Tove Jansson

"Tove Jansson was a genius, a woman of profound wisdom and great artistry."—Philip Pullman

"It’s hard to describe the astonishing achievement of Jansson’s artistry."—Ali Smith

"Tove Jansson is one of the greatest children’s writers there has ever been."—Sir Terry Pratchett

"An affectionate account of how an anti-fascist visionary created the hugely popular tales."—The Guardian

"Jansson's reputation has arguably rested as strongly on pared, magical prose for adult readers as on her children's stories. But Westin shows that this division is inappropriate; Tove's unique imagination and art pervade both."—The Independent

"Boel Westin writes with a genuine love and admiration for her subject matter that bubbles up from the page. It’s difficult not to let yourself get caught up and carried along by her unbridled enthusiasm."—The Newtown Review of Books

"This is a model biography, racy, unprurient, insightful, delightfully illustrated, true to its subject but also true to its own cleverly modulated narrative."—The Herald

"This is a rich, historical volume about a wildly popular writer in Scandinavia, being given a broader exposure for English speaking readers. Highly recommended."—Chronicle Journal

"The first comprehensive biography of a creator whose reputation has only grown with time, Westin’s work, translated by Silvester Mazzarella, is thorough and well researched."—The New York Times

"There’s a sincere affection for her subject in Westin’s writing, but it never reads as overly fawning or glamorizing. Readers will feel like they’re walking through a gallery, looking through windows at an artist as she grows through painstaking practice and experience."—Lesbrary

"Westin's detailed biography provides an intimate portrait of Jansson's life, and traces the development of her talent for drawing, illustration, and painting, encouraged by her unconventional artistic family in the decades prior to World War II. . . But the standout elements of this impressive biography come in the form of Jansson's own sketches, paintings, journals, notes, and letters, as well as photos showing her at work. Seeing Jansson's process throughout the pages, readers gain an enhanced understanding of and appreciation for this exceptional artist who continues to inspire and delight the world to this day."—Shelf Awareness

"Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words is a valuable resource for learning about life in Europe in the 20th century and the challenges that artists and writers can face. For fans of the Moomintroll stories or anyone interested in European children’s literature, it’s a worthwhile read."—Winnipeg Free Press

"In this acclaimed biography, Boel Westin relies on numerous conversations with Jansson and unprecedented access to her journals, letters, and personal archives to present an engrossing and comprehensive review of the life and world of Scandinavia’s best-loved author. Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words offers fans and admirers around the world the most complete portrait of the writer Philip Pullman described as ‘a genius, a woman of profound wisdom and great artistry.’"—Gay League

"Excellent [source] for anyone wishing to learn more about Tove Jansson’s eventful life."—The Swedish Press

An in-depth, perceptive account of the unconventional life of the Moomins’ beloved creator, now available in the United States

Tove Jansson achieved fame as the creator of the Moomins, beloved by generations of readers around the world. Remarkably, the Moomins were only part of the prodigious creative output of this Finnish-Swedish writer and artist. Jansson’s work also includes short stories and five novels for adults, as well as paintings, murals, and book illustrations. In this acclaimed biography, Boel Westin relies on numerous conversations with Jansson and unprecedented access to her journals, letters, and personal archives to present an engrossing and comprehensive review of the life and world of Scandinavia’s best-loved author.

As Westin’s meticulous research makes clear, Jansson’s artistic and literary works reflected what was most important to her: the love of family and nature and the desire to pursue her art. Guided by her personal motto, “Love and work,” Jansson seized both with uncompromising joy. And while her romantic relationships with men proved unfulfilling, she found those with women—especially with her longtime partner, the artist Tuulikki Pietilä—both grounding and inspiring.

Westin weaves together the many threads of Jansson’s rich, complex life: an education interrupted to help her family; the bleak war years and her emergence as a painter; the decades of Moominmania across books, newspaper comic strips, merchandise, and adaptations; her later fictions, including her popular The Summer Book; and her time with Pietilä on the solitary island of Klovharu. Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words offers fans and admirers around the world the most complete portrait of the writer Philip Pullman described as “a genius, a woman of profound wisdom and great artistry.”

Boel Westin is professor emerita of literature at Stockholm University and chair of the jury for the world’s largest children’s literature prize, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Silvester Mazzarella is a translator of Italian and Swedish literature. His translations include Tove Jansson’s The Woman Who Borrowed Memories.

Reviewed in:

New York Times

Shelf Awareness