Mihkel Mutt

Mihkel Mutt 2013

Mihkel Mutt (born February 18, 1953 in Tartu ) is an Estonian writer and cultural journalist.

Life

Mihkel Mutt was born as the son of the translator and English scholar Oleg Mutt. From 1971 to 1976 he studied Estonian Philology at the University of Tartu . After completing his studies, he worked as an editor at a publishing house and for various literary magazines until 1987. Afterwards he worked for a short time as a freelancer, after which he worked for two years as a dramaturge at the Young Theater in Tallinn, today's city ​​theater . In 1991/92 Mutt was head of the information department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia.

In 1992/93 he worked for various Estonian newspapers, from 1993 to 1997 again as a freelancer. From 1997 to 2005 Mihkel Mutt was editor-in-chief of the cultural newspaper Sirp , and then from November 2005 to February 2016 editor-in-chief of the most important Estonian literary magazine Looming .

Mutt has been a member of the Estonian Writers' Union since 1980 and has served on the board several times. He has been a member of the Estonian PEN since 1992 , which he chaired from 1996 to 1999. In 1992 he received a scholarship at the Künstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf .

plant

Mihkel Mutt has published novels, literary reviews and essays since the 1970s. His first book, a collection of short stories entitled Fabian's Pupil , was published in 1980 and was praised by critics as "pleasantly witty". The same critic brought the author close to Vaino Vahing , Mati Unt and Jaak Jõerüüt . His first children's book appeared a year later, and Mutt published more books in quick succession. His prose is characterized by irony and satire. His novels deal with cultural, social and interpersonal problems, although he is said to be unconventional biting. Therefore it was quickly received in exile circles.

At the same time, Mihkel Mutt has made a name for himself as an essayist, political commentator, literary and theater critic and translator. Finally, between 2009 and 2011 he published six volumes with his memoirs, which are an important testimony to the Soviet era. Something similar applies to his novel The Cave People Go Down in History (2012), which deals with the lives of Estonian intellectuals over the past fifty years.

Awards

• 1981 Friedebert Tuglas Novella Prize
• 1987 Juhan Smuul Prize (children's literature)
• 1995 Virumaa Literature Prize
• 2000 Literature Prize of the Estonian Cultural Capital (essay writing)
• 2000 Order of the White Star (3rd class)
• 2008 Friedebert Tuglas Novella Prize
• 2013 Virumaa Literature Prize
• 2015 Literature Prize of the Estonian Cultural Capital (essay writing)

bibliography

• Fabiani õpilane ('Fabian's pupil'). Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 1980. 149 pp.
• French! [Children's book]. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 1981. 63 pp.
• Mehed ('men'). Tallinn: Perioodika 1981. 52 p. (Loomingu Raamatukogu 1/1981)
• Hiired tuules. Satiiriline romaan ('Mice in the Wind. Satirical Novel'). Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 1982. 205 pp.
• Keerukuju (' throwing figures'). Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 1985. 158 pp.
• Kallid generatsioonid ('The Dear Generations'). Tallinn: Perioodika 1986. 151 pp. (Loomingu Raamatukogu 6–8 / 1986)
• Näärivana ('The Santa Claus' [children's book]). Ill. Epp Maria Kokamägi . Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 1986. 60 pp.
• Kõik on üks ja seesama ('Everything is one and the same'). Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 1986. 380 pp.
• Vana Fabiani nutulaul ('Lamentation of old Fabian'). Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 1988. 252 pp.
• Kerge meel ('levity'). Tallinn. Eesti Raamat 1988. 128 pp.
• Reisid ehk Kolm kord Aasias muust rääkimata. Korea, Vietnam, Mongoolia, Inglismaa, Rootsi, Uus Meremaa ('Travel or three times in Asia not to mention the other. Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, England, Sweden, New Zealand') Tallinn: Kupar 1990. 234 pp.
• Pingviin & raisakass ('penguin and carrion cat'). Tallinn: Kupar 1992. 93 pp.
• Rahvusvaheline mees ('The International Man'). [Tallinn:] etf 1994. 205 pp.
• Üleminekuaeg. Novelle ja följetone ('Transitional period. Novellas and feature pages'). Tallinn: Kupar 1995, 109 pp.
• Inglismaa päevik ('English Diary'). Tallinn: Kupar 1995. 87 pp.
• Meedia mu meedia. Iseseisvuseagseid kirjutisi. ('Media, oh media. Articles from the independence era'). Tallinn: Tuum 1996. 310 pp.
• Muti tabloid ('Mutts tabloid'). Tallinn: Kupar 1999. 235 pp.
• Progressiivsed hiired ('The Progressive Mice'). Tallinn: Muti raamat 2001. 217 pp.
• Väärikusest ('About Dignity'). Tallinn: Muti raamat 2001. 63 pp.
• Elu allikad ('sources of life' = new edition by Kerge meel , 1988). s. l .: Fabian 2002. 109 p.
• Eestlusest. Essee ('About Estonia '). Tallinn: Fabian 2003. 86 pp.
• Sise yes väli. Päevapoliitilisi mõtteid 2000–2003 ('Inside and Out. Daily Political Thoughts 2000-2003'). Tallinn: Sirp 2003. 135 pp. (Sirbi raamat 2/2003)
• Kõik roosid ma kingiksin. Dramaatilised jutustused ('I would give all the roses. Dramatic stories'). Tallinn: Fabian 2004. 165 pp.
• Kõrtsikammija. Literatuur vanadele troppidele ('Der Kneipenbummler. Literature for the old guard'). Tallinn: muti raamat 2005. 151 pp.
• Sea emigrant. Novellid Rui taevalike commentary idega ('The inner emigrant. Novellas with Ruis heavenly comments'). Tallinn: Fabian 2007. 192 pp.
• Mälestused I. Eesti doomino. Eelmälestused ('Memories I. Estonian Dominoes. Pre- Memories'). s. l .: Fabian 2009. 186 pp.
• Mälestused II. Võru tänav. Lapsepõlv ('Memories II. Võru Street. Childhood'). s. l .: Fabian 2009. 204 pp.
• Mälestused III. Sitik no more. Kooliaeg ('Memories III. The Beetle Itches. School Time '). s. l .: Fabian 2010. 207 pp.
• Mälestused IV. Kandilized sambad. Ülikool ('Memories IV. Angular Statues. University'). s. l .: Fabian 2010. 239 pp.
• Mälestused V. Päikesepoolel ('On the sunny side'). Tallinn: Fabian 2011. 247 pp.
• Mälestused VI. Elukott (' sack of life'). Tallinn: Fabian 2011. 223 pp.
• Kooparahvas läheb ajalukku ('The cave people go down in history'). s. l .: Fabian 2012. 462 pp.
• Õhtumaa Eesti I. Kultuuripublitsistikat ja kirjandusartikleid ('Occidental Estonia I. Cultural journalism and literary articles '). Tallinn: Fabian 2014. 416 pp.
• Eesti ümberlõikaja ('The Estonian circumciser'). s. l .: Fabian 2016. 205 p.

German translations

Mihkel Mutt has published two books in German so far:

• My floral one, my faunal one. Short stories. Translated by Irja Grönholm . With a foreword by Tiit Matsulevits. Frankfurt / M .: Palais Jalta, East / West European cultural center. Self- printed , self-published in 1994. 48 p. (This contains three stories: My Floralein, My Faunalein , The Visit and The Expert )

• The cave people. Pictures of life from the Estonian social history . Novel. From the Estonian by Cornelius Hasselblatt . Zurich: Kommode Verlag 2017. 542 pp.

The story Mein Floralein mein Faunalein , in which the first person tells of a tall woman who loves only small, puny men, also appeared in the anthology Auf dem Sprung. Conquering stories . Compiled by Gisela Krahl. Reinbek: Rowohlt 1993, pp. 171–177 (rororo neue frau 13332)

Further stories and essays have been published in Estonia and in the journal Lichtungen (2003, pp. 98-101).

Literature on the author

• Cornelius Hasselblatt : Short-lived? Apt! [Review of penguin and carrion cat . Tallinn 1992], in: Estonia 1/1993, pp. 53-55.
• Marianne Vogel : The versatile person: Mihkel Mutt, in: Estonia 1/1995, pp. 9-10.
• Mihkel Kunnus: Katse portreteerida Mihkel Mutti (heas seltskonnas), in: Looming 10/2011, pp. 1417–1431.
• Peeter Helme : Mihkel Mutt's recollections of a pleasant hell, in: Estonian Literary Magazine 40 (Spring 2015), pp. 4–9. [1]
• Adam Cullen: The irony of hope, in: Estonian Literary Magazine 40 (Spring 2016), pp. 34–37. [2]

Web links

• Literature by and about Mihkel Mutt in the catalog of the German National Library
• Biography, works, excerpts (Estonian Literature Information Center)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Eesti kirjanike leksikon. Koostanud Oskar Kruus yes Heino Puhvel. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat 2000, pp. 350-351.
2. ↑ Kaarel Kressa "Mihkel Mutt püüab kirjutada nii, et rumal mõistaks ja tark huvituks" ( Memento of the original from April 26, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Eesti Päevaleht, December 8, 2007 
3. ↑ Urmet Kook Mihkel Mutt valiti ajakirja Looming peatoimetajaks ( Memento from July 18, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ). Eesti Päevaleht, October 15, 2005
4. ↑ Aivo Lõhmus: Épater les bourgeois! , in: Keel ja Kirjandus 11/1980, pp. 689–691.
5. ↑ Cornelius Hasselblatt. History of Estonian Literature. Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter, p. 680.
6. ↑ See the reviews by Ivar Grünthal in the journal mana 51 (1982), pp. 85–86; mana 55 (1986), p. 80; mana 56: 83 (1987); also George Kurman in World Literature Today 2/1987, p. 318; 2/1989, p. 336; 1/1990, pp. 159-160.
7. ↑ Individual references to the translations in: Cornelius Hasselblatt: Estonian literature in German language 1784-2003. Bibliography of primary and secondary literature. Bremen: Hempen Verlag 2004, pp. 100-101.
8. ↑ We won't let you down! , translated by Iris Réthy, in: Estonia 1/1986, pp. 12-18; The theater and the intellectual face of Estonia , translated by Cornelius Hasselblatt, in: Estonia 1/1995, pp. 5–8; Jaan's Christmas , translated by C. Hasselblatt, in: Estonia 2/1998, pp. 3–5; My beloved slum , translated by I. Grönholm, in Estonia 1/2003, pp. 9-20; Soft ice cream and carcasses , translated by I. Grönholm, in: Estonia 2006, pp. 171–187.