Jürgen Rooste

Poems

Short stories

About Jürgen Rooste

Jürgen Rooste (born 31 July 1979) is an Estonian poet.

Rooste was born in Tallinn. In 1997, he completed Tallinn Secondary School of Science, studied Estonian language and literature at Tallinn Pedagogical University from 1997–2004 and defended his graduation thesis in 2012. Rooste has worked as literary and managing editor of the newspaper Sirp (2002–2007), head of the Finnish branch of the Estonian Institute (2007–2008), cultural editor of the newspaper Maaleht (2012–2013), managed projects for the Estonian Writers’ Union, conducted a poetry broadcast on Estonian Television, been a teacher of Estonian at Rocca al Mare and Tabasalu schools and occasionally worked as a freelancer. From 2005–2017, Rooste was a member of the Social Democratic Party.

Rooste started writing poetry when he was still at school and has said that “I just write poems, although I don’t know how it works” and that “there is always another damn poem inside me that won’t let me be”. In 1998–2000, he was a member of the literary group Tallinna Noored Tegijad (Young Doers of Tallinn) and an active organizer of the literature festival Sotsia from the very beginning. His poetry also has a largely social undertone. He has been active in Estonian literary life, participated in arranging literary events and been among jury members who distribute literary awards.

He has published more than twenty collections of poetry and received many awards for them: in 2000, the Betti Alver Award for the collection Sonetid (‘Sonnets’, 1999), in 2005 and 2012, the Literature Endowment Annual Awards for Ilusaks inimeseks (‘To Become a Beautiful Person, 2005), Laul jääkarudest (‘A Song About Polar Bears’) and Higgsi boson (‘Higgs Boson’, both 2012) and in 2012 the Tallinn University Literary Award for Kuidas tappa laulurästikut (‘How to Kill a Mocking Viper’, 2011). In 2005, the collection of children’s stories Ruttu tuttu! Eesti isade unejutte (‘Quickly to Bed! Estonian Dads’ Bedtime Stories’) received the Raisin of the Year Award. Along with ten other authors, it included Rooste’s stories. In 2007, however, he was awarded the Friedebert Tuglas Short Story Award for Pornofilm ja pudel viina (‘Porn Film and a Bottle of Vodka’, published in the journal Vikerkaar 6/2006).

Rooste has translated the poetry of Pentti Saarikoski from Finnish into Estonian and compiled and edited collections of other young Estonian poets and a collection of Estonian punk poetry. His own creation has been translated into Finnish and Swedish.

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

Books in Estonian

Poems
Sonetid. Tallinn: Huma, 1999,60 lk
Veri valla. Tallinn: Tuum, 2000, 48 lk.
Jürgen Rooste, Asko Künnap, Karl Martin Sinijärv, Neid vigu me ei korda. Tallinn: Näo Kirik, 2000, 64 lk.
Lameda taeva all. Tallinn: Pidusöök, 2002, 96 lk.
Tandem [Ivar Sild, Jürgen Rooste], Pegasus on pisut pervers. Tallinn: Perioodika, Loomingu Raamatukogu, 2002, 72 lk.
Rõõm ühest koledast päevast. Tallinn: Tuum, 2003, 64 lk.
Ilusaks inimeseks. Tallinn: Verb, 2005, 44 lk.
Jürgen Rooste, Asko Künnap, Karl Martin Sinijärv, KünnapRoosteSinijärv. Tallinn: Näo Kirik, 2008, 95 lk.
Tavaline eesti idioot. Pärnu: Jumalikud Ilmutused, 2008, 127 lk.
21. sajandi armastusluule. Tallinn: Verb, 2008, 62 lk.
Jürgen Rooste, Asko Künnap, Karl Martin Sinijärv, Eesti haiku. Tallinn: Näo Kirik, 2010, 94 lk.
Kuidas tappa laulurästikut. Tallinn: Verb, 2011, 96 lk.
Laul jääkarudest. Pärnu: Jumalikud Ilmutused, 2012, 114 lk.
Higgsi Boson. Pärnu: Jumalikud Ilmutused, 2012, 72 lk.
Jürgen Rooste, Doris Kareva, Elutants. Tallinn: Verb, 2013, 111 lk.
Kõik tänavanurkade muusikud. Tallinn: Näo Kirik, 2013, 112 lk.
Suur sume, suur tume. Tallinn: Verb, 2014, 80 lk.
Vana hiire laulud. Pärnu: Jumalikud Ilmutused, 2015, 94 lk.
Ideaalne abikaasa. Pärnu: Jumalikud Ilmutused, 2015,108 lk.
Luuledisco ehk alle Leute wollen tanzen.Tallinn: Jürgen Rooste, 2016, 74 lk.
Onerva ja Eino Leino igavene armastus läbi seinasisaliku läbi kodutu kassi silma. Pärnu: Jumalikud Ilmutused, 2017, 112 lk.
Veider aeg. Tallinn: (:)kivisildnik, 2018, 82 lk.
Jürgen Rooste, Asko Künnap, Karl Martin Sinijärv, Kuradiratas. Tallinn: Näo Kirik, 2019, 90 lk.
Sagittarius A*. Tallinn: Trükiviis, 2020, 136 lk.
Signaal surnud tähelt. Tallinn: Trükiviis, 2021, 120 lk.
Loimurite laul. Tallinn: Näo Kirik, 2022, 150 lk.

Prose
Surm Tallinnas. Tallinn: Tuum, 2018, 128 lk.

Children’s literature
Jürgen Rooste, Wimberg, Karl Martin Sinijärv, Kolme päkapiku jõulud. Tallinn: Huma, 2002, 80 lk.
Jürgen Rooste, Veronika Kivisilla ja Priit Ratassepp, Labürint I. Kirjanduse õpik 7. klassile. Tallinn: Avita, 2011, 123 lk.
Jürgen Rooste, Veronika Kivisilla ja Priit Ratassepp, Labürint II. Kirjanduse õpik 8. klassile. Tallinn: Avita, 2012, 156 lk.
Tähesadu. Kirke ja Jürgeni aabits. Tallinn: Koolibri, 2012, 54 lk.
Lendrebased ja teised. Tallinn: Reaali Kirjastus, 2017, 45 lk.
Kollilood. Tallinn: Trükiviis, 2020, 96 lk.