Kalle Päätalo

Kaarlo (Kalle) Alvar Päätalo (November 11, 1919 – November 20, 2000) was a Finnish novelist, the most popular Finnish writer in the 20th century. His Iijoki series, comprising 26 novels, is one of the longest autobiographical works ever written.

Kalle Päätalo in 1958.

Quotes

• He pointed diagonally across the lake with a ski-pole, to where a broad slope of pine trees covered with frost shone golden in the sun.

"Do you know what those black lumps on the branches of that pine are?"

"Aren't they just heath-grouse? Kauko looked in the direction indicated by his brother's ski pole.

"Just heath-grouse!" Auku shouted. "Just heath-grouse! It's a wonder you didn't say just chickadees! You're some hunter, you are. Those are ptarmigan, genuine hook-beaked ptarmigan, and like damned blockheads, we have to be without a gun."

"You're starting to make a habit of cursing." Kauko was a little annoyed at the sharpness of his brother's eyes and was not quite willing to admit that he was right.

"The word 'damn' isn't cursing."

"What is it then? And there's no proof that those are ptarmigan." "Hmh!" Kauko heard a laugh behind him. "We'd be carrying a lot more rabbits and birds back to the house if I did the snaring. "You can't even get a permit to carry a gun yet," said Kauko.

"Who cares about permits? If I can't get a permit to carry a gun, then I'll drag it along behind me. Do you need a permit for that too?" "Don't be smart."

• Kalle Päätalo (1960), Our Daily Bread: A Novel, p. 67

Quotes about Kalle Päätalo

• Finnish autobiographer Kalle Päätalo wrote perhaps the longest bestselling autobiography in the world, and most certainly in his native Finland.
  • Margaretta Jolly (2013), Encyclopedia of Life Writing: Autobiographical and Biographical Forms. p. 687