Mart Juur

Mart Juur (29. IX 1964) is a humourist, journalist and music critic.

He was born and educated at Otepää and studied journalism at Tartu State University, where he graduated in 1986. He has worked on the humorous magazine Pikker and the newspaper Postimees, and was the chief editor of the newspaper Nelli Teataja. Juur has participated in and directed several popular television and radio programmes, such as the humour programmes Rahva Oma Kaitse (‘The People’s Own Defence’) on Radio 2 (with Andrus Kivirähk) and Ärapanija (‘Hard Hitter’) on television Channel 2 (with Peeter Oja) as well as the literature programme Kirjandusministeerium (‘Ministry of Literature’) on ETV. He has been a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union since 2008. He won the Oskar Luts Humour Prize in 1998, the Estonian Librarians’ Association journalism prize in 2013 and the Order of the White Star, Class IV in 2019.

Juur’s first piece of music criticism appeared in 1986 in the journal Noorus; the first book of his to appear was the humorous collection Jamasuutra (‘Crap Sutra’, 1991). He is known mostly for his writings on music (see for example 101 Eesti popmuusika albumit – ‘101 Estonian Pop Music Albums’ – 2010) and for his various humorous collections. He has published humorous sketches, poetry and “calembours”. His positive attitude to life is striking, and his wide reading creates a basis for his abundant intellectual intertextual play. His comedy makes use of character, situation and word-play, with a masterful command of language and words. His jokes are often connected to a particular time, situation or person. There is fine irony, satire, social acerbity, absurdity, but also coarse comedy.

A. K. (Translated by C. M.)

Books in Estonian

Humour
Ilmar Trull, Mart Juur, Kuumad käkid külmas öös. Tallinn: Pikker, 1991, 111 lk.
Jamasuutra. 29 kentsakat poosi. Huumoripalad. Tallinn: Helipilt, 1991, 30 lk.
Lollipop. Tallinn: Tänapäev, 1999, 112 lk.
Mart Juur, Andrus Kivirähk, Rahva oma kaitse. Tallinn: Tänapäev, 2000, 142 lk.
Arkaadi A.  Tallinn: Tänapäev, 2001, 150 lk.
Mart Juur, Andrus Kivirähk, Wremja. Zorro märk. Tallinn: Tänapäev, 2004, 247 lk.
Mart Juur, Andrus Kivirähk, Wremja. Timur ja tema meeskond. Tallinn: Tänapäev, 2004, 246 lk.
Huumori kool. Tallinn: Tammerraamat, 2008, 287 lk.
Pane Eesti peale tagasi. Valitud luulet. Tallinn: Jutulind, 2008, 59 lk.
Naeruklubi. Tallinn: Tammerraamat, 2010, 423 lk.
Teie kallis peaminister. Valitsuse salakirjad 2007-2011. Tallinn: Tammerraamat, 2011, 231 lk.
Jooks ümber Pühajärve. Tallinn: Menu Kirjastus, 2013, 112 lk.
Kole sõbranna. Tallinn: Tammerraamat, 2014, 172 lk.
Kallis peaminister tegutseb jälle. Valitsuse salakirjad 2011-2015. Tallinn: Tammerraamat, 2015, 263 lk.
Meie küla superstaar. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2015, 118 lk.
Mart Juur, Andrus Kivirähk, Wremja. Sipelga 14 – nende elu lood. Tallinn: Paradiis, 2017, 248 lk.
Las ma lõbustan sind. Tallinn: Tammerraamat, 2017, 280 lk.
Hea tuju raamat. Tallinn: Rahva Raamat, 2018, 159 lk.

Non-fiction
101 Eesti popmuusika albumit. Sisutoimetaja Erik Morna. Tallinn: Varrak, 2010, 223 lk.
101 Eesti kuulsust. Tallinn: Tammerraamat, 2012, 223 lk.
IFF. Suur Loterii. Püünsi: Seashore Production, 2017, 200 lk. [Raamat Ivo Linnast.]