Books and Book Clubs
Within the Sanoma Group, Sanoma
Learning & Literature as well as Sanoma Magazines Finland have
book publishing operations. In addition, Helsingin Sanomat
publishes several books each year.
Both WSOY and Sanoma Magazines Finland also have several book
clubs for different target groups.
General literature
WSOY publishes both Finnish and
foreign fiction and non fiction. WSOY has a long tradition of
publishing Finnish fiction and poetry. The company is well known as
the publisher of such 19th and 20th century writers as Juhani Aho
and Johannes Linnankoski, Mika Waltari and Väinö Linna in the
post-war years.
WSOY's current writers include among
others Harri Nykänen, Pentti Saaritsa, Ilpo Tiihonen, Risto Ahti,
Aila Meriluoto, Veikko Huovinen, Arto Paasilinna, Ilkka Remes, Rosa
Liksom, Jari Tervo, Sofi Oksanen, Juha Seppälä and Mari
Mörö. Of foreign literature,
WSOY publishes international names such as Gabriel
García Márquez, Linn Ullmann and Michel Houellebecq. Dan Brown and
John Grisham have been very popular lately.
WSOY is also a founding member in a
publishing initiative, Taskukirja Loisto, which publishes
paperbacks.
Children and youth books
WSOY is one of the most significant
players in children's and youth books in Finland. The publishing
range includes picture books, fairy tales, children and youth
novels, non-fiction books and cartoons. Popular characters are
Uppo-Nalle, Moomin, Winnie the Pooh, Maisy and Pippi
Långström.
Youth favourites are the Aaro books
by Ilkka Remes, the Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colferin,
J.R.R.Tolkien's books and Salatut Elämät, a Finnish novel.
Sanoma Magazines Finland also
publishes children's and youth books. The company publishes a wide
range of Disney products, paperbacks, albums and cartoons.
Non-fiction books and
encyclopaedias
Sanoma Magazines Finland publishes
The Guinness World Record book. The first Finnish edition of the
book was published 1975. In addition, Sanoma Magazines Praha
publishes National Geographic's books, such as Wildlife photographs
and Through the Lens.
Helsingin Sanomat publishes several
books each year. The content of the books consists of articles,
pictures and series' of articles that have been published in the
newspaper. Examples of Helsingin Sanomat's books are Antti
Manninen's Puretut talot. 100 tarinaa Helsingistä (Demolished
houses. 100 stories about Helsinki) and Markku Karumo's Erikoinen
tapaus (Eccentric occasion).
Educational books
Sanoma Learning & Literature
publishes a wide range of textbooks in Finland, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Poland and Hungary. More information can be found
under the section Learning.
Business books
In addition to educational publishing
WSOYpro, a part of Sanoma Learning & Literature is the market
leader also in publishing business books in Finland. The product
range includes books in the areas of leadership and management,
selling, marketing and communications, financial administration,
law, ICT, employee well being and multilingual communications.
Ekonomia book club, the only business books club in Finland, is a
part of WSOYpro's wide service portfolio. In addition to publishing
books, WSOYpro's services include seminars for professionals
and online-services.
Book clubs
WSOY has six book clubs: Uudet
Kirjat, Johanna, Uppo-Nalle and Tyyli ja Koti (home decoration),
Ekonomia (business) and JUJU (handicrafts).
Uudet Kirjat, the largest of the
five, offers its readers a wide cross-section of fiction, the
classics, non-fiction, and books for children and juveniles.
Johanna's offering is aimed at young female readers, with a variety
of light fiction and non-fiction on subjects such as food, hobbies
and children. The Ekonomia book club offers books for business
professionals. The Uppo-Nalle book club offers books for children
under 7 years. For home decorators, the Tyyli ja Koti book club
introduces topical and inspiring books related to home decoration,
design, food, garden, new ideas and styles. The most recent
book club, JUJU, is aimed at those interested in handicrafts.
Sanoma Magazines Finland operates
three book clubs for young people: Lasten Oma Kirjakerho, Merkurius
tietokerho and Sisters Club. Lasten Oma Kirjakerho is the largest
and most popular children's book club in Finland, aimed at young
children up to the age of six. Merkurius is designed for children
and young people aged between 7 and 13. In addition to non-fiction
books, Merkurius offers members cartoons, videos and youth books.
Sisters Club is intended for girls aged between 9 and 13, to whom
the club offers books, music and videos.