European Union Prize for Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 5 (2013) Winner
Meelis Friedenthal
ミーリス・フリーデンタール
Meelis Friedenthal
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1973-10-24 （Viljandi, Estonia）
- Nationality
- Estonian
- Languages
- Estonian, English
- Residence History
- Viljandi (birthplace) → Tartu (residence/work) → Urbana, Illinois (exchange, short-term)
Career
- Occupations
- writer, academic, university lecturer, researcher
- Active Years
- 2002-
- Affiliations
- University of Tartu (Associate Professor), Tartu University Library (researcher), Estonian Writers' Union (member since 2012), Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (Pro Futura Scientia Fellow, 2015–2019)
- Memberships
- Estonian Writers' Union, University of Tartu Faculty
- Influenced By
- Jaan Kross, George Orwell (often compared), Arthur Miller (comparative influence)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Tartu | Faculty of Theology | Department of Theology | 学士 | 1992–1996 | Estonia |
| Heidelberg University | — | — | — | 1996–1997（交換留学） | Germany |
| University of Tartu | — | Theology / Intellectual History | 修士・博士 | 1997–2008（修士・博士課程） | Estonia |
University of Tartu
Faculty of Theology
/ Department of Theology
Degree:
学士
Period:
1992–1996
Year of Graduation:
1996
Country:
Estonia
Bachelor's degree in Theology
Heidelberg University
Period:
1996–1997（交換留学）
Country:
Germany
Academic year 1996/1997 (exchange)
University of Tartu
Theology / Intellectual History
Degree:
修士・博士
Period:
1997–2008（修士・博士課程）
Year of Graduation:
2008
Country:
Estonia
Completed master's (2001) and doctoral (2008) studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Stalker Literature Prize for Science Fiction | — | — | — | 受賞 |
| 2012 | Author of the Year (Estonia) | — | — | — | 受賞 |
| 2013 | European Union Prize for Literature | Mesilased (The Willow King) | — | European Union | 受賞 |
| 2023 | Friedebert Tuglas short story award | Abracadabra | — | — | 受賞 |
| 2024 | Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Prize for Literature | Punkti ümber (Around a Point) | — | Cultural Endowment of Estonia | 受賞 |
Stalker Literature Prize for Science Fiction
2005
Result:
受賞
Author of the Year (Estonia)
2012
Result:
受賞
European Union Prize for Literature
2013
Work:
Mesilased (The Willow King)
Organization:
European Union
Result:
受賞
Friedebert Tuglas short story award
2023
Work:
Abracadabra
Result:
受賞
Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Prize for Literature
2024
Work:
Punkti ümber (Around a Point)
Organization:
Cultural Endowment of Estonia
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Friedebert Tuglas short story award
1 appearances
-
Edition 53 (2023) Winner
Works
Major Works
Golden Age
2005 dystopia 190 pagesA dystopian novel set after an unspecified global catastrophe where survivors attempt to reorganize society; annual vaccinations and identity are among themes.
dystopiacollective identitycontrol and surveillance
The Willow King
2012 historical novel 214 pagesA 17th-century historical novel set in Estonia under Swedish rule, exploring medicine, scholarship, witch trials and famine through the protagonist Laurentius Hylas.
historymedicine and the uncannywitch trialsmelancholy
Translations
- Albanian (2017)
- Bulgarian (2018)
- Danish (2018)
- English (2017)
- Dutch (2015)
- Italian (2015)
- Croatian (2018)
- Latvian (2015)
- Lithuanian (2020)
- Macedonian (2018)
- Norwegian (2016)
- Serbian (2018)
- Czech (2016)
- Hungarian (2016)
The Language of Angels
2016 historical novel / intellectual history 207 pagesDeals with early modern attempts to create universal languages and the quest for the language of Adam and angels, reflecting on history and historiography.
languageintellectual historyuniversal knowledge
Everyone Will Be Brought to Life
2020 novel 255 pagesA novel treating multiple themes; detailed synopsis not provided in source material.
resurrectionmemory
Around a Point
2023 novel 312 pagesA 2023 novel; detailed description not available in the provided sources.
contemporary historyhuman relationships
Bibliography
- Kuldne aeg (Golden Age) (2005)
- Mesilased (The Willow King) (2012)
- Inglite keel (The Language of Angels) (2016)
- Kõik äratakse ellu (Everyone Will Be Brought to Life) (2020)
- Punkti ümber (Around a Point) (2023)
Translations of Works
- Mesilased has been translated into multiple languages (English, Dutch, Italian, etc.)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- rich, cultivated languagelearned, intellectual tonehistorically focused narration
- Recurring Motifs
- melancholywitchcraft and the supernaturalmedicine and sciencehistory and memory
Legacy
Meelis Friedenthal is an Estonian writer and scholar noted for finely crafted historical novels and intellectual themes. His book Mesilased won the EU Prize for Literature and has been translated into many languages.
Academic Societies
- Estonian Writers' Union
Archives
- Tartu University Library (research materials)
In Popular Culture
- Translations of Mesilased increased international interest in Estonian early modern history
Quotes
-
"It was raining all the time."
Source: Mesilased (opening line) (2012)
Trivia
- Participated in a student exchange to Urbana, Illinois in 1991.
- Member of the Estonian Writers' Union since 2012.
- Also an academic specializing in theology and intellectual history.