Article categories: News
The library’s autumn events feature guest writers and lecturers
Published: 4.9.2024
Vaasa City Library hosts a number of writers’ visits and lectures, all free of charge. The guest authors include Elina Annola, Heidi Köngäs and Marie Allen. The public lecture series organised by the Pohjanmaan Psykoterapiaseura ry and starting in September, will focus on emotions.
Author Elina Annola, originally from Laihia, talks about her latest novel Luopuneet (2024) at the Vaasa Main Library on Wednesday 11 September at 18–19. Annola is a teacher of Finnish language and literature, and her novels have won praise for their beautiful language. She has previously published two novels, Kunnes kukkivat puut (2022) and Kaikki lokakuun taivaat (2022).
Writer and director Heidi Köngäs will visit the Vaasa Main Library on Monday 23 September at 18–19 and the Vähäkyrö library on Tuesday 24 September at 18–19. Köngäs will talk about her book Tango Frisk, out in September. Köngäs is the author of several novels and children’s books, and her novel Dora, Dora was nominated for the Finlandia Prize in fiction in 2012. Heidi Köngäs is also known for directing the successful film Hardly a Butterfly (Liian paksu perhoseksi,1998), winner of the Special Prix Europa. She has also dramatised and directed a play based on her award-winning novel Sandra.
On Wednesday September 25 at 16.30–17.30 poet Hannimari Heino will speak in the lobby of the Main Library. Heino has published four poetry collections and two literary collections of letters together with poet Kristiina Wallin. She has translated Italian poetry, in particular, and also teaches Italian. Last year, Heino received the Premio Flaiano di Italianistica, an international award for Italian language and culture. All September events will be in Finnish.
Five lectures on emotions in the Draama Hall
On Wednesday, September 25, from 18.30–20, psychiatrist Riitta Kellosalo will give an introductory lecture on emotions in the Draama Hall at the Main Library. This lecture is the first in a series of five public lectures called ‘Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Emotions,’ organized by Pohjanmaan Psykoterapiaseura ry.
On Monday 23 October at 18.30–20, psychiatrist and educational psychoanalyst Merja Kaleva will give a lecture on the emotions of abandoned and abused children in Draama Hall. The lectures are about 45 minutes long, and the remaining time is reserved for questions from the audience. The lectures are in Finnish, and admission is free. The lecture series will continue in spring 2025.
A story of three generations
On Tuesday 15. October at 18–19, Vaasa City Library will host the novelist Marie Allen. Allen, who is a former history teacher, wrote her first novel, Prästgården, as a biography that tells the story of three generations: her grandmother Mery, her father Henrik, and herself.
At the library, Allen will talk about her new book – a historical novel set in Pärnu, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Poland between 1875 and 1945 – out in September. The reading will take place in the Venny Room on the second floor of the library in Swedish. Free admission.
The bilingual literary festival LittFest will be organised in Vaasa on 14–16 November 2024.