Moomins: Moomintroll's Book of Thoughts

Moomin thoughts

by Tove Jansson, Sami Malila (Translator)

With their humane wisdom, Tove Jansson's world-renowned Moomin stories have made a great difference to readers' lives all over the world. This book features funny and insightful slogans and deep thoughts from the Moominvalley.

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Tove 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.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE The Moomins. I will read anything with their names attached to it, and if I could, I would buy all of the Moomin merchandise in Covent Garden's Moomin shop. I remember, as a child (and a teenager) I used to deliberately get up early, in order to watch the TV programme. Even though it isn't shown anymore, I went and indulged, and I bought the DVDS.

This book was bought for me as a gift a few weeks ago, and I actually forgot I had it. It is rather a short read, but it has some beautiful content. It consists of some wonderful quotes from The Moomins book series, and they are definitely worth a look. Some I liked more than others, though. This is one of my favourites;

"A deep sadness welled up inside Moomintroll as he gazed about. He thought of how frightened everyone in the entire world must be right now to see the ball of fire approaching. He thought about the sea, the rain, the wind, the sunshine, the grass and the moss... and how it would be impossible to live without them. Then he thought to himself, but I am sure than Mamma will figure out a way to save us all."

Tugs at the heart strings, doesn't it?

There are some beautiful illustrations in here too, and right now, I have a terrible urge to sput on the DVD, and hibernate away from this rainy Monday morning.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very touching little book. It is special because, as an avid Moomin books reader, it seemed like a new story, despite the fact that there is nothing new in it. But when the Moomin quotes are taken out of the original books and laid separately you really think more about them (as in the books you are taken with the story). Tove's original drawings are also a delight - when I go t the book I was not sure whether it has original drawings or the new modern ones. Thanks God it has the old ones, they are pieces of art.

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

As sweet as you'd expect a collection of Moomintroll quotes to be. Lovely to dip into.

[Laura Valdez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally finished reading this book last week, and I really enjoyed it.

The drawings and story by Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson are very good, as is the English translation by Sami Malilla.

Apparently this book was originally written in Swedish and was published with funding from the FILI (Finnist Literature Exchange or Finnish Literature Exchange in Spanish).

I'm going to write a part of this book that I loved: Moomintroll is innocent and sincere, with a good eye for the beautiful little things in life. He is always considerate of others, even those of us who are quieter and more modest.

This book is divided into 7 short chapters and is full of tender moments between fictional characters who are not human beings but act as if they were.

[Fjäril · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jag har alltid tyckt att Mumins värld är extra mysig, det är också genom Mumins narrativ de flesta avsnitten utspelar sig. Han är den mest vackra varelse jag någonsin läst om, som samtidigt är lycklig i sin simpelhet.

Hon lyckas förmdela sådana tydliga bilder och känslor. Såna hemtrevliga nostaligsika bilder för ens inre :) Tröttnar aldrig.

[τλιϓλ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I watched the T.V series in my childhood I kept wondering about the characters famous quotations, they deserved to be in book to be read and think in each sentence, we can learn a lot about the character from his words, nice book ^_^

[Nighteye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastiskt liten bok och trevligt läsning, mysigs bitar och visdomsord att tänka på.