Notes from an Island

Oh my, what a little treasure of a book! I've been a fan of Tove Jansson's Moomin stories for many years (even forgoing the more famous shops in Helsinki to search down some Moomin merch), but never knew much about her life. This short semi-diary is like the island where Jansson and her life partner lived for 20 years - spare, surprising, nothing wasted. In it we see Tove and Tooti build a tiny cabin, make friends with the birds, fish for their supper, and otherwise live a life far from the usual creature comforts (and the usual other creatures). Tove's beautiful prose is punctuated by several of Tooti's paintings, as spare and windy as the island itself.

Oh boy did I love this book, and I plan to love it again and again as it is short enough to read in a few hours. Originally this book was not available for request, but I wished for it, and Timber Press granted my request. I am so grateful to them and to NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Even at only a little over 125 pages, it's one of my best of the year so far.

Notes from an Island by Tove Jansson & Tuulikki Pietilä and narrated by Sandi Toksvig is a short read but a beautiful one. As a GenXr who was absolutely in love with the Moomins, I jumped at the chance to read this book (after listening to the audiobook) which was co-authored by the artist of one of my favourite childrens books of all time

The couple want peace and quiet, a home away from others where they can be their true selves and live their art. They are determined to build their home and while the first is overrun by curious fans, they do not lose hope and go on to try again in a harsh and unforgiving environment, but warmed by their relationship and creativity

An absolutely wonderful book and highly recommended

Thank you to Netgalley, Timber Press, the author Tove Jansson & Tuulikki Pietilä for this beautiful ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

What a beautiful lovely memoir/notes on living on an island in Northern Europe. Sprinkled with paintings, notes and an essay. Nature and humans at their best. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This short, charming book is a largely unstructured set of reminiscences by Tove Jansson, the wonderful creator of the Moomins, about her time spent on an isolated island off of Finland with her partner, artist Tuulikki Pietilä. It isn’t a narrative but rather an ad hoc mixture of diary entries, musing, vague recollections, and anecdotes. Jansson’s spare prose conveys the wildness of the island and ocean, her joy in simple companionship, her love/hate relationship with the island, and no small amount of melancholy. Like the prints that illustrate the book, it is ill-defined but great fodder for musing and speculation.

Notes from an Island is a short but beautiful memoir of the Moomins creator Tove Janson, and the time she spent on an Islolated Island with her partner, artist Tuulikki Pietilä. It is quite unstructured and a bit random, but is easy to follow, and the beauty and the hardship come across easily.
The wildlife, nature and harsh environment are detailed throughout. It is a unique book that describes an equally unique place and well known author. A very interesting and unusual way of life. described in a treasure of a book.

This little book was a captivating delight from start to finish. I adored the art and photographs and found myself connecting a lot to the feelings this book explored. I was already familiar with Jansson from my (and my children’s) love of Moominvalley. But this work of non-fiction made me want to seek out Jansson’s book of letters to add to my nightstand, as I was not ready to part from her or her island when I came to the last page.

Almost everyone that I know has at some point said that they would like to live on an island far away from civilisation, but with transport to go there once in a while.
Well, Tove and Tooti did it and in this book describe the reality of the heaven and the hell of it.
One has to be tough, real tough to do what these remarkable ladies did.
One also has to have a network of friends and acquaintances behind one, and lots of know-how, determination and stamina.
It killed the dream for me, I know that I would not be strong enough, but raised them to the pedestal that I reserve for heroines and heroes.
Well written, including things that happened whether good or bad, enhanced by drawings and an essay.
Everyone should read this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Notes From An Island is a memorial collaboration, an account by popular Finnish author, Tove Jansson, of the twenty-six summers she and her partner, artist Tuulikki Pietila, Tooti, spent on the island of Klovharun, on the edge of the Pellinge Archipelago. It is translated from Finnish by Thomas Teal.

As well as straight narrative, it includes log book entries by Jansson herself and Brunstrom, the fisherman who built their cabin. These are enhanced by paintings, some quite enigmatic (read: what actually is that?), by Tooti. This edition has an introduction by Alexander Chee, which includes some photographs.

In 1963, Tove finds the idyllic island she’s living on with her family, Bredskar is just getting far too busy, so she and Tooti decide that they are energised by starkness of the little nearby skerry, Klovharun. Fisherman Brunstrom comes along and offers to build them a cabin.

Getting building materials and other supplies to their uninhabited little island can be challenging, with much relying on the weather and the seas. They need to build a loading dock, which is promptly blown out to sea during a fierce storm. Construction involves blasting the big boulder to make a cellar. A mast and a roof tree are required, as is a building permit.

Meanwhile, netting fish, shooting birds for food, salvaging wrecks, tobogganing, watching the ice break-up, and seeing the spring flowers fill their days. Tove’s mother, Ham, and the cat Psipsina (Pipsu) make the journey. Time is spent in the tent sauna.

Taking over the gulls’ island means sea bird attacks, except for the almost-pet, Pellura. Eider hens are watched and a water spout is observed. Migratory birds come and go: sandpipers, coal black starlings, crows, owls.

Their household rowan tree grows well, as do some rose bushes. They gather driftwood, make a woodpile, construct a wood shed and tar it with a pitch roof, covered with turf, and the contents are emptied out by the winter sea. They clear a meadow of silken beach rye and the wildflowers abound, but they do find that the changes they make are often reversed by the winter winds and sea.

Eventually, though, Tove begins to recognise that this domain is becoming unmanageable, leading to some anxiety and worry, and prompting a decision to leave before they are forced to do so. As they pack up, they make list of tips for potential new residents, and are aware of the finality of some actions, of doing things for the last time. Photos of their hut and their final day, and the essay, The Island, round off the story. An interesting peek into the personal life of a much-loved author.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Timber Press.

When I first saw this available for request on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance immediately. Who doesn’t love the moomins and when I saw a lovely collection of notes and stories from the author herself, I thought I would absolutely adore it, and I did.

It was a nice, easy, quick read yet filled with so much love following her relationship. The inclusion of the essay was an amazing touch as everything this woman writes is amazing. It was so nice to see something written by Jansson that wasn’t aimed at children and I really enjoyed it.

I'm not a dedicated fan of this author's work, but it's not a requirement for reading this book. I've always fantasized about living alone on an island, not necessarily tropical, and the idea that a couple of older women were able to do so, mostly alone, starting when they were older than I am now, was unexpectedly inspirational.

This is a shorter read appropriate for readers who like nature-related nonfiction. It seems like it could be a really great audiobook, too!

eARC from NetGalley.

Notes from an Island is a delightful read from the points of view of Tove Jansson and her friends and helpers as they decide to build a cabin on the remote island of Klovharun.
The process of getting permission, the building and then living in such a remote place is a lovely read infused with the atmosphere of the island throughout the seasons.
The photographs are fascinating and the art of Tove’s partner Tooti is beautiful and fits the book perfectly.

This book really captures a quiet and practical Nordic/Scandinavian approach to living that is from a time far gone. Much of this book resonated with me and reminded me of my grandfather (Norwegian, grew up on an island with nothing on it and built his own cabin) and his simple view of life and how you just keep moving. This closeness to nature is so easily lost in a world of ease and technology and it was lovely to disappear into Janssons life and philosophy.

Although short and often told through notes of little artistic and literary “importance” it paints a picture of a quiet couple living a quiet life and making do. There is something beautifully serene about this, even when talking of storms and loss.

I consider myself fortunate to be part of a generation that grew up with the television series based on the Moomin comic strip. Naturally, I was thrilled to read a book by the very author who created my beloved childhood characters and to learn more about her life.

This short, enchanting book is a collection of Tove Jansson’s notes, observations, and reflections during her time living on the isolated island of Klovharun with her life companion. The book is both charming and beautiful, offering a deep connection to nature, the island’s landscape, its fish and birds, and the powerful presence of storms and winds. I enjoyed it quite a lot and wish it was longer. The essay at the end is absolutely beautiful.

Every summer for three decades Tove and her partner, Tuulikki Pietilä, would retreat to the tiny island of Klovharun, a rocky outcrop in the gulf of Finland. On that austere spot of land they would live, paint and write, captivated by the ever changing seas and the island's remote beauty. . Notes from an Island, is a memoir of, and reverence for, the little island home that Tove and Tuulikki loved so much. Tove's prose, and Tuulikki's artistic depictions form a body of work of to ponder and contemplate, and imagine yourself there with your hair blowing in the wind and the salty spray hitting your face. #NotesFromAnIsland #netgalley #Klovharun

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Notes from an Island by Tove Jansson is a beautifully introspective and evocative work that captures the essence of solitude and the profound connection between humans and nature. Co-authored with her partner, Tuulikki Pietilä, this book is a reflective account of their time spent on the remote island of Klovharun in the Finnish archipelago.

Jansson, best known for her Moomin series, brings her keen observational skills and lyrical prose to this non-fiction piece. The narrative is a blend of diary entries, sketches, and photographs, offering readers an intimate glimpse into the couple’s life on the island. The book is a chronicle of their daily routines and the changing seasons, and a meditation on the simplicity and beauty of island life.

One of the most striking aspects of Notes from an Island is its ability to convey the tranquility and isolation of Klovharun. Jansson’s writing is deeply atmospheric, painting vivid pictures of the rugged landscape, the ever-changing sea, and the wildlife that inhabits the island. Her descriptions are so rich and detailed that readers can almost feel the salty breeze and hear the waves crashing against the rocks.

The book also delves into the themes of creativity and companionship. Jansson and Pietilä’s partnership is portrayed with warmth and honesty, highlighting the mutual respect and understanding that underpinned their relationship. Their shared experiences on the island serve as a testament to the power of nature to inspire and rejuvenate the human spirit.

Notes from an Island is a poignant and beautifully crafted work that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt the pull of the natural world. Jansson’s reflections on solitude, creativity, and the passage of time are both timeless and deeply personal. This book is a must-read for fans of Jansson’s work and anyone seeking a deeper connection with nature. Whether you are an avid reader of nature writing or simply looking for a contemplative and inspiring read, this book offers a unique and enriching experience.

t is astonishing the number of people who go around dreaming of an island. Tove Jansson, The Island

In 1979 my family hosted a Finnish exchange student, Elina, for a year. She lived on the Arctic Circle, her father a forester. I remember Elina telling us about Sisu, and how Finns like solitude. She told a story about a man who moved upriver into the deep woods. He was happy until he noticed something that had floated down the river, indicating someone had built a cabin upstream. He was incensed, so walked upriver a few days, shot the interloper, and happily returned home.

The drive for solitude can seem incomprehensible in a world addicted to constant, instant communication. Or, perhaps, we all secretly dream of our own island?

Notes From an Island tells the story of how Tove Jansson, famous for her Moomie children’s books, and her partner Tooti, spent summers on an island. It tells how they built their island summer home and the life they enjoyed there, illustrated with Tooti’s artwork of the island. Additionally included is Tove’s essay The Island, illustrated with photographs.

The first island they summered on was “paradise” but gradually filled with people. Tove and Tooti searched for another island, one that would offer solitude.

They found their dream island. It was under seven thousand square meters, shaped like an atoll with a lagoon. First, they lived in a tent, dreaming of the cabin they would build. One day, a man arrived who warned that rather than wait for permission, they should build the cabin right away, and with his help, they got to work.

They brought Tove’s eighty-three-year-old grandmother Ham, who lived in the tent which flooded, Ham laughing as she waded ashore. They used nets to catch fish to feed themselves and the cat.

Ham expresses her amazement at people who come and ask if it doesn’t get a little boring with nothing but rocks and the horizon, and don’t we miss nature? from Notes From an Island by Tove Jannson

Tove’s descriptions are seductive, documenting the variety of beauty to be experienced on the island.

A helicopter dropped them on the island to experience the break-up of the ice. Tove describes how “Unbelievable tabernacles floated by, driven by a mild south-west breeze, statuesque, glittering, as big as trolleys, cathedrals, primeval caverns, everything imaginable! And they changed colour whenever they felt like it–ice blue, green and, in the evening, orange. Early in the morning they could be pink.”

She writes of spring on the island: “Every spring, it’s the scurvy-grass flower that comes first…The flower is white and tiny and has a sharp smell. The next to come is the wild pansy, then all the others in a perfect frenzy of blossoming.”

The eiders nested on the island, the gulls raiding the nests. Migrating birds stopped by.

There was flotsam to collect, driftwood to salvage for firewood. Mending of the cabin and the woodshed with its metal roof covered with tar and turf. Cleaning out the chimney. Days of deep fog, listening to the engines and fog horns of passing boats.

When you’ve been alone for a very long time, you begin to listen differently, to feel the organic and the unexpected all around, and see the incomprehensible beauty of the material world. Tove Jansson, The Island

In their seventies, they realized the time had come to give up their island retreat. It was a rugged, demanding life, and Tove realized she was becoming afraid of the power of the ocean.

This enchanting book will appeal to anyone who has ever dreamed of escape.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley

I'm a Tove Jansson stan so will definitely be ordering some of this for our bookstore. I do think that it is easiest to sell to people who already know and love her, as it's fairly slow.

When I imagine living in a little cabin on a little island away from the world, I never imagine the Gulf of Finland, but this little love note from Tove Jansson to and about her summer island residence have me reconsidering. My imagination has done me a disservice by not considering that island life is not complete delight. There's the weather, the critters, the unpredictable swiping arms of the sea, the work to sustain life. The isolation sounds nice, but there's always a price to be paid. This short chronicle surprised me with is keen descriptions and quirky adventures. My favorite--Grandma is called Ham.

Isn’t it everyone’s fantasy, to get away from it all and live somewhere deserted, relying on your own hardiness, skills, and smarts? There’s something appealing about it. Well, I loved this, Tove Jansson’s account of, with her partner, “Tooti,” building (initially illegally) and (mostly) summering on an isolated island, Klovharun, in the Gulf of Finland, from the 1960s. It’s wry, and austere, but tells of a love of life and all its minutiae. And it gave me a feeling like that from the old explorer books I loved as a child.

Life on the island has its own rhythm: the storms that come by; the birds, whose territory it really is; occasional salvaging trips to nearby islands; the year they watch (or try to) the sea ice break up; Tooti’s work, capturing the moods of the island in etchings and washes (some of which are included in the book); fishing; the fog; changes in the sea; the woodyard; the silence between them—they eventually find themselves whispering, or not talking at all. Gradually growing old.

There are also other fun characters, apart from the island itself: Brunström, the independent-minded, quirky fisherman who helps them build, with his mate Sjöblom; for a while, there’s also Ham, Jannson’s mother, who gets washed away one night with the cat, Psipsina (all ends well, mostly) (but there’s the time that Psipsina jumps into wet tar and really hates everyone for a while). And there’s the massive mast that Brunström finds and nearly loses.

I found it so easy to fall into the rhythms of this prose, of life on Klovharun, beautifully described here, in Jansson’s words, Pietilä’s pictures, and Brunström’s occsional diary entries. *Notes From an Island* is undemanding, and yet manages to draw you in. A wonnderful diversion.

Thanks to Timber Press and NetGalley for an early DRC.