Rosa Liksom’s reading tips for the intellectually curious

Liksom reads widely across literature and non-fiction, but she focuses more on non-fiction and history in particular.

As for the history of Finland her favourites are the work on Lapland’s history by Maria Lähteenmäki, Oula Silvennoinen’s investigations into the collaboration between wartime Finland and Nazi Germany, Mirkka Lappalainen’s popular account of the Sweden empire, and the theologian Jaakko Heinimäki’s writing.

“The best writer of them all however is Teemu Keskisarja. His books deal with economics, crime and Fennomans. Liksom particularly likes the essay form.

“I read Leif Salmén, Antti Nylén, Tero Tähti. Another particularly interesting woman essayist is Jaana Seppänen.”

By Written by Heta Muurinen. Translated by John Calton.

Rosa Liksom

Rosa Liksom (Anni Ylävaara)
Born January 7, 1958, Ylitornio, Finnish Lapland

Master of Arts (main subject Cultural Anthropology; subsidiary subjects incl. ethnology, folk poetry, aesthetics, Art History, Religion, Finnish Literature) University of Helsinki, 1983
Studies in Universities of Moscow and Copenhagen, 1981-1986

Freelance Artist since 1991
Radio Journalist at Radio City and Reporter for City-lehti newspaper, 1989-1993 (programme deviser, interviews: Suomalaisia unelmia [‘Finnish dreams’])
Barworker, Agricultural Labourer, Shop Assistant and Bakery Assistant, Youth Drop-in Centre, Fleamarketeer at Lepakko, Sauna Boss in Freetown Christiania, Denmark; Agricultural Labourer, Shop Assistant

Photo: Pekka Mustonen
Written by Heta Muurinen
Translated by John Calton