author
Martti Merenmaa
1896–1972
A Finnish journalist and novelist, he wrote dozens of books and became especially known for richly detailed fiction shaped by nature, spirituality, and life in Karelia. His career stretched from the 1920s into the 1960s, earning him a lasting place in Finnish literary history.
1 Audiobook
Kolmen teinin lauluja
by Heikki Asunta, Martti Merenmaa, Einari Vuorela
About the author
Born in Oulu on July 19, 1896, and later known by the pen name Martti Merenmaa, he was a Finnish journalist and writer whose birth name was Martti Henrik Karjala. He worked as a journalist and went on to build a substantial literary career, publishing 35 novels between 1921 and 1966 as well as some poetry.
His fiction is often associated with Karelian life and with a thoughtful, searching sensibility. Finnish sources describe him as a writer deeply interested in nature and Eastern religions, and his best-known mature work came in the 1940s and 1950s.
Merenmaa received major recognition during his lifetime, including the Aleksis Kivi Prize and the Pro Finlandia medal. He died in Kuopio on September 9, 1972.