WALTARI, MIKA TOIMI (1908-1979) (Grolier; JAAKKO A. AHOKAS) Finland's most frequently translated writer, Mika Toimi Waltari, b. Sept. 19, 1908, d. Aug. 26, 1979, is best known for his historical novel The Egyptian (1945; Eng. trans., 1949; film, 1954), set during the reign of the pharaoh Akhenaten, an early believer in monotheism who came into conflict with an entrenched theocracy. Waltari's nonhistorical fiction, notably A Nail Merchant at Nightfall (1949; Eng. trans., 1954), The Tongue of Fire (1958; Eng. trans., 1959), and The Secret of the Kingdom (1959; Eng. trans., 1960), also deals with religion, as well as with frustrated relations between the sexes. Anna-Elisa Liinamo sent this information: Being a Finn and as such a huge fan of Mika Waltari, I can't but shiver when reading the info on Waltari on a HISTORICAL fiction list... OK, of course "The Egyptian" (Sinuhe egyptilainen) is there, but where are the rest My all-time-favourite is "The Dark Angel" (Johannes Angelos), that is set on last days of Constantinople during Turkish conquest in 1452. Good are also "The Etruscan" (Turms kuolematon), set in Mediterranean area during the heyday of Etruscans some 500 B.C.; the duo "The Adventurer" and "The Wanderer" (Mikael Karvajalka and Mikael Hakim), starting in Finland around mid-1500s , going through Paris, Germany and Rome and ending in Istanbul during Soleiman the Great; and and the duo "The Secret of the Kingdom" and "The Roman" (Valtakunnan salaisuus and Ihmiskunnan viholliset), the first set in Palestine in spring 30 A.D. and the latter in Rome 50-70 A.D., telling together the story of early Christianity. | |
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