Pingviin ja raisakass

by Mihkel Mutt

Genres: Fiction

94 pages

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Mihkel Mutt studied philology and journalism at the University of Tartu from 1971 to 1976. After completing his studies, he was an editor at a publishing house and for various literary journals until 1987. He's been also a dramatist at a youth theater (Noorsooteater), worked for weekly newspapers. and written scripts for TV-series.

Mihkel Mutt was a member of the literary cooperative "Kupar" that was founded in 1987 by ten writers as the first non-state publishing house in the former Soviet Union. From 1992 to 1999 he was the president of PEN Estonia

From 1997 to 2005 Mutt headed the cultural journal Sirp. He has been the editor-in-chief of Estonia's foremost literary magazine Looming since November 2005.

Mihkel Mutt made his name as a theatre and literary critic and satirist in the early 1970s. His first short stories were published at the end of the decade and his first book came out in 1980. His early prose is characterized by irony and satire. His novels deal with socio-cultural and interpersonal issues, marriage problems etc. Many of his characters are urban intellectuals or artistically inclined dropouts. In his latest novels he has documented the arrival of the free-market economy and open society in Estonia and their impact on various social groups. Beside novels and stories he has published travel books and books for children and continued as a prolific cultural critic. After the restoration of Estonia's independence he started writing columns for various newspapers (mainly about social issues and world politics). He has translated angloamerican authors for the stage (A.Wesker, T.Stoppard, E.O'Neill, D.Pownall etc.)

He has been awarded with the Tuglas' Prize (for the best short story of an year in 1981 and 2007) and has twice received the Virumaa Literature Prize for the best historical novel of an year (in 1994 for Rahvusvaheline mees, describing Estonia's pursuit for international recognition, and Kooparahvas läheb ajalukku, whick looks back at the past half a century in Estonia's history.

Among his books are novels, short story collections, children's books, travel diaries, essays and criticism, memoires and a play.

Reviews

[Lauri Laanisto · Rating 5 out of 5]

See on vast Muti parim raamat. Vähemalt minu jaoks, ja vähemalt praegu. Sattusin kuidagi lõputult vaimustusse... Selline paganama flow! Uskumatult sujuvalt ja kõikehõlmavalt voogav tekst. (See võis olla tingitud ka sellest, et ma kuulasin seda raamatut parasjagu mööda linna ringi lonkides.)

Üks päev F´i elus. Üks lõppematu päev. Nagu Ivan Denissovitšil, kuid kannatused on muidugi väheke teist laadi... Vana ja uus aeg ei saa selles raamatus enam aru, kes neist enam aegruumi valitseb, või juba valitseb, ja nii on sassis ka nende aegade vahel pendeldavad inimesed. Mõnel on pea täielikult juba uues ajas, aga perse käib ikka veel vana sekki mööda. Mõnel vastupidi. Ka hing ja süda on tihti aegruumilises vastuolus, hingest ja rahakotist rääkimata. Viimane on vaat et nostradaamuslikult ennustusjõuline - nüüdseks on toonane ajutine kahevahelolek saanud vaat et permanentseks kohustuseks. Pingviinis ja raisakassis on täielik piiritus ja kõikvõimaluslikkus, mis jookseb peategelasse sisenedes alailma umbe, jõudes kahtlemise ja kõhklemise katkematusse ent katkendlikku nõiaringi. Ilge hõllandus käib, aga kõige ja eimillegi järele ühtaegu. Olin seda raamatut ennegi lugenud ja ka samanimelist telelavastust "1991" vaadanud. Aga ka see audioraamat oli lihtsalt fantastiline!