Riku Korhonen
Milla Paloniemi
Kreetta Onkeli
Juha Kulmala
Juhani Brander
Ville Hytönen
Antti Nylén
Kirsti Ellilä
Marjo Isopahkala
M. G. Soikkeli
Petri Salin
Timo Hännikäinen
Timo Harju
Reetta Niemelä
Ropponen & Deviatkina
Esa Hirvonen
Kari Hukkila
Antti Jaatinen
Roope Lipasti
Heikki Nevala
Tommi Parkko
Marisha Rasi-Koskinen
Iida Rauma
Roope Lipasti
Roope Lipasti (b. 1970) is a multi-talented, professional wordsmith and father of four, well known as a writer, journalist, scriptwriter, blogger and columnist. He has written numerous children’s books, the most recent of which being Ystäväni, Pasilli (“My Friend Pacillus”, WSOY 2009) and Terveisin Robinson Saarinen (“Yours sincerely, Robinson Saarinen”, WSOY 2011). He writes for Finland’s leading newspapers and magazines, pens sketches for television and radio, transcribes company histories and has worked as a copywriter.
His humoristic blog Pihalla (“Flummoxed”) observes everyday people and the anomalies in their lives, and has gained great popularity and a faithful readership. Putkiremonttiooppera (“The Plumbing Opera”), libretto written by Lipasti, saw its premiere in the Turku Concert Hall in January 2011. Lipasti’s second novel Naapuri (“The Neighbour”) is due to be published in spring 2012 by Atena Publishing House. Lipasti graduated as a Master of Philosophy from Turku University where he read literature, theoretical philosophy as well as film and television science. He lives with his family in Lieto near Turku.
Roope Lipasti: The Neighbour
Lipasti’s book is reminiscent of Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s work The Little Prince whose main character feels lonely (…)Yours sincerely, Robinson Saarinen is a thought provoking book which will cause the older reader, too, to reflect on the importance of friendship and loneliness.
– Marja Welin, Savon Sanomat
…Yours sincerely, Robinson Saarinen can be recommended not only for its cunning revision of literary history but also for its linguistic merits.
– Niklas Bengtsson, Portti Magazine
I almost envy 9-year old Tommi who gets to taste the wondrous little black pills in Roope Lipasti’s hospital adventure story My Friend Pacillus.
– Mari Viertola, Turun Sanomat
The story proceeds fluently and entertainingly but also gives food for thought and helps to deal with difficult matters.
– Teresa Kauppila, Hämeen Sanomat
Lipasti’s aim is to publish books for adults, too.My Friend Pacillus is a step in that direction. The book works on several levels and ponders deep things.
– Pekka Remes, Turun Tienoo
The Plumbing Opera is a proper, small-scale opera. The libretto is snappy wisecracks throughout, but in places Roope Lipasti’s text takes a stand on social issues as well. The most incisive turns of phrase caused shoulders to shake with laughter in the audience.
– Mattias Mattila, Turun Sanomat
Working in a bookstore, as I do, I’d recommend for you to get a copy of Roope Lipasti’s Flummoxed, the Anatomy of a Renovation. I’d be surprised if it didn’t make you laugh.
– Pseudonym “Watchful”, book tips of www.rintamamiestalo.fi
In Roope Lipasti’s new novel The Neighbour we follow the ill-fated and disorganized building project of a next door neighbour. The self made man and father of six does not care much about the safety regulations of the National Board of Building nor the laws of physics in his urge to erect a sauna in his yard.
The neighbour’s comings and goings are watched from the adjacent plot by the middle aged protagonist, a history teacher and an incurable narcissist with obsessively pedantic views and uncompromising opinions. On his lonely, long summer holiday the protagonist shows more interest in the building project and in the wife of the builder than good manners might permit.
The Neighbour is a hilarious satire but also an intelligent and profound depiction of what happens to a person without somebody close and dear. Using dark humour, the novel deals with the basic themes of human life, such as loneliness, the yearning for love and the grief that follows the loss of someone close. Lipasti probes the objects of his satire gently and with understanding.
Read the synopsis of The Neighbour
Read an excerpt of The Neighbour in English
Original name: Naapuri
Publisher: Atena, forthcoming 2012
Approx. 200 pages
Burning Bridge Literary Agency 2009—2013
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