&sq=&lang=&file=File:Tuntematon_sotilas.jpg) First edition | |
| Author | Väinö Linna |
|---|---|
| Original title | Tuntematon sotilas |
| Translator | Liesl Yamaguchi (2015) |
| Cover artist | Martti Mykkänen |
| Language | Finnish |
| Genre | War novel |
| Published | 1954 (WSOY) |
Publication date | 3 December 1954 |
| Publication place | Finland |
Published in English | 1957 (Collins, UK) 1957 (Putnam's, US) 2015 (Penguin Books) as Unknown Soldiers |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 476, 21 cm |
| ISBN | 9789510430866 |
| OCLC | 37585178 |
The Unknown Soldier (Finnish: Tuntematon sotilas, Swedish: Okänd soldat) or Unknown Soldiers is a war novel by Finnish author Väinö Linna, considered his magnum opus. Published in 1954, The Unknown Soldier chronicles the 1941–1944 Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union from the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers. In 2000, the manuscript version of the novel was published with the title Sotaromaani ("the war novel") and in 2015, the latest English translation as Unknown Soldiers. A fictional account based closely on Linna's own experiences during the war, the novel presented a more realistic outlook on the formerly romanticized image of a noble and obedient Finnish soldier. Linna gave his characters independent and critical thoughts, and presented them with human feelings, such as fear and rebellion.
Although published to mixed reviews, The Unknown Soldier quickly became one of the best-selling books in Finland and is considered both a classic in Finnish literature and a part of the national legacy.[1][2] The novel was well received by frontline veterans; it shot Linna to literary fame and has been described as creating a shift in the collective memory of the war. It has sold nearly 800,000 copies, been translated into 20 different languages and adapted into three films with the latest one released in 2017.
- ^ "The Unknown Soldier". suomifinland100.fi. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
The Unknown Soldier, the story, the characters, their experiences and suffering are part of Finland's national legacy – and part of the identity of the war generation and their children. It is a story we must not forget.
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