Matti Klinge's A Brief History of Finland is a good paperback introduction.Blood, Sweat and Bears by Lasse Lehtinen is a parody of a war novel, dealing with Soviet relations.Sami: Europe's Forgotten People by N Valkeapää is a detailed look at Finland's once nomadic people.There aren't many English translations of Finnish literature, but you should be able to find The Kalevala (translated by Keith Bosley). Notable Finnish authors such as Mika Waltari (The Egyptian and The Dark Angel) and Väinö Linna (The Unknown Soldier) are also available in English.