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History of Finland: A Captivating Guide to Finnish History
Finnish culture is centuries old, yet Finland itself has only been an independent nation for just over 100 years.
Finland’s history is an interesting subject filled with misconceptions. Would you be surprised to learn that the Finns, for the most part, were not Vikings? Or that Finland is not part of Scandinavia? The Finns are not even related to their closest Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
This book pulls back the curtain so you can get a better look at Finland’s history. Its history is exciting, even without the Vikings, and its proximity to Russia is something that is still talked about in the news today.
In 2022, moves were made for the nation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Finland has entered a new phase of its history. But wouldn’t you like to learn about its past?
In this book, you’ll learn the
The ancient Finnish did not worship the famous Norse gods like Thor and Odin. The national poem of Finland, the Kalevala, explores the ancient Finnish creation myth, and the gods and heroes of Finland’s distant past. The history of Finland and Sweden are intertwined—Finland was part of Sweden for 500 years! Finland was also part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917. The Finns fought a heroic struggle against the Russians in 1939/40, which inspired the world and inspires Finns today. The Finn who commanded Finland’s armies during that struggle, Marshal Mannerheim, was of Swedish/German descent and did not speak Finnish particularly well. Yet, in 2004, he was voted the “greatest Finn of all time.” Finnish is one of the most unique languages in the world. And much, much more!
Finland’s history is an interesting subject filled with misconceptions. Would you be surprised to learn that the Finns, for the most part, were not Vikings? Or that Finland is not part of Scandinavia? The Finns are not even related to their closest Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
This book pulls back the curtain so you can get a better look at Finland’s history. Its history is exciting, even without the Vikings, and its proximity to Russia is something that is still talked about in the news today.
In 2022, moves were made for the nation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Finland has entered a new phase of its history. But wouldn’t you like to learn about its past?
In this book, you’ll learn the
The ancient Finnish did not worship the famous Norse gods like Thor and Odin. The national poem of Finland, the Kalevala, explores the ancient Finnish creation myth, and the gods and heroes of Finland’s distant past. The history of Finland and Sweden are intertwined—Finland was part of Sweden for 500 years! Finland was also part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917. The Finns fought a heroic struggle against the Russians in 1939/40, which inspired the world and inspires Finns today. The Finn who commanded Finland’s armies during that struggle, Marshal Mannerheim, was of Swedish/German descent and did not speak Finnish particularly well. Yet, in 2004, he was voted the “greatest Finn of all time.” Finnish is one of the most unique languages in the world. And much, much more!
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Published June 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 15, 2023
The book offers a unique perspective on history, absorbing the reader with its brilliant writing style, making it a true page-turner I thoroughly enjoyed. A sea of words transported me to Finland and immersed me in its rich culture and history.
Located in northern Europe, Finland is relatively small and sparsely populated, instilling a value of personal space and privacy in its culture. As a result, Finns tend to prioritize their independence and cherish their boundaries.
Historically, it was under Swedish and Russian rule and was a long struggle for independence. In the early 20th century, Finland was drawn into World War II, ultimately becoming a neutral country in the Cold War. In recent decades, Finland has emerged as a prosperous and socially progressive nation with a strong economy and a high standard of living.
Overall, Finland is a fascinating and unique country. The nation has overcome many challenges to become prosperous and socially progressive. As a beacon of progress and modernity, it continues to have beautiful natural landscapes.
Worth it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Located in northern Europe, Finland is relatively small and sparsely populated, instilling a value of personal space and privacy in its culture. As a result, Finns tend to prioritize their independence and cherish their boundaries.
Historically, it was under Swedish and Russian rule and was a long struggle for independence. In the early 20th century, Finland was drawn into World War II, ultimately becoming a neutral country in the Cold War. In recent decades, Finland has emerged as a prosperous and socially progressive nation with a strong economy and a high standard of living.
Overall, Finland is a fascinating and unique country. The nation has overcome many challenges to become prosperous and socially progressive. As a beacon of progress and modernity, it continues to have beautiful natural landscapes.
Worth it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2023
Elska hvor upset forfatteren var over at han måtte holde seg kortfattet, antall ganger han sa «ah denne personen er såå gøy! Men vi får bare fortalt en pinlig kort bit relevant til historien nå» i ulike utgaver var hillarious og føltes som å ha en historielærer som pøser på med funfacts fordi de kan altfor mye om tingene i forhold til det som er nødvendig for dem å undervise i. Loved it! 10/10 🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮
August 30, 2023
I've been going through this series and they have all been pretty decent. They are all easy to read and cover the main bases. They will give the beginning reader a fair idea of what Finland's history is and anyone more interested can get into more detail by reading other books.
April 13, 2023
Short and sweet, providing a wonderful overview of Finnish history
December 15, 2023
Too Short
March 25, 2024
Decent, short, but not as captivating as I would have liked, perhaps because I have read too many histories of Finland.
March 27, 2023
Before reading this, I thought Finland was part of Scandinavia. After looking at a map, it is easy to see why Finns and Estonians are closer in an ethnic relationship than the Finns are to the Swedes. This book is the engaging story of how Finland came to be. Much of Finland is dense forest. Early life in Finland began in 7000 - 8000 BCE. Because of their small population, small tribal groups formed the early civilization.
It was eye-opening to learn that other countries ruled the Finns for such a long time. The other major surprise was to learn of the three Swedish Crusades. Generally, they were Swedish religious campaigns against pagan groups. They were against the pagan Finns in the 1150s, the Tavastians in south-central Finland (who were Orthodox, not Catholic) in 1249, and the Karelians, who lived along the border with Russia in 1293. This again was over Orthodox vs. Catholic religion. This third crusade was more violent than the others.
The last chapters were about Finland's tightrope to achieve independence. Sweden ruled Finland for much of its history. However, in 1800, Russia became more influential. Because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland (two neutral countries) are being fast-tracked into NATO membership to avoid bullying by Russia.
Another interesting tidbit added was the Christmas tree and the yule log. They are carryovers from pagan practices that Christian churches adapted to be inclusive of "heathen" rites. This is a lively discussion of Finland's old and current history and environs. The maps and illustrations help immeasurably. Captivating History's companion piece, The Winter War, explains more about the Finland-Russia controversies.
It was eye-opening to learn that other countries ruled the Finns for such a long time. The other major surprise was to learn of the three Swedish Crusades. Generally, they were Swedish religious campaigns against pagan groups. They were against the pagan Finns in the 1150s, the Tavastians in south-central Finland (who were Orthodox, not Catholic) in 1249, and the Karelians, who lived along the border with Russia in 1293. This again was over Orthodox vs. Catholic religion. This third crusade was more violent than the others.
The last chapters were about Finland's tightrope to achieve independence. Sweden ruled Finland for much of its history. However, in 1800, Russia became more influential. Because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland (two neutral countries) are being fast-tracked into NATO membership to avoid bullying by Russia.
Another interesting tidbit added was the Christmas tree and the yule log. They are carryovers from pagan practices that Christian churches adapted to be inclusive of "heathen" rites. This is a lively discussion of Finland's old and current history and environs. The maps and illustrations help immeasurably. Captivating History's companion piece, The Winter War, explains more about the Finland-Russia controversies.
March 23, 2023
My first book on Finnish history.
Interesting and captivating read.
Interesting and captivating read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews