Einar Maasik
Einar Maasik (30. XII 1929-11. IX 2009) was a prose writer.
He was born and studied in Narva. In 1941, his family relocated to Tartu county and his studies continued in Valguta and Viljandi. He studied at the logic and psychology department of the history and linguistics faculty of Tartu State University and graduated in 1956. In 1970, he also graduated from the Leningrad Communist University. He worked as a proofreader at the Viljandi district newspaper Tee Kommunismile and at the editor’s office of the Kallaste district newspaper Nõukogude Küla. At Looming magazine, he was the head of the fiction department from 1958-1962, executive secretary from 1964-1968 and the head of the prose and poetry department from 1970-1973. From 1962-1964, he led the original fiction department of the Estonian State Publishing House. He was a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union from 1959. A member of the CPSU from 1960-1990. Maasik died in Tsirgumäe, Valga county and is buried at Rannu cemetery.
His literary debut was in the newspaper Edasi in 1953 and his prose collections Koduküla teel (‘On the Road to Home Village’, 1959), Teekaaslane (‘Travel Companion’, 1960) and Seitsme küla teedel (‘On the Roads of Seven Villages’, 1963) received recognition. Maasik’s dynamic, topical, and warm prose uses everyday language and marks the change of literature moving away from strict dogmas and party restrictions. He depicts his modern day, among his characters there are village people and even newspaper editors. Maasik’s works are characterized by optimism and goodness, his faith in people, attempts to relate and oftentimes humor as well.
Country life takes center stage in the novel Tuisu Taavi seitse päeva (‘The Seven Days of Tuisu Taavi’, 1966), which tells the development story of a young fisherman. The novel won third place in a 1965 novel competition. Maasik turned the novel into a screenplay for the movie Tuulevaikus (‘Windless’, 1971, directed by Veljo Käsper).
His psychological observations increase in the country life prose collections Üksinda detsembris (‘Alone in December’, 1977), Maa hingab (‘The Earth Breathes’, 1982) and Tere, Maria (‘Hello Maria’). The story Et rääkisin puudega (‘For Talking to Trees’) from Tere, Maria was awarded the Friedebert Tuglas Short Story Prize in 1985.
The novel dilogy Hispaania tants (‘Spanish Dance’, 1977) and Sünnipäevapidu (‘Birthday Party’), also known as Jaanistite kroonika (‘The Chronicles of Jaanistid’), takes place in Narva in the late 1930s and although framing itself as family novel, the chronicle of events is more dominating.
His later prose, which continues to center on country life, was published in the collection Ole mulle sõbraks (‘Be My Friend’, 1990). The novel Kunnese elu (‘The Life of Kunnes’, 2009) was published posthumously. At its center is an old man from the country, fondly looking back on his life.
In addition to fiction, he wrote various articles, stories and reviews.
A. K. (Translated by A. S.)
Books in Estonian
Novels
Tuisu Taavi seitse päeva. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1966, 132 lk.
August Anikatsi katsumine. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1969, 184 lk.
Hispaania tants. Jaanistite kroonika. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1977, 224 lk.
Sünnipäevapidu: Jaanistite kroonika II. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1981, 216 lk.
Ole mulle sõbraks. Romaan ja jutustused. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1990, 285 lk.
Short stories
Koduküla teel: jutustused. Tallinn: Ajakirjade-Ajalehtede Kirjastus (Loomingu Raamatukogu), 1959, 52 lk.
Teekaaslane: novelle ja laaste. Tallinn: Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus, 1960, 248 lk.
Seitsme küla teedel: jutustused. Tallinn: Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus, 1963, 192 lk.
Koorukeste suvi. Takjanupp ja viis kirjalehte. Tallinn: Eesti Ramat, 1966, 224 lk.
Legendi lõpp: jutustused. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1970, 144 lk.
Õhtud Rihmakülas: novelle ja teatrinovelle. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1974, 162 lk.
Üksinda detsembris: novellid ja jutustused. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1977, 155 lk.
Kolmteist ja veel üks: jutustusi ja novelle aastatest 1958-1978. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1979, 432 lk.
Maa hingab: väike tetraloogia. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1982, 240 lk.
Tere, Maria: jutustused. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1984, 128 lk.
Ning majades, linnades, tänavatel…. Autobiograafiline jutustus. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1987, 157 lk.
Ole mulle sõbraks: romaan ja jutustused. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1990, 285 lk.
Kunnese elu. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 2009, 105 lk.
Miscellaneous
Oi elu, elukest…. Valik huumorit. Tallinn: EKP Keskkomitee Kirjastus, 1968, 96 lk.