Birger Ryynänen works as a crane driver in Helsinki. Behind him lie a failed marriage and a painful divorce – something that his child’s maintenance payments won’t let him forget. Yet without the intense jealousy of his plain-speaking partner Eija, Birger’s small world would be pleasant and agreeable.

Over the years, closeted above the world in his crane, Birger has often pondered life’s deeper questions. He is no churchgoer, but occasionally, when he is up in the sky working, he chats to God – and is sometimes rather critical of the flaws in the Lord’s creation.

What Birger cannot know is that God is stressed out and yearning to take a sabbatical. Which is why Saint Peter and the Archangel Gabriel have been ordered to find a suitable stand-in. One day, Saint Peter flutters down from heaven and lands on the roof of Birger’s crane. Peter makes an unbelievable proposal and forces Birger to respond to his cry for help.

Arto Paasilinna’s lively and hilarious novel can be likened to Italian author Giovanni Guareschi’s Father Camillo series, which is written with a similarly earthy and heartfelt humour.

Rights sold

German (Lûbbe)
Swedish (Brombergs)
Dutch (Wereldbibliotheek)

Reading material

Finnish edition
German edition
Swedish edition
Dutch edition

See other books from this author:

Adam and Eve	Airships of Mr. Liljeroos	Alive at His Own Funeral	Cold Nerves, Hot Blood
Furry Valet	God Almighty	Good Heavens!	Heavenly Blunders
Life Short, Rytkönen Tall	Life Short, Rytkönen Tall	Looking for Grandfather	Prisoners of Paradise
Suloinen myrkynkeittäjä	The Bawdy Prayer Grinder	The Best Village in the World	The Charming Mass Suicide
The Charming Mass Suicide	The Finnish Book of Snouts	The Flight of the Maidens	The Forest of Hanged Foxes
The Forest of Hanged Foxes	The Happy Man	The Happy Man	The Herb Garden of Unhanged Scoundrels
The Howling Miller	The Howling Miller	The Last Lap of the Human Race	The Reverend’s Beastly Valet
The Son of the Thunder God	The Son of the Thundergod	The Sweet Poison Cooker	The Ten Shrews
The Year of the Hare	Tuomiopäivän aurinko nousee	Ulvova mylläri	Vapahtaja Surunen
War Horse