The Unknown Soldier

Väinö Linna (1920-1992) was a celebrated Finnish author. He gained literary fame with his third novel, Tuntematon sotilas (The Unknown Soldier, published in 1954), and consolidated his position with the trilogy Täällä Pohjantähden alla (Under the North Star, published in 1959–1963). "The Unknown Soldier", his magnum opus, is a war novel that chronicles the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union in the years 1941–1944, from the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers. A fictional account based closely on Linna's own wartime experiences, the novel presented a more realistic outlook on the formerly romanticized image of a noble and obedient Finnish soldier. Linna gave his characters independent and critical thoughts as well as displayed them with humane feelings, such as fear and rebellion. Although published to mixed reviews, the book quickly became one of the best-selling books in Finland and is considered an important classic in Finnish literature and a part of national legacy. The novel was well received among frontline veterans, shot Linna to literary fame and has been described as creating a shift in the collective memory of the war. It has sold nearly 800,000 copies, has been translated into 20 different languages and adapted into three films (the latest one released in 2017). Illustrated edition.