Kalevala
The Epic of the Finnish People
- Schrijver: Elias Lönnrot (Finland)
- Soort boek: Fins epos, volksverhalen
- Origineel: Kalevala (1835)
- Engelse vertaling: Eino Friberg
- Uitgever: Penguin Classic
- Verschijnt: 29 april 2021
- Omvang: 656 pagina’s
- Uitgave: Paperback
- Waardering redactie: ∗∗∗∗∗ (uitstekend)
Recensie en waardering van het boek
- “One of the great mythic poems of Europe.” (The New York Times)
Flaptekst van het nationale epos van Finland Kalevala
Sharing its title with the poetic name for Finland – ’the land of heroes’ – Kalevala is the soaring epic poem of its people, a work rich in magic and myth which tells the story of a nation through the ages from the dawn of creation. Sung by rural Finns since prehistoric times, and formally compiled by Elias Lönnrot in the nineteenth century, it is a landmark of Finnish culture and played a vital role in galvanizing its national identity in the decades leading to independence. Its themes, however, reach beyond borders and search the heart of human existence.