From the Moomins to her fiction for adults
This remarkable woman achieved worldwide fame as the creator of stories about the Moomins, written and illustrated between 1945 and 1977. However, I not only decided to re-read her novels and short stories for children but to gradually work my way through her adult fiction, collections of letters, biographies etc.
I haven’t set a time-limit to complete this task, it will be ongoing – I simply pick up one of her works at random whenever there’s an opportunity. I hope eventually to share my thoughts on all Jansson titles translated into English, except perhaps for her picture books aimed at the very young (maybe those, too, eventually).
If any fellow Toveites would like to join me in reading these books, please feel free to do so. You may of course use the badge/logo, but if you do, please link back to this page.
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THE BOOKS
MOOMIN BOOKS >>
Novels
1. The Moomins and the Great Flood (1945)
2. Comet in Moominland (1946)
3. Finn Family Moomintroll (1948)
4. The Exploits of Moominpappa (1950)
5. The Memoirs of Moominpappa (1968)
6. Moominsummer Madness (1954) ✓
7. Moominland Midwinter (1957) ✓
8. Moominpappa at Sea (1965)
9. Moominvalley in November (1970)
Short Story Collections
1. Tales from Moominvalley (1962)
Comic Strips
Moomin (books 1–6 released in English)
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NON-MOOMIN BOOKS >>
Novels
1. The Summer Book (1972)
2. Sun City (1974)
3. The True Deceiver (1982)
4. The Field of Stones (1984)
5. Fair Play (1989)
Short Story Collections
1. Sculptor’s Daughter (1968 semi-autobiographical)
2. The Listener (1971)
3. Art in Nature (1978)
4. Travelling Light (1987)
5. Letters from Klara and Other Stories (1997)
6. Selected stories 1971–1997 (1998)
7. A Winter Book (2006 compilation)
Miscellaneous Rading
1. Sara and Pelle and the Octopuses of the Water Sprite (1933 under the pseudonym of Vera Haij)
2. Notes from an Island (1993 autobiography; illustrated by Tuulikki Pietilä)
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TOVE JANSSON-RELATED BOOKS >>
Miscellaneous
1. Tove Jansson Life, Art, Words by Boel Westin (2007) ✓
2. The World of Moominvalley by Philip Ardagh (2017) ✓
There are undoubtedly many more books relating to Tove Jansson and the Moomins. If you know of any interesting titles that do not appear on this list, please let me know.
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TOVE JANSSON-RELATED BOOK JOTTER FEATURES >>
A Rare Travel Documentary
Help the Moomins Save the Baltic Sea
Reading, Writing and the Moomins
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POSTS FROM OTHERS TAKING PART >>
A Finnish microcosm by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
A light in the darkness by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
A Moomin memoir by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
A seaworthy craft by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
A Winter Book by Jane @ Just Reading a Book
Falling under a spell by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
Fierce wistfulness by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
The Magician and his hat by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
Moominland Midwinter by Jane @ Just Reading A Book
Reading Tove, and more by Chris Lovegrove @ Calmgrove
The Summer Book by Jane @ Just Reading a Book
TOVE TROVE: Moomins by Ola G @ Re-enchantment Of The World
Winter reading by the blog host @ I read that in a book
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In time, I will collate a selection of links to interesting Janssonian articles, artworks and websites (coming soon). Her birth date falls on 9th August, so this may be the ideal time to start.
All images © Moomin Characters™