Tuomas Kyrö (b. 1974) is one of the new voices in Finnish literature who debuted in the 2000s. He’s without a doubt one of the most interesting authors of his generation. We certainly haven’t heard the last from him.

Kyrö’s authorial talents were first showcased in his debut novel, Leather Jacket (Nahkatakki). He rose into the limelight with his novel Union (Liitto), which garnered a Finlandia Prize nomination. Many readers were surprised by this young writer’s touching story of a family that, in its own peculiar way, ended up as a victim of World War II.

Kyrö draws on the long traditions of Finnish prose and tells compelling, even tragic stories with great authority. A skilled storyteller, he captivates his readers with classic tales about the recent past.

Kyrö is known for the precision of his writing. He does not indulge in overblown prose. He writes about great passions laconically and without adornment. But there’s another side to him – he can be mischievously witty. His great novel Benjamin Kivi amusingly transplants anachronisms into the recent past.

Kyrö is also a prolific cartoonist and columnist.