Roots

Miika Nousiainen

Original title: juurihoito

Author: Miika Nousiainen

Published: 2016

Publisher: Otava

Genre: Humor

Pages: 250

Reading material:

English sample and synopsis

The dental chart maps this story of a man’s journey, tracing his lost father’s footsteps from one country to another continent.

Onni Kirnuvaara left to get groceries when his son was just a child – and never returned. The father was never mentioned again. Years later, during a root canal treatment, the son finds out that in addition to his bad dental karma he has a dentist brother, left behind as a child just like him.

The brothers embark on a journey to find out the truth about their father. After many detours they find themselves in the Australian outback. Lousy fathers are fathers too, after all.

On their way to Darwin, secrets are revealed, new family members are found, and lengths of dental floss are needed. Digging to the roots hurts, but under the Southern Cross the ache starts to ease.

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Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
CZECH REPUBLIC: XYZ
ESTONIA: Eesti raamat
GERMANY: Nagel & Kimche
HUNGARY: Kossuth
ITALY: Iperborea
LITHUANIA: Alma Littera
NETHERLANDS: Prometheus
POLAND: Książkowe Klimaty
SWEDEN: Brombergs

Foreign covers

About author

Miika Nousiainen

Miika Nousiainen (b. 1973 in Säynätsalo) has worked as a news and current affairs journalist for MTV3's news department. In addition, he has written for several popular TV-shows.

Nousiainen’s debut novel, Raspberry Boat Refugee (2007), tells the story of Mikko Virtanen, a man who desperately wants to become Swedish at any cost. In this tragicomic work, Nousiainen makes sharp observations about our western neighbor and illustrates that we’re all self-proclaimed experts on Sweden.

Roots (2016) follows the search for a missing father, taking readers across continents from Lieksa, Finland, to Australia. The book was also well-received internationally.

In Facelift (2020), Nousiainen gently explores themes of family and the longing for connection.

In addition he has written The Danger of the Long Distance Runner (2009) and Forrest Giant (2011). 

Nousiainen's novels have been adapted countless times and translated into languages such as Swedish, German, Dutch, Italian, and Estonian.

Miika Nousiainen have been awarded with: Laila Hirvisaari Foundation Grant (2008), Kalevi Jäntti Prize (2009) and Honorable Mention in the Sports Museum Foundation’s Sports Book of the Year Competition (2010)

Bibliography


2024, Commercial/Upmarket, Humor

Miika Nousiainen

Push, Pace, Position, Pray


2020, Commercial/Upmarket, Humor

Miika Nousiainen

Facelift


2016, Humor

Miika Nousiainen

Roots


2007, Humor

Miika Nousiainen

Raspberry Boat Refugee