My dream

I dream of Finland as a nation peopled by educated individuals, where the level of education is high and where cultural values are respected and supported. This is a road with no end-point, only a direction. In the Finland of my dreams, people read and write a lot of high-quality texts as well as both make and pursue all kinds of art. Living in this kind of society is based on openness, education and tolerance of differences. The atmosphere is optimistic, constructive and supportive.

Translated by Olli Silvennoinen

Revised by John Calton

By Tero Juutilainen

Markku Envall

Markku Sakari Envall
Born July 28, 1944, Hämeenlinna.

Bachelor of Arts (Comparative Literature), 1968, Master of Arts, 1971, Licentiate of Philosophy, 1976, Doctor of Philosophy, 1987, University of Helsinki

Author
Acting Assistant (Comparative Literature), University of Helsinki, 1970–1978 
Assistant, Finnish Literature, University of Helsinki, 1982–1992 
Senior Research Fellow, Academy of Finland, 1991–1994

Awards
Finnish Evangelical-Lutheran Church Award for Literature, 1987 
Finlandia Prize for Fiction, for Samurai nukkuu (‘The Samurai is sleeping’, WSOY 1989), 1990
Annual award for an aphorism collection ( Ja Job antaa anteeksi (‘And Job forgives’, WSOY 2005), 2006 
Samuli Paronen prize, 2009 
Merit prize, WSOY publishers, 2009 
Olga and Vilho Linnamo prize, 2010 
Nominee, J. L. Runeberg prize for literature, 2012 ( essay collection Toinen jalka maassa, ‘One foot on the ground’, 2012)

Photo: Pertti Nisonen
Written by Markku Envall and Tero Juutilainen (ed.)
Translated by John Calton