Suomen tietokirjailijat ry or the Finnish Association of Non-fiction Writers is the biggest organisation representing the interests of writers in Finland. It has over 3,100 members and membership is increasing the whole time. The Association looks after the interests of non-fiction writers and has a number of common tasks. Each year it distributes grants to the value of two million euros.

In spring 2011 I tried out an idea on Joel Kuortti: how about putting together a list of one hundred significant works of Finnish non-fiction? I knew that Joel, Professor of English Philology at the University of Turku, was a sworn bibliophile. When we got the list ready, we decided each to write fifty short essays.

As Executive Director of Suomen tietokirjailijat ry - the Finnish Association of Non-fiction Writers I get to sit in meetings. And when we are talking about an organisation peopled by volunteers, it means the meetings are typically in the evenings

I wrote my school-leaving examinations in 1975. I had wanted to study Finnish literature. Since I had been rather lazy during my last years at school, my mediocre final certificate rather ruled that out. But I was also interested in history.

I came to the book business as soon as I had graduated in 1980. I started at the bottom. I read the proofs for the WSOY encyclopedias. I carted print-outs by the bagload home.