Robbins, Paula Ivaska

Paula Ivaska Robbins's parents were born in Finland, and Finnish was her first language. A leather-bound edition of the Kalevala, illustrated by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, had a respected place in their bookcase-although it was never read. Dr. Robbins taught adult education at the University of Helsinki in 1982 under a grant from the Finnish Academy. Among her six published books are two historical novels based on the life of her grandmothers: Nights of Summer, Nights of Autumn, in Finland from the 1890s through World War I, and Below Rollstone Hill in the Finnish immigrant community of Fitchburg,...