On 26 August, Estonians from every corner of the globe logged into a GlobalEstonian.com online meet-up that turned into much more than a lecture. It was a lively celebration of books, identity, and the sometimes creative (but always legal) ways we smuggle Estonian literature across borders.
The afternoon began with facilitator Johanna Rivers, who introduced the day and guided participants through the Global Estonian website — a hub for diaspora events and opportunities. Then came the main event: literary scholar Dr Sirje Kiin (USA), who opened the floor with a whirlwind journey through Estonian literature.
📖 Estonia is a nation of readers and writers
Estonians are among the world’s most dedicated readers, Sirje shared. Our homes average 218 books each — well above the global average — with some personal libraries stretching into the tens of thousands.
Sirje reminded us that Estonia’s cultural backbone is strong. With 1.5 million recorded folk songs and one of the world’s largest folklore archives, Estonians have been unusually busy writing things down. Per capita, we’ve logged more folk songs than any other nation — “not bad for a people the size of a mid-level European city,” she joked.
She traced milestones:
- Kristjan Jaak Peterson, only 17 when he dared to ask whether Estonian couldn’t also seek “eternity” as a language of literature.
- Juhan Liiv, who put the idea of an Estonian state into words decades before independence.
- Lydia Koidula, Marie Under, Betti Alver, and later Debora Vaarandi and Viivi Luik, whose poetry carried national spirit through tsars, wars and Soviet censors.
- And today’s powerful women’s voices, like Doris Kareva, Kristiina Ehin, Triin Soomets, and newer names such as Maarja Pärtna.
The takeaway? Literature hasn’t just reflected Estonian identity — it has built it.
Stronger than borders
Sirje also reminded us why Estonian culture has survived when so many others have been steamrolled by history. Perched at the crossroads of East and West, Estonia has endured centuries of foreign rulers and cultural collisions. And yet — we’ somehow managed to keep changing without ever losing ourselves. Estonian culture excels at resilience.
Even cultural researchers back this up, pointing to Estonia’s unusually strong “cultural immune system.” Our creativity doesn’t just survive, it flourishes; new ideas keep streaming in, and borrowing words or influences doesn’t dilute us. Or as Sirje quipped with a grin: “We’re just crazy enough on the borderlands to survive anything history throws at us.”
📚 Practical tips for readers abroad
This wasn’t only literary history. Sirje swapped ideas with participants on how to actually get Estonian books abroad, with a mix of practical advice and hard-earned tips:
- Use Apollo or Rahva Raamat’s online stores, or the mirko.ee e-library, which now lends both e-books and audiobooks internationally.
- Order in bulk to save on postage (Sirje herself admits to hauling suitcases of books to Florida).
- Bring a crate of books to community events for exchange — especially children’s books, which can be passed along like outgrown clothes.
- Pair Estonian texts with translations side-by-side if modern language feels daunting.
And the golden rule: read aloud to children early and often. Even if they can’t speak yet, hearing Estonian stories builds identity and bonds. “The thirst for stories never disappears,” Sirje stressed — and science backs her up: fiction activates empathy in ways no screen can match.
The conversation also touched on how diaspora communities can keep literature alive: invite authors from Estonia to visit, share what’s being written abroad more visibly, and don’t shy away from poetry, “a light-bringer in dark times.”
A Global Book Club with local echoes
What began as a talk ended as a global book club — with participants trading recommendations, childhood memories, and new ways to keep Estonian reading and writing alive far from home.
And for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere? Don’t forget: our own Estonian Book Club meet-up is coming in October (26th), where we’ll be chatting directly with a brilliant Estonian author, Urmas Vadi. Stay tuned for details — and maybe start clearing a little space on that crowded bookshelf.
Read more
The Estonian Folklore Archives
Baltic Guide article: The passion for reading is still strong in Estonian
