 copies across all formats. Full English text available!

PRAISE:

“[The Leikolas’] book was the most listened-to book of 2021 on Storytel. Their depiction of the world behind the scenes of stand-up comedy has also been the most listened-to nonfiction and autobiographical book on Bookbeat. The book describes how the couple built Ismo Leikola’s comedy career throughout the years in the United States. At the same time, it reveals their day-to-day life in the United States – what works, and what doesn’t.” – Helsingin Sanomat, Finland