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Patterns
In this story, “Patterns,” the main character clearly needs her sleep. Her life is dictated by the unfortunate pattern of marrying men called “Jaan,” and then biting their arms off when they wake her up. Obviously, the relationships don't last. And yet the Jaans of Estonia continue to marry the infamous limb-biter, just as she, man after man, struggles to suppress her primal impulse. Like the chorus in a Greek tragedy, “Patterns” reaffirms that we are all doomed to repetition. Such is the human condition. And yet, by the end, Ehin manages to turn fate on its ear.
- Olivia Taylor Smith, Editor and Marketing Director, The Unnamed Press
About the
Kristiina Ehin is a highly acclaimed performer of her poetry, prose, and drama in Estonian as well as English. Walker on Water is her first book of prose to be published in the U.S. In her native Estonia, she has published six volumes of poetry, three books of short stories, and a retelling of South-Estonian folk tales. She has written plays, as well as poetic radio broadcasts. She has won Estonia’s most prestigious poetry prize for Kaitseala—a book of poems and journal entries written during a year spent living as a nature reserve warden on an otherwise uninhabited island off Estonia’s north coast. In the UK, she has published six translated books of poetry, three of prose, and is the 2007 British Poetry Society Popescu prize winner for European poetry in translation.
About the
Ilmar Lehtpere is Kristiina Ehin’s English language translator. He has translated nearly all of her work—poetry, prose and drama—most of which has appeared in Ehin’s eleven books in his translation, as well as in numerous English language literary magazines. Ehin and he have won two prestigious prizes together for poetry in translation and have been nominated for another. Their collaboration is ongoing. Lehtpere’s own poetry has appeared in Estonian and Irish literary magazines, and Wandering Towards Dawn (Lapwing) is a volume of his and Sadie Murphy’s poetry.
About the Guest
The Unnamed Press is a brand new independent publisher based in Los Angeles, CA. The Unnamed Press publishes international literature in order to introduce new voices and perspectives that broaden our view of the world and the people that live in it. Our stories are set in places like South Africa, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Estonia, and Istanbul, but also here in the United States. To find out more, please visit our website.
About the
Electric Literature is an independent publisher amplifying the power of storytelling through digital innovation. Electric Literature’s weekly fiction magazine, Recommended Reading, publishes one story a week for free. In addition to publishing original fiction, Recommended Reading invites established authors, indie presses, and literary magazines to personally recommended the fiction that has inspired them. Please visit recommended reading.tumblr.com to browse the archives and stay in touch via email, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Olivia Taylor Smith, Editor and Marketing Director, The Unnamed Press
About the
Kristiina Ehin is a highly acclaimed performer of her poetry, prose, and drama in Estonian as well as English. Walker on Water is her first book of prose to be published in the U.S. In her native Estonia, she has published six volumes of poetry, three books of short stories, and a retelling of South-Estonian folk tales. She has written plays, as well as poetic radio broadcasts. She has won Estonia’s most prestigious poetry prize for Kaitseala—a book of poems and journal entries written during a year spent living as a nature reserve warden on an otherwise uninhabited island off Estonia’s north coast. In the UK, she has published six translated books of poetry, three of prose, and is the 2007 British Poetry Society Popescu prize winner for European poetry in translation.
About the
Ilmar Lehtpere is Kristiina Ehin’s English language translator. He has translated nearly all of her work—poetry, prose and drama—most of which has appeared in Ehin’s eleven books in his translation, as well as in numerous English language literary magazines. Ehin and he have won two prestigious prizes together for poetry in translation and have been nominated for another. Their collaboration is ongoing. Lehtpere’s own poetry has appeared in Estonian and Irish literary magazines, and Wandering Towards Dawn (Lapwing) is a volume of his and Sadie Murphy’s poetry.
About the Guest
The Unnamed Press is a brand new independent publisher based in Los Angeles, CA. The Unnamed Press publishes international literature in order to introduce new voices and perspectives that broaden our view of the world and the people that live in it. Our stories are set in places like South Africa, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Estonia, and Istanbul, but also here in the United States. To find out more, please visit our website.
About the
Electric Literature is an independent publisher amplifying the power of storytelling through digital innovation. Electric Literature’s weekly fiction magazine, Recommended Reading, publishes one story a week for free. In addition to publishing original fiction, Recommended Reading invites established authors, indie presses, and literary magazines to personally recommended the fiction that has inspired them. Please visit recommended reading.tumblr.com to browse the archives and stay in touch via email, Facebook, and Twitter.
12 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2014
2 people want to read
About the author
Kristiina Ehin
51 books37 followersKristiina Ehin on eesti luuletaja ja proosakirjanik.
Ta on õppinud Tartu Ülikoolis eesti filoloogiat ja spetsialiseerunud rahvaluulele. Aastal 2004 omandas ta Tartu Ülikoolis magistrikraadi eesti ja võrdleva rahvaluule alal. Magistritöö teemaks oli "Eesti vanema ja uuema rahvalaulu tõlgendusvõimalusi naisuurimuslikust aspektist". Ta on töötanud Vodja koolis õpetajana.
Kristiina Ehin on kuulunud kirjandusrühmitusse Erakkond.
Ta on ka laulnud ansamblis Sinimaniseele.
Ta esines Eesti esindajana Londoni 2012. aasta olümpiamängude satelliitüritusel Poetry Parnassus, mis toimus 26. juunist 1. juulini 2012.
Ta on õppinud Tartu Ülikoolis eesti filoloogiat ja spetsialiseerunud rahvaluulele. Aastal 2004 omandas ta Tartu Ülikoolis magistrikraadi eesti ja võrdleva rahvaluule alal. Magistritöö teemaks oli "Eesti vanema ja uuema rahvalaulu tõlgendusvõimalusi naisuurimuslikust aspektist". Ta on töötanud Vodja koolis õpetajana.
Kristiina Ehin on kuulunud kirjandusrühmitusse Erakkond.
Ta on ka laulnud ansamblis Sinimaniseele.
Ta esines Eesti esindajana Londoni 2012. aasta olümpiamängude satelliitüritusel Poetry Parnassus, mis toimus 26. juunist 1. juulini 2012.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 1, 2020
I read this story as part of my quest to read a book written by an author from each country of the world. The author of this story is from Estonia.
This was a very short read - only 12 pages. The author is famous for her poetry and has a major in folklore. I guess you could call this a poem. It is a story of a woman who has a pattern of marrying men named Jaan. When she is startled awake by them, she bites off their arm.
Not really sure what the story means - one suggested idea is that it shows that we are all doomed to repeat our mistakes.
This was a very short read - only 12 pages. The author is famous for her poetry and has a major in folklore. I guess you could call this a poem. It is a story of a woman who has a pattern of marrying men named Jaan. When she is startled awake by them, she bites off their arm.
Not really sure what the story means - one suggested idea is that it shows that we are all doomed to repeat our mistakes.
Displaying 1 of 1 review