Henrik Meinander

The epic story of Helsinki--founded by Sweden, refashioned by Russia, forever shaped by the sea.Over 475 years, the Finnish capital has gone from a sleepy fishing village to a thriving Nordic metropolis, globally renowned for its architecture, design and quality of life. This intricate and expansive new history lays bare the perils--and occasional perks--of Helsinki''s position on the Baltic Sea, sandwiched between East and West.In flowing prose and fascinating anecdotes, Henrik Meinander explores all corners of Helsinki''s past, from trade and the Olympics to the colour of everyday life. He narrates the city''s survival through the rise and fall of two empires; its triumph as an independent capital in 1917; and how, since then, it has grown and flourished through language battles, Soviet air raids and Cold War compromises.More than most European capitals, Helsinki has spent centuries at the mercy of geopolitical twists and turns far beyond its control. This book is a timely reminder of how quickly such forces can alter a city''s destiny--yet, ultimately, can be overcome.

Field marshal and statesman Gustaf Mannerheim (1867-1951) was the most acclaimed and the most hated Finn of the twentieth century. After three decades of loyal and distinguished service in the Russian Tsarist army, he returned to his homeland in 1917 to defend its new independence. This iconic figure led the Finnish forces as Commander-in-Chief during both World Wars, then ended his career as President of Finland. This new critical biography sets Mannerheim''s entire life''s work, and his often nerve-wracking decisions as a Finnish leader on the world stage, against the backdrop of his elite upbringing and lifestyle, his adventurous imperial career, his outspoken anti-communism, and his keen instincts for great power politics. Painful details emerge about Mannerheim''s private life, and myths and rumours are scrutinised, as Henrik Meinander charts the complex legacy of this nationalist cosmopolitan who found himself fighting on the same side as Hitler. Meinander paints his portrait with strong contrasts and bright colours. This is the story of a multicultural Russian empire, a newborn nation-state treading warily between Europe''s military titans, a front of the Second World War not easily reduced to moral binaries--and, above all, a shrewd political operator playing many a dangerous game.