Pentti Saarikoski

Who was Pentti Saarikoski?

Pentti Saarikoski was one of the most important poets in the literary scene of Finland during the 1960s and 1970s. His body of work comprises poetry and translations, among them such classics as Homer's Odyssey and James Joyce's Ulysses.

According to Saarikoski, he was the only person in the world who had ever translated both Homer's and Joyce's Ulysses – a statement that probably holds true even today. Moreover, it only took two years for him to translate Homer's Odyssey from Victor Bérard's edition, which is thought to be a rather fast accomplishment. Other notable translations include Poetics by Aristotle and Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

Saarikoski is buried in Heinävesi in the cemetery of the New Valamo monastery.