Katariina Vuori

Bio
Vuori is a versatile writer of both fiction and non-fiction. In her non-fiction books, she approaches topics and phenomena as dialogues between individuals and society. Her cookbooks often feature wild herbs: Nettles (Nokkonen) presents information about nettles as well as dozens of nettle recipes. In Flower Food (Kukkaisruokaa), each recipe uses edible flowers. Wild Veggies (Villiä vegeä), written together with wild herb guru Sami Tallberg, offers a heaping serving of eye candy, as well: the book’s dishes are styled with Finnish design pieces.

The Children of Christmas Seal Homes (Joulumerkkikodin lapset) is the first comprehensive non-fiction book to examine the history of Christmas seal homes in Finland. Similar institutions were also established in the other Nordic countries at the beginning of the twentieth century, with the goal of protecting children from tuberculosis. Vuori’s book The Story of a Killing (Erään tapon tarina) made waves in the Finnish media when it was published in 2018. In addition to depicting a real-life tragedy, the book is also a socially relevant work and has been optioned for film.

In fiction, Vuori’s novel Tough Times (Pula-ajalla) deals with social marginalization and burnout through a story that approaches magical realism. Avocado Pasta (Avokadopasta) is an honest and touching chick-lit novel. Vuori has trained as an archaeologist, physical therapist, creative writing teacher, and bibliotherapist. She has worked abroad and spent five years living on an 11-meter-long sailboat. Her books have been translated into Estonian, German, and Hungarian.

Books

Non-fiction
Story Wizards: Creative Writing Exercises for Children (Tarinataikurit – Sanataideharjoituksia lapsille), Lasten Keskus, 2020

Läjä Äijälä: The King of Cult Bands (Läjä Äijälä – Kulttibändien kuningas), Like, 2018

The Story of a Killing (Erään tapon tarina), Like, 2018

Your Cat’s Own Book (Kissan oma kirja), Otava, 2018 (fill-in book for cat owners)

Your Dog’s Own Book (Koiran oma kirja), Otava, 2017 (fill-in book for dog owners)

Kids in the Country: Where Does Food Come From? (Mukulat maalla – lasten ruokaretki), Docendo, 2017

Lottery Winners’ Tables: Stories from Beneath the Poverty Line (Lottovoittajien pöydässä – Tarinoita köyhyysrajan takaa), Like, 2017

Flower Food (Kukkaisruokaa), Like, 2016

Kiosk Granny: Soda, Cinema and Kiosk Entrepreneur Edith Kaski 1900–1988 (Kiskan mamma – Limonadi-, elokuvateatteri- ja kioskiyrittäjä Edith Kaski 1900–1988), BoD, 2016

The Children of Christmas Seal Homes (Joulumerkkikodin lapset), Like, 2016

Nettles (Nokkonen), Atena, 2015

Wild Veggies (Villiä vegeä), with Sami Tallberg, Readme.fi, 2015

Sauna Cookbook (Saunakeittokirja), Tammi, 2014

A Fistful of Taboos: Stories about Suicide (Kourallinen tabuja – kertomuksia itsemurhasta), with Jonna Pulkkinen, Atena, 2014

Fiction
Avocado Pasta (Avokadopasta), under the pseudonym Kia Walli, Otava, 2017

Tough Times (Pula-ajalla), Nordbooks, 2015

The Fairy’s Cookbook (Keijukaisen keittokirja), BoD, 2012

Nominations and Awards
Lottery Winners’ Tables: Stories from Beneath the Poverty Line (Lottovoittajien pöydässä – tarinoita köyhyysrajan takaa) was nominated for the 2017 Botnia literature prize.
The Association of Finnish Non-fiction Writers awarded Vuori its non-fiction writers’ award for meritorious and broad-ranging work in autumn 2019.

Translations
Saunakokaraamat (Saunakeittokirja), Estonia, Pegasus, 2016

Szaunaszakacskönyt (Saunakeittokirja), Hungary, Corvina, 2017

Das Sauna-Kochbok (Saunakeittokirja), Germany, btb Verlag, 2018

Foreign rights enquiries
katariina.vuori@gmail.com

Sauna Cookbook is represented by Elina Ahlback Literary Agency / elina@ahlbackagency.com

Reading materials
tuomo.heikkinen@kirjallisuudentalo.fi