The Year of the Hare (Jäniksen vuosi)
An internationally bestselling comic novel in which a man—with the help of a hare—realises what’s important in life.
Journalist Vatanen is burnt out and sick of the city. One summer evening he accidently hits a young hare on a country road. He tends to the hare’s leg, befriends the creature, and gradually sheds his former life.
The incident becomes a life-changing experience for Vatanen, who decides to quit his job, leave his wife, and sell his possessions to travel Finland with his new-found friend. Their adventures lead them to forest fires, pagan sacrifices, and killer bears before they settle down in a cosy cabin in the wilds of Lapland.
The Year of the Hare is a wildly entertaining mix of fable, farce, mid-life crisis, and travel book. It’s a tale of freedom, commitment, and survival that has been charming readers around the world for decades.
This award-winning book is widely considered Arto Paasilinna’s best work and a Finnish literary classic.
The Year of the Hare was adapted for film in France in 2006 (dir. Marc Rivière) and Finland in 1977 (dir. Risto Jarva). It has also been adapted for stage. The UNESCO Collection of Representative Works classified it as a masterpiece of world literature.
“A change-your-life novel.”
– New York magazine
Prizes and nominations:
1994: Premio Letterario Giuseppe Acerbi (Italy)
1993: Pro Finlandia (Finland)
1989: Prix Littéraire Air Inter (France)
Title: The Year of the Hare (Jäniksen vuosi)
Published: 1975
Buy:
