The Opposite of Cold: The Northwoods Finnish Sauna Tradition by Michael Nordskog

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Item specifics

Condition
Good: A book that has been read, but is in good condition. Minimal damage to the book cover eg. ...
Publication Date
2010-09-14
Pages
208
ISBN
9780816656820
Category

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher
University of Minnesota Press
ISBN-10
0816656827
ISBN-13
9780816656820
eBay Product ID (ePID)
92436335

Product Key Features

Book Title
Opposite of Cold : the Northwoods Finnish Sauna Tradition
Number of Pages
208 Pages
Language
English
Topic
Subjects & Themes / Lifestyles, General, North America, Customs & Traditions
Publication Year
2010
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
House & Home, Social Science, Photography, History
Author
Michael Nordskog
Format
Hardcover

Dimensions

Item Height
0.9 in
Item Weight
43.9 Oz
Item Length
10.4 in
Item Width
9.3 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2010-019418
Dewey Edition
22
Reviews
"This lovely, intelligent book examines sauna tradition in the United States (primarily in the regions around Lake Superior) as well as in Finland. Beautifully illustrated with every possible sauna photo you can imagine--interiors, exteriors, saunas on farms, along lakeshores, in cities, saunas in high summer, saunas in the snow." -- Star Tribune, "The Finnish sauna is often a modest structure, made of wood and stone. Over time the wood rots, the stones crack, and finally all that is left are memories. But what memories! I can't think of any human activity except eating that brings people together with such wholeness. Mind, body, and spirit are fused by the heat and steam, and we are collectively reminded of all the things that make us uniquely human. Author Michael Nordskog and photographer Aaron W. Hautala have created a fitting tribute to the great sauna tradition of northern Minnesota. The Opposite of Cold makes permanent the fleeting memories of the early Finnish immigrants and the generations that followed. This is an important work and it honors everything it touches." --Mikkel Aaland, author of Sweat, "This beautifully illustrated guide to the saunas of not only Minnesota but also Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario and Finland celebrates a very old tradition while revealing its importance to modern Midwestern culture. . . . It's a lovely tribute to North America's 'sauna belt.'" -- Chicago Tribune, "This lovely, intelligent book examines sauna tradition in the United States (primarily in the regions around Lake Superior) as well as in Finland. Beautifully illustrated with every possible sauna photo you can imagine-interiors, exteriors, saunas on farms, along lakeshores, in cities, saunas in high summer, saunas in the snow." - Star Tribune, "The Finnish sauna is often a modest structure, made of wood and stone. Over time the wood rots, the stones crack, and finally all that is left are memories. But what memories! I can't think of any human activity except eating that brings people together with such wholeness. Mind, body, and spirit are fused by the heat and steam, and we are collectively reminded of all the things that make us uniquely human. Author Michael Nordskog and photographer Aaron W. Hautala have created a fitting tribute to the great sauna tradition of northern Minnesota. The Opposite of Cold makes permanent the fleeting memories of the early Finnish immigrants and the generations that followed. This is an important work and it honors everything it touches." -Mikkel Aaland, author of Sweat
TitleLeading
The
Dewey Decimal
977.6/0049541
Table Of Content
Contents Foreword David Salmela Introduction: The Sign of the Finn Arnold R. Alanen Sauna in the New World Immigrant Saunas in the Lake Superior Region Finland's Sauna Culture The North American Lakeside Tradition The Value of Heat Keeping the Wood-Fired Sauna Tradition Alive Acknowledgments Notes Index
Synopsis
As many in the north country can attest, one of life's great pleasures resides in the tradition of sauna-sitting in 180-plus-degree heat and throwing cool water on oven-hot stones to create a blast of steam (called löyly ), followed by a jump in the lake, standing naked in subzero temperatures (or even a roll in the snow), or just relaxing on the cooling porch. To the uninitiated, there is a strange, alluring mystique to the art of Finnish sauna. But to an ever-increasing number of people-from their small urban saunas to backwoods and lakeside retreats-the culture and practice of Finnish sauna are as much a part of northwoods life as campfires and canoe trips. Beginning with the origins of Finnish sauna and how the practice was first brought to North America, and continuing all the way to contemporary design, The Opposite of Cold is an exquisite commemoration of the history, culture, and practice of Finnish sauna in the northwoods. With stunning photographs of unique and historic saunas of the region-including the oldest sauna in North America, incredible surviving saunas from immigrant farmsteads, and the gorgeous contemporary saunas from noted architects-Michael Nordskog and Aaron Hautala unveil the importance and beauty of sauna culture in modern Midwestern life. Richly illuminated by Aaron Hautala's photographs of distinctive saunas from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, and Finland, The Opposite of Cold is for people who grew up with Wednesday and Saturday evening saunas (or watched their steaming neighbors running toward the lake) and for those who dream of one day having their own. And through this book we see why Finnish sauna tradition is vital and enduring, from the warmest summer evenings to the coldest winter nights., As many in the north country can attest, one of life's great pleasures resides in the tradition of sauna-sitting in 180-plus-degree heat and throwing cool water on oven-hot stones to create a blast of steam (called l yly ), followed by a jump in the lake, standing naked in subzero temperatures (or even a roll in the snow), or just relaxing on the cooling porch. To the uninitiated, there is a strange, alluring mystique to the art of Finnish sauna. But to an ever-increasing number of people-from their small urban saunas to backwoods and lakeside retreats-the culture and practice of Finnish sauna are as much a part of northwoods life as campfires and canoe trips. Beginning with the origins of Finnish sauna and how the practice was first brought to North America, and continuing all the way to contemporary design, The Opposite of Cold is an exquisite commemoration of the history, culture, and practice of Finnish sauna in the northwoods. With stunning photographs of unique and historic saunas of the region-including the oldest sauna in North America, incredible surviving saunas from immigrant farmsteads, and the gorgeous contemporary saunas from noted architects-Michael Nordskog and Aaron Hautala unveil the importance and beauty of sauna culture in modern Midwestern life. Richly illuminated by Aaron Hautala's photographs of distinctive saunas from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, and Finland, The Opposite of Cold is for people who grew up with Wednesday and Saturday evening saunas (or watched their steaming neighbors running toward the lake) and for those who dream of one day having their own. And through this book we see why Finnish sauna tradition is vital and enduring, from the warmest summer evenings to the coldest winter nights.
LC Classification Number
F615.F5N67 2010

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