Unikirja: Dream Book [Paperback]

K. A. Laity (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 2009

The schemes of witches and sages and giants. Doomed marriages and supernatural bargains. The magic of music, of the sauna, of family. A fish who's a girl, a girl who's a wolf. The creation of the world. Author K. A. Laity weaves timeless magic in UNIKIRJA. Tales from the KALEVALA and KANTELETAR, the ancient myths and folktales of Finland, receive new life and meaning in these imaginative retellings. Mixing the realistic with the fantastic, the mythic with the modern, the dream-tales of UNIKIRJA reinterpret the beauty of the original, time-honored Finnish stories for contemporary readers. Laity's work on this collection won her the 2005 Eureka Short Story Fellowship and a grant from the Finlandia Foundation in 2006. Some of these stories have previously appeared in NEW WORLD FINN, MYTHIC PASSAGES, MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY'S SWORD AND SORCERESS XXI, THE BELTANE PAPERS, and KIPPIS! LITERARY JOURNAL. UNIKIRJA also includes four never-before published pieces, including "Lumottu," an innovative and deeply moving new play.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"You will want to savor every word, every page and read this book over and over. The warmth and peacefulness these stories bring to the reader feels like a big, comfortable blanket on a cold wintry day." --The Pagan and The Pen

"K. A. Laity's efforts make Finnish mythology and folklore relevant today in ways that resonate with the modern reader. She mates myth and womanhood exquisitely. In short, her work is fabulous." --FinNALA

From the Inside Flap

"...full of fluent style and poetic dialogue." -- Clive Barker

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Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Aino Press (April 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982172508
• ISBN-13: 978-0982172506
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,408,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

K. A. Laity (kalaity.com) has a new expanded edition of her novel Pelzmantel, available from Immanion Press: it includes a new introduction by author Liz Hand, three short stories, and an introduction to Medieval Magic. The original small press edition (Spilled Candy 2003) was nominated for the Aesop Prize and the International Reading Association Children's Book Award. Laity received a 2006 Finlandia Foundation grant and the 2005 Eureka Short Story Fellowship to work on Unikirja (Dreambook), a collection of short stories based on Finnish mythology and the Kalevala (Aino Press 2009). Dr. Laity is Associate Professor of English at the College of Saint Rose, where she teaches medieval literature, film, New Media and popular culture and also serves as director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program. She publishes and presents papers in the areas of medieval studies, fantasy, horror, comics, humour, drama, film and writing. Laity is a weekly columnist for BitchBuzz.com, the global women's lifestyle network, where she covers technology, social media, style, books, film and humour.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rich and exciting, August 7, 2009

By 

David Schmidt (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unikirja: Dream Book (Paperback)

I have only the most cursory exposure to the Kalevala & the Kanteletar - the ancient myths and folktales of Finland's poetical volumes. K. A. Laity's inspired collection, brings to life and re-interprets these traditional tales with poetic language and stirring emotional resonance. Myths and fairy-tales frequently seem deceptively simple, and many authors dabble in their surface devices without understanding the depths of their psychological and cultural meanings. Such stories never ring true, never connecting with the primal energies that are evoked in those timeless stories. But in the hands of the gifted, storytellers who know enough and are brave enough to look deep into the dark well of their mysteries, new tales are brought from old that shine with the golden threads of the ancient woven in their new cloth. Ms. Laity is clearly one of those storytellers. I don't have to know those original stories to feel the echoes of their power that ring through these tales with renewed vigor. In story, in poem, and even a play - this is a rich collection of tales - full of passion, and feeling, and meaning that strikes a true chord. And it welcomes us into an often neglected chamber of treasures that it invites us to explore. This is terrific reading, and a voice worth being excited to find. Enjoy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Joy to Read, August 24, 2009

By 

K. Clune (Capital District, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unikirja: Dream Book (Paperback)

In the midst of these poetically peaceful stories are some truly tragic, jolting and horrific events. I loved this about Unikirja. Lulled into the cadence of Laity's lyrical writing style, one almost forgets to expect the unexpected - until it strikes. In this sense, these literary jewels are anything but flowery. Life's immense joys and tragic disappointments are strikingly vivid for Laity's strong characters. Her contrasting play with light and dark weaves a rich and beautiful tapestry both within and between each story. Through her skillful sense of balance, Laity packs all aspects of humanity into this powerful little book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Imagery, August 7, 2009

By 

Queen of Everything "QoE" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unikirja: Dream Book (Paperback)

Unikirja, like, totally rocks!

Beautifully written, these insightful, distinctive re-tellings of traditional Finnish folkore tales are a delight. The imagery of K.A. Laity's words is beyond compare.