Author: Tove Jansson
Profile: Tove Marika Jansson also called Tove Jansson was a Swedish speaking Finnish author, painter, artist, writer, novelist, illustrator and comic strip author. She was born in a family of artistic parents. She was born in born in Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire and died in Helsinki, Finland. Her most notable works include, The Moomins and The Summer Book. Her partner’s name was Tuulikki Pietila.
She studied at University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, at the Graphic School of the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts and finally at L’Ecole d’Adrien Holy and L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In 1943 she held her first solo art exhibition and wrote articles and short stories for publication at the same time and created graphics for book covers and other purpose. For the remaining part of her life she continued to work as a writer and artist.
Writing style: Principally, Tove Marika Jansson is the author of the Moomin books, in which she created the Moomins family of trolls, with a smooth, round, white appearance with large snouts that make them resemble vaguely like hippopotamuses. Generally the Moomins relate to her own family very strongly. Later Jansson began writing for adults.
Published Texts:
The Moomin books
Novels
1945 – The Moomins and the Great Flood
1946 – Comet in Moominland
1968 – Comet in Moominland (reworked edition)
1948 – Finn Family Moomintroll
1950 – The Exploits of Moominpappa
1968 – The Memoirs of Moominpappa
1954 – Moominsummer Madness
1957 – Moominland Midwinter
1965 – Moominpappa at Sea
1970 – Moominvalley in November
Short story collections
1962 – Tales from Moominvalley
Picture books
1952 – The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My
1960 – Who Will Comfort Toffle?
1977 – The Dangerous Journey
1980 – Villian in the Moominhouse
1993 – Songs From Moominvalley
Novels
1972 – The Summer Book
1974 – Sun City
1982 – The True Deceiver
1984 – The Field of Stones
1989 – Fair Play
Short story collections
1968 – Sculptor’s Daughter
1971 – The Listener
1978 – Art in Nature
1987 – Travelling Light
1991 – Letters from Klara and Other Stories
1971 – 1997 – Selected stories
2006 – A Winter Book
Awards and Acknowledgements:
1966 – Hans Christian Anderson Award
1963, 1971 and 1982 – Award for State Literature
1972 – Swedish Academy Finland Prize
1975 – Order of the Smile
1976 – Pro Finlandia Medal
1983 – Swedish Culture Foundation Honorary Award
1990 – The Finnish Cultural Award
1992 – Selma Lagerlof Prize
1993 – The Finland Art Prize
1994 – Mercuri International pronssiomena
1994 – The Swedish Academy Award
1996 – The American-Scandinavian Foundation Honorary Cultural Award
1999 – WSOY Literary Foundation Award
Le Prix de I’Office Chretien du Livre
