TALLINN — The man most responsible for introducing American fiction into Estonia at a time when it was largely isolated from Western culture died Thursday morning at the age of 72.

Enn Soosaar, was born Feb. 13, 1937 in Tallinn, the son of the curate in the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Tragedy struck when a motorcycle accident in the 1950s left him in a wheelchair the rest of his life. Undeterred by this setback, he studied to be an English philologist at the University of Tartu and graduated in 1964. At home he was surrounded by many books, which played huge role in turning him into one of the most important intellectuals in the smallest Baltic state.

Just a year after graduating from college, Enn Soosaar translated his first novel — Ernest Hemingway’s classic “A Moveable Feast” in 1965. Later he translated other [private_supervisor]Hemingway novels such as  “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “A Farewell to Arms,” and “The Old Man and the Sea,” each of which became popular in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Other authors Soosaar helped introduce into Estonia were William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saul Bellow, John Updike, Thornton Wilder, Truman Capote, I. B. Singer and E.L. Doctorow, among others.

Influential political analyst

In addition to translating, Enn Soosaar was an essayist, translator, political analyst, and literature critic.

In the 1990s, Soosaar’s columns became widely published in Estonian newspapers and magazines. He wrote over 200 book reviews and many political analysis articles. Estonian daily newspaper Postimees dubbed him “opinion leader of the year” in 2008 for his contribution as the newspaper’s columnist.

Soosaar had its favorite political figures, saying in the newspaper Eesti Ekspress in 2007 that Lennart Meri, Siim Kallas, Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Mart Laar are the politicians most determined to make Estonia a better place to live. However, he was also critical about the today’s politics and was disappointed by the populism used to garner votes.

Soosaar even entered politics, albeit only as a speechwriter, penning oratories for Estonia’s former president, his good friend Meri, who died in 2006.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in at a press conference Thursday in Vancouver that Soosaar’s was instrumental in shaping Estonia’s national spirit after the 1991 independence.

“He was one of those we call as the conscience of our nation with honor,” said Ilves in his presentation.

Ilves said Soosaar wrote about the basics of humanity, togetherness, and democracy in a distinct manner while not justifying today’s mistakes with past suffering.

“I remember our conversations and arguments with gratitude, and I will personally miss those, just like Estonian people will miss one of their moral and ethical speaker,” said Ilves. “I will lower my head in a cold loss along with Enn Soosaar’s family, friends and close ones.”
[/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]Hemingway novels such as “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “A Farewell to Arms,” and “The Old Man and the Sea,” each of which became popular in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Other authors Soosaar helped introduce into Estonia were William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saul Bellow, John Updike, Thornton Wilder, Truman Capote, I. B. Singer and E.L. Doctorow, among others.

Influential political analyst

In addition to translating, Enn Soosaar was an essayist, translator, political analyst, and literature critic.

In the 1990s, Soosaar’s columns became widely published in Estonian newspapers and magazines. He wrote over 200 book reviews and many political analysis articles. Estonian daily newspaper Postimees dubbed him “opinion leader of the year” in 2008 for his contribution as the newspaper’s columnist.

Soosaar had its favorite political figures, saying in the newspaper Eesti Ekspress in 2007 that Lennart Meri, Siim Kallas, Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Mart Laar are the politicians most determined to make Estonia a better place to live. However, he was also critical about the today’s politics and was disappointed by the populism used to garner votes.

Soosaar even entered politics, albeit only as a speechwriter, penning oratories for Estonia’s former president, his good friend Meri, who died in 2006.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in at a press conference Thursday in Vancouver that Soosaar’s was instrumental in shaping Estonia’s national spirit after the 1991 independence.

“He was one of those we call as the conscience of our nation with honor,” said Ilves in his presentation.

Ilves said Soosaar wrote about the basics of humanity, togetherness, and democracy in a distinct manner while not justifying today’s mistakes with past suffering.

“I remember our conversations and arguments with gratitude, and I will personally miss those, just like Estonian people will miss one of their moral and ethical speaker,” said Ilves. “I will lower my head in a cold loss along with Enn Soosaar’s family, friends and close ones.”[/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]Hemingway novels such as “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “A Farewell to Arms,” and “The Old Man and the Sea,” each of which became popular in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Other authors Soosaar helped introduce into Estonia were William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saul Bellow, John Updike, Thornton Wilder, Truman Capote, I. B. Singer and E.L. Doctorow, among others.

Influential political analyst

In addition to translating, Enn Soosaar was an essayist, translator, political analyst, and literature critic.

In the 1990s, Soosaar’s columns became widely published in Estonian newspapers and magazines. He wrote over 200 book reviews and many political analysis articles. Estonian daily newspaper Postimees dubbed him “opinion leader of the year” in 2008 for his contribution as the newspaper’s columnist.

Soosaar had its favorite political figures, saying in the newspaper Eesti Ekspress in 2007 that Lennart Meri, Siim Kallas, Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Mart Laar are the politicians most determined to make Estonia a better place to live. However, he was also critical about the today’s politics and was disappointed by the populism used to garner votes.

Soosaar even entered politics, albeit only as a speechwriter, penning oratories for Estonia’s former president, his good friend Meri, who died in 2006.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in at a press conference Thursday in Vancouver that Soosaar’s was instrumental in shaping Estonia’s national spirit after the 1991 independence.

“He was one of those we call as the conscience of our nation with honor,” said Ilves in his presentation.

Ilves said Soosaar wrote about the basics of humanity, togetherness, and democracy in a distinct manner while not justifying today’s mistakes with past suffering.

“I remember our conversations and arguments with gratitude, and I will personally miss those, just like Estonian people will miss one of their moral and ethical speaker,” said Ilves. “I will lower my head in a cold loss along with Enn Soosaar’s family, friends and close ones.”[/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year] Hemingway novels such as “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “A Farewell to Arms,” and “The Old Man and the Sea,” each of which became popular in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Other authors Soosaar helped introduce into Estonia were William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saul Bellow, John Updike, Thornton Wilder, Truman Capote, I. B. Singer and E.L. Doctorow, among others.

Influential political analyst

In addition to translating, Enn Soosaar was an essayist, translator, political analyst, and literature critic.

In the 1990s, Soosaar’s columns became widely published in Estonian newspapers and magazines. He wrote over 200 book reviews and many political analysis articles. Estonian daily newspaper Postimees dubbed him “opinion leader of the year” in 2008 for his contribution as the newspaper’s columnist.

Soosaar had its favorite political figures, saying in the newspaper Eesti Ekspress in 2007 that Lennart Meri, Siim Kallas, Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Mart Laar are the politicians most determined to make Estonia a better place to live. However, he was also critical about the today’s politics and was disappointed by the populism used to garner votes.

Soosaar even entered politics, albeit only as a speechwriter, penning oratories for Estonia’s former president, his good friend Meri, who died in 2006.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in at a press conference Thursday in Vancouver that Soosaar’s was instrumental in shaping Estonia’s national spirit after the 1991 independence.

“He was one of those we call as the conscience of our nation with honor,” said Ilves in his presentation.

Ilves said Soosaar wrote about the basics of humanity, togetherness, and democracy in a distinct manner while not justifying today’s mistakes with past suffering.

“I remember our conversations and arguments with gratitude, and I will personally miss those, just like Estonian people will miss one of their moral and ethical speaker,” said Ilves. “I will lower my head in a cold loss along with Enn Soosaar’s family, friends and close ones.”[/private_subscription 1 year]

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