Reviews the geography, climate, wildlife, history, politics, culture, economy, and government of Finland.

Grey Cobalt' by Felicia Honkasalo bases itself around a collection of artefacts steeped in the landscape and history of her native Finland. In a sequence of delicately arranged images, 'Grey Cobalt' contains both a meditation on the legacy left by her metallurgist grandfather and a larger, sweeping narrative of how different orders of time and memory impress themselves upon the land, like a palimpsest. Now ?rearranged and newly ordered, like a cabinet of curiosities?, together these images form a tactile experience of a lost world. Honkasalo creates multiple narratives from seemingly disparate objects, forming alternative cosmologies from her own observations and sense of the distant past. A selection of notes written by Felicia?s grandfather, and expanded upon by herself, are included as epilogue and reflection upon the book and the objects exhibited; a musing on the historical moment in which they were created and the present they in turn disrupt.0Through this sequence of images juxtaposing and complimenting one another, 'Grey Cobalt' obliquely connects personal, historical and geological traces across space and time. An accompanying long form prose piece by Ada Smailbegovic expands these traces further, using images and a fragmentary style to conjure an invisible world of objects and places.00Exhibition: Webber Gallery, London, UK (10.01.-15.02.2019).

Paperback edition of this groundbreaking study of the art of Touko Laaksonen (1920-1991), better known as Tom of Finland, in which Micha Ramakers explores the incredible and defining impact he has had upon gay culture. A lively and entertaining work encompassing the rise of the gay movement, the world of fine art and the functioning of pornography, this is an ideal work for the millions of Tom's fans throughout the world and of interest to readers unfamiliar with his work. Illustrated in b/w throughout.

The data visualization handbook is a practical guide to creating compelling graphics to explain or explore data. It is primarily aimed for designers, journalists, researchers, analysts, and other professionals who want to learn the basics of visualization, but also includes plenty of material for people with intermediate level visualization skills.

This volume analyses the societal legacy of Lutheranism in Finland in broad terms. It contributes to the recent renewed interest in the history of religion in Finland and the Nordic countries by bringing together researchers in history, political science, economics, social psychology, education, linguistics, media studies, and theology to examine the mutual relationship between Lutheranism and society in Finland. The two main foci are (i) the historical effects of the Reformation and its aftermath on societal structures and on national identity, values, linguistic culture, education, and the economy, and (ii) the adaptation of the church – and its theology – to changes in the geo-political and sociocultural context. Important sub-themes include nationalism and religion, the secularization and institutionalization of traditional values, multiple Protestant ethics, and long continuities in history. Overall the book argues that large changes in societies cannot be explained via ‘secular’ factors alone, such as economic development or urbanization, but that factors pertaining to religion provide substantial explanatory power for understanding societal change and the resulting societal structures.

Providing a multifaceted view of modern Finland, this book describes its history, culture, language, geography, natural history and the mythology of early peoples. Topics include Fenno-Scandia inhabitants and their environment, traditional naturalism and modern environmentalism, and the salient features of "Finnishness," including an analysis of the Finnish educational system and gender equality. Finland's art, architecture and music are highlighted, along with its peace-keeping missions worldwide. The country's several ethnic groups and their languages are discussed--the Saami, Finns, Finland-Swedes, Russian-speaking peoples, Jews and Gypsies. The author examines Finland's late but rapid development in commerce and industry, with a focus on the history of Nokia Corporation, which grew from a 19th-century manufacturer of pulpwood and rubber boots to a 21st-century international digital communications company.

Did you ever want to teach your kids the basics of Finnish ? Learning Finnish can be fun with this picture book. In this book you will find the following features: Finnish Alphabets. Finnish Words. English Translations.

What did it feel like to be an openly Jewish soldier fighting alongside German troops in WWII? Could a Jewish nurse work safely in a field hospital operating theater under the supervision of German army doctors? Several hundred members of Finland’s tiny Jewish community found themselves in absurd situations like this, yet not a single one was harmed by the Germans or deported to concentration or extermination camps. In fact, Finland was the only European country fighting on either side in WWII that lost not a single Jewish citizen to the Nazi’s “Final Solution.” Strangers in a Stranger Land explores the unique dilemma of Finland’s Jews in the form of a meticulously researched novel. Where did these immigrant Jews—the last in Europe to achieve citizenship status—come from? What was life like from their arrival in Finland in the early nineteenth century to the time when their grandchildren perversely found themselves on “the wrong side” of WWII? And how could young lovers plan for the future when not only their enemies but also their country’s allies threatened their very existence? Seven years researching Finland’s National Archives plus numerous in-depth interviews with surviving Finnish Jewish war veterans provide the background for a narrative exploration of love, friendship, and commitment but also uncertainty and terror under circumstances that were unique in the annals of “The Good War.” The novel’s protagonists—Benjamin, David and Rachel—adopt varying survival strategies as they struggle with involvement in a brutal conflict and questions posed by their dual loyalty as Finnish citizens and Zionists committed to the creation of a Jewish homeland. Tensions mount as the three young adults painfully work through a relationship love triangle and try to fulfill their commitments as both Jews and Finns while their country desperately seeks to extricate itself from an unwinnable war.

This exquisitely presented hardback art book showcases the finest works and helpful thoughts of popular Finnish artist, Heikala.