Hirvisaari's parents were farmer Aarne Hirvisaari and Saimi Pulli (
née Pusa). When Laila Hirvisaari was three years old, her father Aarne died in the
Continuation War between Finland and the
Soviet Union, so she had no memories of him. After the war, she and her family were evacuated first to
Lappeenranta and later to the western part of Finland. In 1958, she married
Heikki Hietamies, who later also became a well-known Finnish author. He is also known for presenting the
Tangomarkkinat ("Tango fair"), a major
tango competition (1985–1999). Laila Hietamies's first novel
Lehmusten kaupunki ("City of the Lindens") was published in 1972 and began a series of novels about
Lappeenranta; Hietamies wrote many other novel series, mostly about
Karelia and the consequences of the wars of Finland in the 1940s. She wrote also books about a Russian princess, Sonja, during the
Russian Revolution. On 9 December 2004, Laila Hietamies, along with her three cousins, changed their name back to the maiden name Hirvisaari and from then on, her books were published under that name. Hirvisaari wrote 34 novels and many short stories and playss, such as
Unohduksen lumet (1975) and
Olga (1977). A movie was based on her novel
Hylätyt talot, autiot pihat ("Abandoned houses, empty yards") in 2000. Several of her books have been translated into other languages: •
Myrskypilvet (Tormipilved),
Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1996 •
Satakielimetsä (Ööbikusalu), Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1998 •
Sonja (Vürstitar Sonja), Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1995, translated by
Debora Vaarandi •
Valkoakaasiat (Valged akaatsiad), Eesti Raamat, 1996, translated by Debora Vaarandi •
Vienan punainen kuu (Red Moon over White Sea), English,
Aspasia Books/Canada, 2000, translated by Börje Vähämäki •
Viktoria (Victoria), Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1999, translated by Anne Karu ==References==