Mia Kankimäki and Triin Tael

Mia Kankimäki (1971) is a Finnish writer. Her fiction debut Asioita jotka saavat sydämen lyömään nopeammin is a strongly autobiographical work that takes the author to Kyōto in the footsteps of Sei Shōnagon (ca 966–1017 or 1025), the famous Japanese court lady and author of the Pillow Book. The work won the HelMet Literary Award of the libraries of the Helsinki region. Her second book, Naiset joita ajattelen öisin, takes the author and the reader across the world. The novel goes to Africa, Italy and Japan, following the women who have inspired the author, ranging from female artists of Renaissance Italy or the Danish writer Karen Blixen (1885-1962), also known as Isak Dinesen, who went to Africa to grow coffee at the age of 28. Mia Kankimäki will talk to translator Triin Tael.