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Kirjad Klaralt
Tove Janssoni novellikogu „Kirjad Klaralt“ nimilugu kujutab üht halastamatult otsese ütlemisega vanadaami. Tema läbitungiv pilk märkab inimeste juures kõiki nüansse, ka vähem meeldivaid. See on ühtlasi autori pilk, kuid erinevalt Klarast suhtub Tove Jansson oma tegelastesse alati leebe huumori ja mõistmisega, isegi nende halvimatel hetkedel. Vanadus on teemaks mitmes teiseski novellis.
Nii mõneski novellis jääb viimane sõna vaiksemale, vaatlevale tegelasele, olgu selles selguse toojaks siis vahetusse läinud kott, kukkumine redelilt või plartsatamine tiiki. Need sündmused ei muuda maailma kulgu, küll aga põhjustavad muutusi üksikisiku universumis, suhete nähtamatus võimutasakaalus ning rabavad lugejat, kes noogutab kirjanikule tunnustavalt – mõelda vaid, ta nägi jälle kõike läbi!
Nii mõneski novellis jääb viimane sõna vaiksemale, vaatlevale tegelasele, olgu selles selguse toojaks siis vahetusse läinud kott, kukkumine redelilt või plartsatamine tiiki. Need sündmused ei muuda maailma kulgu, küll aga põhjustavad muutusi üksikisiku universumis, suhete nähtamatus võimutasakaalus ning rabavad lugejat, kes noogutab kirjanikule tunnustavalt – mõelda vaid, ta nägi jälle kõike läbi!
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
17 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Tove Jansson
877 books3,874 followersTove Jansson was born and died in Helsinki, Finland. As a Finnish citizen whose mother tongue was Swedish, she was part of the Swedish-speaking Finns minority. Thus, all her books were originally written in Swedish.
Although known first and foremost as an author, Tove Jansson considered her careers as author and painter to be of equal importance.
Tove Jansson wrote and illustrated her first Moomin book, The Moomins and the Great Flood (1945), during World War II. She said later that the war had depressed her, and she had wanted to write something naive and innocent. Besides the Moomin novels and short stories, Tove Jansson also wrote and illustrated four original and highly popular picture books.
Jansson's Moomin books have been translated into 33 languages.
Although known first and foremost as an author, Tove Jansson considered her careers as author and painter to be of equal importance.
Tove Jansson wrote and illustrated her first Moomin book, The Moomins and the Great Flood (1945), during World War II. She said later that the war had depressed her, and she had wanted to write something naive and innocent. Besides the Moomin novels and short stories, Tove Jansson also wrote and illustrated four original and highly popular picture books.
Jansson's Moomin books have been translated into 33 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
April 9, 2018
Another fine collection of stories - not easy to review as a whole because some of them are rather elliptical, some are very short and I can't see any clear thematic unity. Jansson's characters are often unworldly and a little unsettling. Definitely worth reading but not her most essential work.
The longer stories, including the final three, run to around 15 pages each, and of these my favourite was Emmelina, which is almost a ghost story without ghosts.
The longer stories, including the final three, run to around 15 pages each, and of these my favourite was Emmelina, which is almost a ghost story without ghosts.
August 23, 2017
It's not Tove at her striking best but I indulged in this collection of short stories with glee anyway. It's the twelfth book by Jansson I've read which just goes to show how much I love her.
Review to come.
Review to come.
December 10, 2017
A wonderful collection of stories by one of my favourite authors, Tove Jansson.
Mainly set in Finland, they show her love of landscape and strong sense of her characters - older women, artists, children. She is unpatronising and unsentimental, imbuing her characters with dignity. There is such charm to her writing - often drily funny, but poignant and touching as the stories tackle loneliness, ageing and the pretences we maintain. Recommended.
Mainly set in Finland, they show her love of landscape and strong sense of her characters - older women, artists, children. She is unpatronising and unsentimental, imbuing her characters with dignity. There is such charm to her writing - often drily funny, but poignant and touching as the stories tackle loneliness, ageing and the pretences we maintain. Recommended.
April 28, 2018
This book needs more dle.
Admittedly I have given up early.
postscript: apparently this review needs to be explained. Too much twee. Not enough dle.
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I was about to donate this to the bookshop at the end of my street when I noticed that actually, these aren't all letters from Klara. It may be this is a good book with a bad start. It will be taken up again at the end of the year....
Admittedly I have given up early.
postscript: apparently this review needs to be explained. Too much twee. Not enough dle.
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I was about to donate this to the bookshop at the end of my street when I noticed that actually, these aren't all letters from Klara. It may be this is a good book with a bad start. It will be taken up again at the end of the year....
July 5, 2024
Palju neid Tove Janssoni jutukeste kogusid meil juba ilmunud on? Päris mitu vist. Mõnda olen proovinud, aga kohe kuidagi ei lähe, mõni on selline... no enam-vähem. See siin aga läks viuhti! Mõnusalt rahumeelsed ja tasased, samas kusagil korraks lendab ikkagi sisse ka kelmikas pööre.
Lihtne ja ilus.
Lihtne ja ilus.
August 2, 2017
There's often no point to Jansson's stories, at least, no explicit point. Her characters appear on the page, we follow them for a while, then they fade out. You make of them and their situations what you will, and I'm not always sure what I have made of them.
If there's generally no plot, what Jansson always provides is humanity, personness, relation. Even when I don't always 'get' Jansson's characters, I know that I've 'met them' in some way - she provides a connection between the reader and her characters and, ultimately, herself as the writer.
In this collection, there's a few of Jansson's cantankerous, willfull, wonderful old ladies; a woman who is death (she reminded me a little of Mary Wilkins Freeman's Luella Miller, though without the malevolence); strange, solitary children, and; tortured artists. A couple of stories, also, that feature living in exile, whether self-imposed or otherwise.
Jansson's understated, quirky tales quietly teach us what it is to be human.
If there's generally no plot, what Jansson always provides is humanity, personness, relation. Even when I don't always 'get' Jansson's characters, I know that I've 'met them' in some way - she provides a connection between the reader and her characters and, ultimately, herself as the writer.
In this collection, there's a few of Jansson's cantankerous, willfull, wonderful old ladies; a woman who is death (she reminded me a little of Mary Wilkins Freeman's Luella Miller, though without the malevolence); strange, solitary children, and; tortured artists. A couple of stories, also, that feature living in exile, whether self-imposed or otherwise.
Jansson's understated, quirky tales quietly teach us what it is to be human.
February 6, 2024
Behaglig läsning.
July 25, 2021
Sparkling short stories, such scope on such small canvasses, so much life here. Fabulous writing.
March 20, 2023
I could not resist ordering a newly translated collection of short stories by one of my absolute favourite authors when I first heard about it, and I dove in almost immediately. Tove Jansson's Letters from Klara is such a treat. Each tale was written whilst Jansson was in her seventies; one can see a marked shift between these contemplative pieces, and those of her younger years, which share an extremely perceptive vivacity. The stories within the collection are largely quiet and slowly paced, but they are all the lovelier for it. The blurb of Letters from Klara, in fact, describes them as 'subtle' and 'light-footed' stories, descriptions which I wholeheartedly agree with.
Letters from Klara provides a wonderful breather from the hectic modern world. Its stories are varied and quite diverse, but humanity is at the core of each. A lot of the stories are about ageing and death, clearly subjects which become more pressing and important during Jansson's literary career. Letters from Klara is neither her best, not her most memorable, collection, but it is absolutely filled to the brim with tiny gems, and gorgeously evoked slices of life which appeal to all of the senses.
Letters from Klara provides a wonderful breather from the hectic modern world. Its stories are varied and quite diverse, but humanity is at the core of each. A lot of the stories are about ageing and death, clearly subjects which become more pressing and important during Jansson's literary career. Letters from Klara is neither her best, not her most memorable, collection, but it is absolutely filled to the brim with tiny gems, and gorgeously evoked slices of life which appeal to all of the senses.
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July 3, 2021Tove Jansson seems to sketch little snippets of everyday life in a fittingly sober but funny style; both admitting and laughing at the daily quirkiness of her recognizably stiff-headed, naïve, mysterious, sincere but human characters, all struggling to discover themselves.
“Lydia, sa hon, jag vet ingenting om arkitektur men här möter jag det irrationella i all sin våldsamma, egensinniga prakt. Det räcker. Jag behöver inte förstå. Från det ena till det andra, jag tror jag ska skaffa mig en ny hatt, en toreadorhatt”
I enjoyed many of these light short-stories, but feel some relief nonetheless. Not all of them drew me in that much. Still a recommendation for anyone trying to find considerably easy Swedish literature.
“Lydia, sa hon, jag vet ingenting om arkitektur men här möter jag det irrationella i all sin våldsamma, egensinniga prakt. Det räcker. Jag behöver inte förstå. Från det ena till det andra, jag tror jag ska skaffa mig en ny hatt, en toreadorhatt”
I enjoyed many of these light short-stories, but feel some relief nonetheless. Not all of them drew me in that much. Still a recommendation for anyone trying to find considerably easy Swedish literature.
March 11, 2023
Halusin lukea jotain takuuvarmasti ilahduttavaa, ja tämä oli juuri sitä mitä toivoin. Mielettömästi syvyyttä lyhyiden tarinoiden hahmoissa!
October 30, 2024
Finlandiya’lı yazarın gülümseten öykülerinden bir seçki. Yazar edebiyat parçalamıyor. Okunabilir, çerez bir kitap. Orijinal dili İsveççe imiş. İngilizce çevirisini beğendim. Tove Jansson, Finlandiya’da bolca karşıma çıkan Moomin karakterlerinin de yaratıcısıymış. Bu bilgiyi ancak ikinci kitabını okuduktan sonra öğrenmem bana da sürpriz oldu:)
February 4, 2025
Polnud just parim valik, millega lugemispausilt naasta. Algas kibestunud vanaproua kirjadega, mis olid veel enam-vähem humoorikad. Kuigi kirjad pole mu lemmikformaat. Ootamatult said kirjad läbi ja algasid (minu jaoks) seosetud lühilood (oleks vist hoolikamalt pidanud raamatu tutvustust lugema). Noh, vähemalt sain siiski uuesti lugemislainele.
dnf
April 9, 2024I may never read another audiobook again it seems.
August 21, 2024
Brevformatet är dominerande här, men inte överskuggande. Som alltid med Tove Jansson egensinniga människor i ofta enkla men ändå så säregna situationer. Hon har ett öga för det besynnerliga i det vanliga, och människor som är sig själva i det lilla. Jag blir kär i dem allihopa, tur att man kan återvända till dem i texterna.
January 21, 2024
light, lovely stories that embodied a sense of deep acceptance of others as they are. enjoyable read.
July 10, 2012
Jansson offers a delightfully poignant collection of sharp and witty stories about people and the masks they wear in social interaction. This book views humanity as a clear continuation of the animal kingdom, with dominance, selfishness and naivety as its ruling attributes.
This book is one of the finest examples of well executed short form I have read as all of the stories stand on their own, have fascinating themes to explore and characters that are sculpted in a truly real and deep way.
Many of the themes the stories analyze have clear elements from Jansson's own life. Creativity, a person’s relationship with her art, nature, homosexuality and the human need for solitude as well as companionship are strongly present.
This collection is also a good reminder of the fact that Jansson was not only an ingenious creator of the Moominworld but a clever observer of the human condition in more direct and realistic settings as well.
This book is one of the finest examples of well executed short form I have read as all of the stories stand on their own, have fascinating themes to explore and characters that are sculpted in a truly real and deep way.
Many of the themes the stories analyze have clear elements from Jansson's own life. Creativity, a person’s relationship with her art, nature, homosexuality and the human need for solitude as well as companionship are strongly present.
This collection is also a good reminder of the fact that Jansson was not only an ingenious creator of the Moominworld but a clever observer of the human condition in more direct and realistic settings as well.
August 19, 2017
This collection of short stories was a total impulse buy - I liked the cover, the title had a kind of romance to it and I've heard good things about Tove Jansson. My trouble came when the title story was the one I liked the most, so we peaked at the start, and then it was just a bit...meh.
It might be the sort of collection that requires a slower, more attentive read; whereas I whizzed through it in a day. All of the stories are very subtle, there's no drama, and the "transformations" described in the blurb aren't always obvious unless you really think about it. The ones I did "get" were quite sweet.
This is a 2.5 stars, but rounded up to 3 because I feel like 2 would be unreasonably mean - I didn't dislike this, but I think I may forget I've read it...
It might be the sort of collection that requires a slower, more attentive read; whereas I whizzed through it in a day. All of the stories are very subtle, there's no drama, and the "transformations" described in the blurb aren't always obvious unless you really think about it. The ones I did "get" were quite sweet.
This is a 2.5 stars, but rounded up to 3 because I feel like 2 would be unreasonably mean - I didn't dislike this, but I think I may forget I've read it...
September 27, 2020
A nice collection of stories. Not brilliant, as I would have expected from Jansson. Some puzzle you, some have a sense of intrigue, very few actually have an ah-ha recognition moment. Will not rank in my top Jansson books.
February 14, 2019
Some of the stories are a little aimless, but isn't that the joy of reading Jansson anyway?
October 21, 2020
Die 1914 in Helsinki geborene Autorin Tove Jansson hatte mit Briefe von Klara 1991 ein Erzählungsband geschrieben, dass sich durch eigenwillige Figuren und Bissigkeit auszeichnet.
Ein besonderer Ton kennzeichnet die Erzählungen.
Die Heldin der Titelgeschichte ist typisch für Tove Janssons Ansatz. Klara akzeptiert nicht die Mittelmäßigkeit und lässt ihre Briefpartner das auch ungeschminkt wissen.
Nicht nur Klara ist eine interessante Figur. Den Figuren werden ihre Eigenheiten gelassen, z.B. der Kunststudent Robert in der gleichnamigen Erzählung.
Tove Jansson hatte ein Talent für skurrile Szenen, z.B. beim Ende der Erzählung Der Seerosenteich.
Abschließend möchte ich noch meine Lieblingsstory „Im Sommer“ erwähnen, die neun Kapitel umfasst und die Gedanken eines fantasievollen Kindes zeigt.
Es tut wirklich gut, mal Erzählungen zu lesen, die sich den erwartbaren entziehen.
Ein besonderer Ton kennzeichnet die Erzählungen.
Die Heldin der Titelgeschichte ist typisch für Tove Janssons Ansatz. Klara akzeptiert nicht die Mittelmäßigkeit und lässt ihre Briefpartner das auch ungeschminkt wissen.
Nicht nur Klara ist eine interessante Figur. Den Figuren werden ihre Eigenheiten gelassen, z.B. der Kunststudent Robert in der gleichnamigen Erzählung.
Tove Jansson hatte ein Talent für skurrile Szenen, z.B. beim Ende der Erzählung Der Seerosenteich.
Abschließend möchte ich noch meine Lieblingsstory „Im Sommer“ erwähnen, die neun Kapitel umfasst und die Gedanken eines fantasievollen Kindes zeigt.
Es tut wirklich gut, mal Erzählungen zu lesen, die sich den erwartbaren entziehen.
January 1, 2018
While not as strong as 'Sculptor's Daughter' or 'Art in Nature', say, there was still an appeal to aspects of this uneven collection. It is Tove Jansson, after all... From my perspective, Jansson's last two volumes of short stories were her weakest, understandably, perhaps, as by the time 'Letters from Klara' was published she was 77 years old. And when you're the author of 'The Summer Book', you're entitled to have your off days. The best of the stories possessed an unsettling, Mittel-European atmosphere, 'The Pictures', for instance, and 'Emmelina' that elevated them above the other vignettes here. It got me thinking how strong a selection from her last three collections could be, truly reflecting her genius as an observer of charged moments and odd characters.
January 30, 2023
11: Letters from Klara by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal
This is another collection of short stories by Jansson, this one written when she was in her 70s.
There is no question that my favorite is the title's namesake, the first short story in the book, "Letters From Klara," in which a series of letters is shared which are written by this fictitious Klara and seemingly each as a response to previous communication from each of the addressees. There is no further unifying "story," here but a lot of humor for this reader.
Jansson is best known as the creator of the Moomins, and she did not turn to writing for adults until her 50s. So as I see it, there is still maybe hope for me (to write!)...right now.
This is another collection of short stories by Jansson, this one written when she was in her 70s.
There is no question that my favorite is the title's namesake, the first short story in the book, "Letters From Klara," in which a series of letters is shared which are written by this fictitious Klara and seemingly each as a response to previous communication from each of the addressees. There is no further unifying "story," here but a lot of humor for this reader.
Jansson is best known as the creator of the Moomins, and she did not turn to writing for adults until her 50s. So as I see it, there is still maybe hope for me (to write!)...right now.
March 7, 2018
Very skilled writing - apparently simple, but with a range of different voices and perspectives. One strength of the book is to celebrate differences between people and communication across the gaps with respect for difference and individuality, to show an ability to recognise characteristics without trying to change them.
There is a slightly surreal feeling to some of the stories, which jars a little with me, but nevertheless they are great examples of the short story form, able to evoke something powerful in a small space, to show small everyday details in a new light and to provoke thought, while remaining opaque and puzzling, without an easy answer.
There is a slightly surreal feeling to some of the stories, which jars a little with me, but nevertheless they are great examples of the short story form, able to evoke something powerful in a small space, to show small everyday details in a new light and to provoke thought, while remaining opaque and puzzling, without an easy answer.
May 27, 2020
There is a beguiling aspect to the English translation of Tove's prose that renders each story a gem you look at from a variety of perspectives to gain a better understanding of its facets. They are reflective of a different location and era to me but I loved exploring the crevices and corners of each character presented in the stories and made me appreactiate the purpose of the prose to reveal, and to hide, and to make the reader inhabit the lives of these characters, and to see them differently in the twist of a final sentence or two.
May 6, 2024
Ah great slice of life stories. There were many but there isnt much I want to say about them. I just love love love Tove's writing style, its very comforting, very vital, it screams ordinary everyday life but in its supposed simplicity it is so unique and jus so life-like! I find it very charming that the stories are a tiny fragments of the lives of so many characters and they end unexpectedly quite quickly. I admit that it doesn't sound very appealing, but it has an incredible charm. I think its one of the Tove's many talents.
February 12, 2018
How is it possible that I was not interested in any of the short stories? Bit of a strange collection of stories which weren't engaging or interesting. Although I did enjoy this quote:
He's so enamoured of the so-called Nordic design, and there's nothing cosy about that. And it's not exactly hard to accomplish either. All you have to do is paint everything white, bring in a few of those disgusting IKEA pieces of furniture made out of birch and voila - you've created a Swedish home.
He's so enamoured of the so-called Nordic design, and there's nothing cosy about that. And it's not exactly hard to accomplish either. All you have to do is paint everything white, bring in a few of those disgusting IKEA pieces of furniture made out of birch and voila - you've created a Swedish home.
October 22, 2020
Zeitlose Lektüre
Die finnische Schriftstellerin Tove Jansson lebte von 1914 bis 2001. Sie war eine vielseitige Künstlerin.
„Briefe von Klara“ schrieb sie 1991, sie sind aber Zeitlos.
Erst gibt es Briefe und dann mehrere Kurzgeschichten, sie sind voller Poesie und Lebensweisheit.
Klaras Briefe sind ehrlich, direkt, aber nicht beleidigend, eher belehrend.
Die Personen haben eine gute Charakterzeichnung.
Ich war von der Lektüre begeistert.
Das Buch ist gute Erzählkunst
Die finnische Schriftstellerin Tove Jansson lebte von 1914 bis 2001. Sie war eine vielseitige Künstlerin.
„Briefe von Klara“ schrieb sie 1991, sie sind aber Zeitlos.
Erst gibt es Briefe und dann mehrere Kurzgeschichten, sie sind voller Poesie und Lebensweisheit.
Klaras Briefe sind ehrlich, direkt, aber nicht beleidigend, eher belehrend.
Die Personen haben eine gute Charakterzeichnung.
Ich war von der Lektüre begeistert.
Das Buch ist gute Erzählkunst
September 3, 2022
This is my thirteenth Tove Jansson book in the last two years. I have come to love her writing both for its perfect simplicity and its hidden depths. She has an amazing ability to kill you with the simplest line. She's also funny in a dry way. Perceptive. She writes children brilliantly too. Managing to hold on to childishness but communicate it too adults.
What more can I say? If you haven't read Tove Jansson before then you should.
What more can I say? If you haven't read Tove Jansson before then you should.
October 11, 2023
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/letters-from-klara-by-tove-jansson/
A short book of great short stories by Tove Jansson, written in her seventies, reflecting on age, art, nature, gender, sexuality and life in general. None of these is long and they are all digestible; none has a sneaky twist but all are humane and insightful. Recommended.
A short book of great short stories by Tove Jansson, written in her seventies, reflecting on age, art, nature, gender, sexuality and life in general. None of these is long and they are all digestible; none has a sneaky twist but all are humane and insightful. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews