The first book discussed at the meeting was 'Siberia. A Self-Portrait with Wings', which is based on the author's bird trips and experience of Siberia. The book is based on her travels on the Trans-Siberian Railway since 1968, when she first travelled to Japan via Siberia. She then compares the first trip with those that followed, until the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Editor-in-chief of Eesti Raamat Rein Põder presented a big pack of white paper – the novel 'Ice', which has already been translated into Estonian. The 400-page silver-bound novel will be published in Estonian at the start of the new year. Põder described the book as down-to-earth. Ice plays an important role in the book, not only as a natural phenomenon, but also as the main character. "This book was written with a warm heart in cold weather," he said. He highlighted parallels between 'Ice' and the first volume of 'Truth and Justice' by A.H. Tammsaare – both begin with the arrival of a young couple in the country with all of their belongings and a baby, and both end with them leaving.
Põder and Saluäär read an extract from the soon to be published 'Ice' – about everyday life being like a gift from heaven after the war and referring to the wartime need to constantly adapt. The story focusses on a pastor's wife and child immediately after they have moved to an island (which is based on the Kökar Islands).
Lundberg has said that she carried 'Ice' inside her for 30 years. Her father was also active in the church, but unfortunately died at a young age. Lundberg's father has always been like a fictional character to her. There are also many children in Estonia who were left fatherless by the war and she feels that the same applies to the Finns.
The book presentation was followed by a round of questions and answers. A painting is mentioned at the end of 'Ice' and people wanted to know whether it actually exists. As the answer was 'yes', they also wanted to know how much of 'Ice' was fiction and how much was real life. Lundberg said that the important thing about documentary literature is having proof. Fiction, however, is a big area that we don't know and it gives us immense freedom of movement. That is why she prefers being a fiction writer.
Ornithology was a topic often mentioned during the presentation and the writer was asked about her favourite bird. After some confusion about translating the name into Estonia, everyone learnt that her favourite bird is the woodchat shrike. Lundberg herself would like to live like a bird: spend her summers in Åland and fly somewhere warm when the cold weather arrives.
Read more about Nordic Library Week here. Click here to view photos from the event in Keila.
This overview of the meeting with Ulla-Lena Lundberg was prepared by Stefani Liivak from Tallinn University.