A talk by author Stina Katchadourian: writer, translator, and co-president of the San Francisco Chapter of Finlandia Foundation.

This story of a Finnish family during World War II, combines a gripping correspondence between the author’s parents, who were separated by the war, with the interspersed memories of the author, their youngest child. While her father was at the front fighting, her mother moved the family, ending up on a farm on the Arctic Circle, trying to keep her daughters safe from Russian bombs. Finland sued for peace with the Soviet Union in 1944, which made them enemies of the Germans, who had a standing army of 200,000 men in Finnish Lapland. War broke out with Germany, and the author’s family managed in the nick of time to flee to Sweden. Throughout this historic drama are a tapestry of letters and family stories, along with the touching voice of the little girl Stina, whose observations, reflections, and worries move the reader along to the dramatic conclusion.

Co-sponsored by the Finlandia Foundation.

With questions, contact the Institute of European Studies at ies@berkeley.edu.