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Синухе, египтянин
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About the author
Mika Waltari
237 books727 followersMika Toimi Waltari was a Finnish historical novelist, best known for his magnum opus The Egyptian.
Waltari was born in Helsinki and lost his father, a Lutheran pastor, at the age of five. As a boy, he witnessed the Finnish Civil War in Helsinki. Later he enrolled in the University of Helsinki as a theology student, according to his mother's wishes, but soon abandoned theology in favour of philosophy, aesthetics and literature, graduating in 1929. While studying, he contributed to various magazines and wrote poetry and stories, getting his first book published in 1925. In 1927 he went to Paris where he wrote his first major novel Suuri illusioni ('The Grand Illusion'), a story of bohemian life. In terms of style, the novel is considered to be the Finnish equivalent to the works of the American writers of the Lost Generation. (In Waltari's historical novel The Adventurer, taking place in the 16th century, the hero is a Finn who goes to Paris during his twenties and lives there a rather bohemian life). Waltari also was, for a while, a member of the liberal literary movement Tulenkantajat, though his political and social views later turned conservative. He was married in 1931 and had a daughter, Satu, who also became a writer.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Waltari worked hectically as a journalist and critic, writing for a number of newspapers and magazines and travelling widely in Europe. He directed the magazine Suomen Kuvalehti. At the same time, he kept writing books in many genres, moving easily from one literary field to another. He had a very busy schedule and strict work ethic. It has been claimed that he also suffered from insomnia and depression, sometimes to the extent of needing hospital treatment. He participated, and often succeeded, in literary competitions to prove the quality of his work to critics. One of these competitions gave rise to one of his most popular characters, Inspector Palmu, a gruff detective of the Helsinki police department, who starred in three mystery novels, all of which were filmed (a fourth one was made without Waltari involved). Waltari also scripted the popular cartoon Kieku ja Kaiku and wrote Aiotko kirjailijaksi, a guidebook for aspiring writers that influenced many younger writers such as Kalle Päätalo.
During the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944), Waltari worked in the government information center, now also placing his literary skills at the service of political propaganda. 1945 saw the publication of Waltari's first and most successful historical novel, The Egyptian. Its theme of the corruption of humanist values in a materialist world seemed curiously topical in the aftermath of World War II, and the book became an international bestseller, serving as the basis of the 1954 Hollywood movie of the same name. Waltari wrote seven more historical novels, placed in various ancient cultures, among which The Dark Angel, set during the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 is probably the best. In these novels, he gave powerful expression to his fundamental pessimism and also, in two novels set in the Roman Empire, to his Christian conviction. After the war, he also wrote several novellas, showing particular mastery in this genre. He became a member of the Finnish Academy in 1957 and received an honorary doctorate at the University of Turku in 1970.
Waltari was one of the most prolific Finnish writers. He wrote at least 29 novels, 15 novellas, 6 collections of stories or fairy-tales, 6 collections of poetry and 26 plays, as well as screenplays, radioplays, non-fiction, translations, and hundreds of reviews and articles. He is also the internationally best-known Finnish writer, and his works have been translated into more than 40 languages.
Waltari was born in Helsinki and lost his father, a Lutheran pastor, at the age of five. As a boy, he witnessed the Finnish Civil War in Helsinki. Later he enrolled in the University of Helsinki as a theology student, according to his mother's wishes, but soon abandoned theology in favour of philosophy, aesthetics and literature, graduating in 1929. While studying, he contributed to various magazines and wrote poetry and stories, getting his first book published in 1925. In 1927 he went to Paris where he wrote his first major novel Suuri illusioni ('The Grand Illusion'), a story of bohemian life. In terms of style, the novel is considered to be the Finnish equivalent to the works of the American writers of the Lost Generation. (In Waltari's historical novel The Adventurer, taking place in the 16th century, the hero is a Finn who goes to Paris during his twenties and lives there a rather bohemian life). Waltari also was, for a while, a member of the liberal literary movement Tulenkantajat, though his political and social views later turned conservative. He was married in 1931 and had a daughter, Satu, who also became a writer.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Waltari worked hectically as a journalist and critic, writing for a number of newspapers and magazines and travelling widely in Europe. He directed the magazine Suomen Kuvalehti. At the same time, he kept writing books in many genres, moving easily from one literary field to another. He had a very busy schedule and strict work ethic. It has been claimed that he also suffered from insomnia and depression, sometimes to the extent of needing hospital treatment. He participated, and often succeeded, in literary competitions to prove the quality of his work to critics. One of these competitions gave rise to one of his most popular characters, Inspector Palmu, a gruff detective of the Helsinki police department, who starred in three mystery novels, all of which were filmed (a fourth one was made without Waltari involved). Waltari also scripted the popular cartoon Kieku ja Kaiku and wrote Aiotko kirjailijaksi, a guidebook for aspiring writers that influenced many younger writers such as Kalle Päätalo.
During the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944), Waltari worked in the government information center, now also placing his literary skills at the service of political propaganda. 1945 saw the publication of Waltari's first and most successful historical novel, The Egyptian. Its theme of the corruption of humanist values in a materialist world seemed curiously topical in the aftermath of World War II, and the book became an international bestseller, serving as the basis of the 1954 Hollywood movie of the same name. Waltari wrote seven more historical novels, placed in various ancient cultures, among which The Dark Angel, set during the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 is probably the best. In these novels, he gave powerful expression to his fundamental pessimism and also, in two novels set in the Roman Empire, to his Christian conviction. After the war, he also wrote several novellas, showing particular mastery in this genre. He became a member of the Finnish Academy in 1957 and received an honorary doctorate at the University of Turku in 1970.
Waltari was one of the most prolific Finnish writers. He wrote at least 29 novels, 15 novellas, 6 collections of stories or fairy-tales, 6 collections of poetry and 26 plays, as well as screenplays, radioplays, non-fiction, translations, and hundreds of reviews and articles. He is also the internationally best-known Finnish writer, and his works have been translated into more than 40 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 8, 2021
English + Russian
"Sinuhe the Egyptian" took me a while. I was getting used to the writing style for about 100 pages because the language here is completely different from everything I've read lately.
When I started feeling comfortable with the style I realized that I also got used to the main character Sinuhe. It's easy to follow his life events, his ups, and downs, get acquainted with his friends and strangers on ancients streets. Sinuhe grows up, matures, studies, makes mistakes, falls in love, and loses people and as a reader, I sympathized him and hoped for the better.
I was fascinated by the historical part of the book. I couldn't stop checking out cities Ahetaton, Ахетатон, Jaffa, Babylon on Google Maps and names of actual figures, for instance, Horemheb, Ay, Suppiluliuma. I wanted to find this line between real historical events and made-up stories but it turned out to be a hard task.
There's been just one chapter which I basically skipped. It was about a war and battles, These topics are often too tedious for me to get through so I decided not to struggle.
I enjoyed this book a lot and I got to dive into the world of Ancient Egypt and pharaohs' times. Truly incredible and educational journey
"Синухе, египтянин" занял у меня довольно много времени. Около 100 страниц я привыкала к языку изложения, ведь эта книга не похожа ни на одну, которую я читала в последнее время.
Привыкнув к языку, я начала привыкать и к главному герою, Синухе, проживать с ним его жизнь, его взлёты и падения, знакомиться с его друзьями и мимолётными знакомыми. Синухе взрослеет, учится, ошибается, любит и ненавидит и ему хочется сопереживать и поддерживать.
Меня поразила историческая составляющая романа. Я постоянно гуглила упомянутые города Ахетатон, Яффа, Вавилон и имена действительно существующих личностей, как Хоремхеб, Эйе, Суппилулиума. Мне хотелось увидеть границу между вымыслом и историческими фактами.
Лишь одна из 15 глав была лично для меня довольно занудной - глава и войне и сражениях. Пожалуй, всё эти колесницы, протянутые копьями лошади и стратегии захвата земель абсолютно не моя тема.
Мне доставило огромное удовольствие выписывать цитаты, чтобы позже с их помощью вернуться в мир Древнего Египта и времена фараонов. Это было прекрасное путешествие и воистину познавательное.
"Sinuhe the Egyptian" took me a while. I was getting used to the writing style for about 100 pages because the language here is completely different from everything I've read lately.
When I started feeling comfortable with the style I realized that I also got used to the main character Sinuhe. It's easy to follow his life events, his ups, and downs, get acquainted with his friends and strangers on ancients streets. Sinuhe grows up, matures, studies, makes mistakes, falls in love, and loses people and as a reader, I sympathized him and hoped for the better.
I was fascinated by the historical part of the book. I couldn't stop checking out cities Ahetaton, Ахетатон, Jaffa, Babylon on Google Maps and names of actual figures, for instance, Horemheb, Ay, Suppiluliuma. I wanted to find this line between real historical events and made-up stories but it turned out to be a hard task.
There's been just one chapter which I basically skipped. It was about a war and battles, These topics are often too tedious for me to get through so I decided not to struggle.
I enjoyed this book a lot and I got to dive into the world of Ancient Egypt and pharaohs' times. Truly incredible and educational journey
"Синухе, египтянин" занял у меня довольно много времени. Около 100 страниц я привыкала к языку изложения, ведь эта книга не похожа ни на одну, которую я читала в последнее время.
Привыкнув к языку, я начала привыкать и к главному герою, Синухе, проживать с ним его жизнь, его взлёты и падения, знакомиться с его друзьями и мимолётными знакомыми. Синухе взрослеет, учится, ошибается, любит и ненавидит и ему хочется сопереживать и поддерживать.
Меня поразила историческая составляющая романа. Я постоянно гуглила упомянутые города Ахетатон, Яффа, Вавилон и имена действительно существующих личностей, как Хоремхеб, Эйе, Суппилулиума. Мне хотелось увидеть границу между вымыслом и историческими фактами.
Лишь одна из 15 глав была лично для меня довольно занудной - глава и войне и сражениях. Пожалуй, всё эти колесницы, протянутые копьями лошади и стратегии захвата земель абсолютно не моя тема.
Мне доставило огромное удовольствие выписывать цитаты, чтобы позже с их помощью вернуться в мир Древнего Египта и времена фараонов. Это было прекрасное путешествие и воистину познавательное.
October 18, 2022
Это было долгое и увлекательное путешествие.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews