Misery Bay and Other Stories from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

This collection of poignant stories features Finnish-American people who live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including some characters from author Lauri Anderson’s previous books, Heikki Heikkinen and Children of the Kalevala.

The stories are about heroes, survivors who defy the odds, to make homes in a remote land, while acting with unconscious humility, says Patricia Van Pelt of Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan.

“These often bittersweet stories are set in historic contexts that make them utterly convincing. … The clean rhythm of the language mimics the Finnish language and underlines the basic humanity and individuality of these Copper Country Finns.”