Mirva Saukkola

The Eden of Dreams and the Nonsense Land: British Characteristics in the Finnish Children's Literature of the 1950s Mirva Saukkola

Finnish children's fantasy fiction of the 1950s was an interesting mixture of local literary heritage and British influences. The current political and cultural atmosphere were also reflected to it. This book tells how the great Biritish children's classics served completely new purposes in a different country while they affected to its literature. Mirva Saukkola's book analyzes the background of the a literary phenomenon and at the same time it investigates the relations of the Finnish and British cultures in the 20th century. Interesting examples of literary milestones illustrate the narration. This book does not only concentrate on children's literature, but also on the cultural changes and the zeitgeist of the 20th century. Children's books are not isolated inside narrow frames, but they are seen as a significant part of the litarary field.