Tove Jansson and Tuulikki “Tooti” Pietila spent 30 years on Klovharun, an island off the Gulf of Finland, painting, writing and exploring the lush seaside. Known for her novel The Summer Book and the popular comic strip Moomin, Jansson reflects on her and Tooti’s time on Klovharun in Notes from an Island (2 hours).
Notes from an Island is a sweeping, meditative exploration of time spent in nature. Orlagh Cassidy’s narration is emotive, taking a knowing, buoyant tone for everyday events, laughing during funny moments and dipping into a reflective murmur when Jansson is introspective. A relatively short listen, the audiobook comes with a downloadable file of personal photographs, paintings by Tooti and a map created by Jansson’s mother, Signe Hammarsten Jansson. Listeners will be immersed in the story of how these women loved, created art and built a life together.