Surfacing

Out of the thousands of letters Tove Jansson wrote, a cache remains that she addressed to her family, her closest confidantes and her lovers - both male and female. Into these letters she spilled her innermost thoughts, defended her ideals and revealed her heart. To read them is an act of startling intimacy and a rare privilege. Offering a personal narrative that is far more revealing than any autobiography, this is Tove Jansson writing in her own words and in her own time about her life as it unfolded in Helsinki's bohemian circles and the island refuge she shared with her partner, Tuulikki Pietilä.