Before he had a family, before he met Moominmamma, Moominpappa led a life of adventure and intrigue. But he's never told his story until now.
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reviews
Oct 23, 2011
Sean
rated it: 
As far as Tove Jansson's work goes, Moominpappa's Memoirs may be better suited for the more mature and philosophical children (or nostalgic adults like myself). It's definitely not a bedtime read. But in my opinion no other book in the Moomin series captures quite so well the pure whimsical delight of Jansson's imagination. In fact, it's the only one that's ever brought a tear of joy to my eye.
For those who have read and enjoyed other Moomintroll books, don't be discouraged by the ab More...
For those who have read and enjoyed other Moomintroll books, don't be discouraged by the ab More...
Jan 04, 2011
Jennifer
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It seems like this one is a lot of readers' least favorite of the series, but I actually really enjoyed Moominpappa's Memoirs! The format (Moominpappa reading the memoirs chapter by chapter, followed by the children's responses) was a nice break from the usual linear storytelling of the other Moomin books. Complaints are sometimes made that Moominpappa is stuffy, self-important, and--well, boring, but that's really the point of the book. It's a parody of memoir, and pretty comical at that.
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Jul 19, 2010
Emily
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Depending on your point of view, I have either read this book twice (once twenty years ago, and once last week), or I've read two different books one time each. Moominpappa's Memoirs is a revised edition of The Exploits of Moominpappa. It seems Jansson went back and rewrote and added bits to the original not long after its first English translation was published. The English language publishers apparently chose to pretend this hadn't happened (it must indeed have been quite vexing for them) an
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Dec 23, 2010
melydia
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I admit to being a little disappointed when I discovered that this was not the story of Moominpappa's adventures following the Hattifatteners, but I soon came round to embrace this strange tale of fathers: Moomintroll's, Sniff's, and Snufkin's, respectively. I was a little concerned that Sniff and Snufkin appeared to have never even met their parents, but I guess in Moominland that's not such a crazy notion. Anyway, this is Moominpappa's somewhat embellished account of his early years, from hi
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Dec 31, 2010
Jaana
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Ihana seikkailu, ihana Muumipapan kasvutarina, ihana WSOY:n uusi painos.
"En voi kyllin painottaa, miten vaarallista on kun ystävät menevät naimisiin tai ryhtyvät hovikeksijöiksi. Ensin on lainsuojattomien seura, joukko seikkailunhaluisia toveruksia, jotka lähtevät matkaan kun kyllästyvät ja voivat vaeltaa, mihin ikinä haluavat, koko maailma on avoinna - ja sitten, yhtäkkiä heitä ei enää kiinnostakaan." s. 149
Kirjan loppu oli niin sykähdyttävä, Muumimamman tapaaminen More...
"En voi kyllin painottaa, miten vaarallista on kun ystävät menevät naimisiin tai ryhtyvät hovikeksijöiksi. Ensin on lainsuojattomien seura, joukko seikkailunhaluisia toveruksia, jotka lähtevät matkaan kun kyllästyvät ja voivat vaeltaa, mihin ikinä haluavat, koko maailma on avoinna - ja sitten, yhtäkkiä heitä ei enää kiinnostakaan." s. 149
Kirjan loppu oli niin sykähdyttävä, Muumimamman tapaaminen More...
Jan 29, 2012
Fellini
rated it:
Чем дольше читаю книжки про Муми-троллей, тем больше убеждаюсь в их недетскости. Вот, например, прекрасная цитата. "Не могу описать, как это скверно, когда твои друзья либо женятся, либо становятся королевскими изобретателями. Сегодня ты принадлежишь беспечной компании любителей приключений, готовых отправиться в путь, как только им наскучит оставаться на одном месте. Отправляйся, куда только захочешь, перед тобой карта всего мира... и вдруг путешествия перестают их интересовать. Им хочется
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May 29, 2011
Vasha7
rated it:
I liked this, though not quite as much as Tales from Moominvalley. Moominpappa is certainly annoyingly vain, but luckily interesting things happen around him (but contrary to what he thinks, they don't happen so as to make him look important!)
Jan 30, 2012
Marygold
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"...Ja sitten ne viettävät turmioelämää", Juksu sanoi.
"Turmioelämää?" minä sanoin kiinnostuneena. "Millä tavalla?"
"En oikein tiedä", sanoi Juksu. "Ehkä ne turmelevat toisten keittiöpuutarhat ja juovat olutta.
***
En muuten tiennytkään, että Nuuskamuikkunen ja pikku Myy ovat sisaruksia :´D
"Turmioelämää?" minä sanoin kiinnostuneena. "Millä tavalla?"
"En oikein tiedä", sanoi Juksu. "Ehkä ne turmelevat toisten keittiöpuutarhat ja juovat olutta.
***
En muuten tiennytkään, että Nuuskamuikkunen ja pikku Myy ovat sisaruksia :´D
Mar 07, 2011
William
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Probably the most kid friendly of Jansson's Moomin series this book takes the form of a series of tales told by Moominpappa to Moomin and his friends. Escaping from an orphanage, having grand adventures, sailing around the world with his son's friend's fathers, it is a grand silly book
Jul 22, 2010
Tyas
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Finally! Moominpappa sat down and wrote his memoirs (and wrote it to Moomintroll and the other children)! It is through this memoirs that we get to know the background of characters like Little My, Snufkin, and Sniff. I love it so much - this book has let me drowned in fantasy.
Dec 21, 2009
Rina
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I like how Moominpappa is so shy about his high opinion of himself sometimes and then at other times he just says things like "I was born under special stars... I was found in a small sea shell padded with velvet."
:-) and "Does he resemble me?" but at least he whispered that.
:-) and "Does he resemble me?" but at least he whispered that.
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Nov 02, 2011
James
rated it:
Another bizarre but hugely entertaining volume about the cute Finnish traditional children's icons, the Moomins. This one tells the story of how Moominpappa encountered a series of weird beings who then became the parents of his friends in Moomin Valley. It also chronicles his first meeting with Moominmamma, his wife - although how the naked, hippopotamus-like creatures produced their son Moomintroll without the aid of any genitalia is anyone's guess. With her surreal imagery and odd wit, Tove J
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Jun 21, 2010
Camille
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Moominpappa pens the thrilling and exciting tale of his adventurous youth. Born under special stars, the young Moomin sets forth with his companions Hodgekins, the Muddler, and the Joxter to become a famous explorer.
Aug 09, 2010
Emily
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Jansson is not the household name that Milne or Carroll are, but she deserved to be. The Moomin books are a mixture of absurd adventure and familiar values and themes which Jansson magically conveys through the antics of the odd characters. Moominpappa's Memoirs is the story of Moominpappa's life. Moominmama admonishes him not to brag so much about his past or spend so much time talking about his feelings; the little ones want adventure. And it is adventure that they get as the tales of sea t
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Jan 21, 2011
Chuck
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Hilarious, creative, and offbeat. I can't wait until my kids can enjoy the wonderful Moomin with me. For now, my infant son just likes hearing my voice as I read it and often laugh out loud.
Sep 02, 2011
Amanda Lueck
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Moominpappa is pompous but fun, and the characters were great. I love the Mymble's daughter and Hodgkins. If I liked Moominpappa more, this would have been better ....
Nov 13, 2010
Mady
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More Moomin's adventures. It was really interesting to get a bit of the past of some charactes and -at last- I got to meet Mymble, who I was very curious about :)
Feb 09, 2010
Greymalkin
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 04, 2011
Lila
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I grew up reading Moomintrolls, and to this day I LOVE them still, although this particular one is not my favorite.
Dec 29, 2010
Laura
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Todella riemastuttava pieni kirja Muumipapan nuoruusvuosista! Piirretyn tv-sarjan katsomisesta on kulunut jo sen verran aikaa, että osa näistä tapahtumista ja hahmoista on päässyt unohtumaan, mutta tässä kirjassa ne kertautuivat hyvin. Kirja oli täynnä mitä hassuimpia otuksia ja voi vain ihmetellä, miten loistava mielikuvitus Tove Janssonilla on ollut. Ja ei, hänen kirjoitustyylissäänkään ei ole mitään moitittavaa, päinvastoin. Suosittelen ihan jokaiselle ikään ja sukupuoleen katsomatta!
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Dec 29, 2010
Katri
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Pidin "muumipapan" kirjoittamista muistelmista paljon. Kirjan lukemisen teki hauskaksi jo pelkästään kirjan rakenne ja tyyli, puhumattakaan itse tarinasta.
Kirjana muumipapan nuoruus oli huomattavasti mielenkiintoisempi kuin kirjasta tehty animaatio, joka ainakaan itseäni ei ole koskaan niin sytyttänyt. Ja kyllähän tuo animaatio kirjasta aika roimasti eroaakin.
Neljä tähteä olisi viisi, jos kirjassa olisi ollut hippusen enemmän sitä kuuluisaa muumien filosofiaa More...
Apr 05, 2010
Nicole
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This is not my favourite of the Moomin books, but I still enjoyed it a lot.
Feb 13, 2011
Karen
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There were moments in this that were really, really funny and the overall tongue-in-cheek mocking of Moominpappa's self-importance was pretty entertaining, though I think that may have been lost on my son. Has enough of the nonsensical elements that are in all the books to not rate higher (sometimes it's funny, but there's just enough times you read something that makes no real sense and are left going, "......Okay, then....." that it gets old). Again, though, 5 stars from my 7-year-
Sep 08, 2011
Noor
rated it:
When I was in 3rd or 4th grade, I got this book as a gift. I thought it would be kind of stupid, considering the title had "Moominpappa" in it, but this is by far one of my favorite childhood books. Whenever I read it, it really sparked my imagination and made me want to read and travel to other places around the world, even though the places in the book were obviously fictional. I still have this book and it still puts a smile on my face whenever I read it:)
Sep 08, 2011
Jobiska (Cindy)
rated it:
This and Comet in Moominland are my favorite two of the Moomin books. I think it's because there is still a dark edge, but they are somehow more humorous (at least to me) than a few of the others. Or perhaps it's just the age I read them at, as these are the two I owned as a child.
