Jaan Kross’s historical prose: philosophy, creative method, Estonianness

The monograph addresses the question of philosophy, creative method and patriotism in the prose works of the Estonian writer Jaan Kross, one of the most respected and accomplished prose writers living in Central Europe in the 20th century. It is believed that he was mentioned numerous times as a strong nominee for the Nobel prize.
It is claimed in the monograph that there are two main periods in Kross’s prose-writing: the “historical” and the “autobiographical” one. The two differ in terms of literary genres, creative method and topics but both are rooted in one philosophical paradigm: existentialism. The first of the three chapters is focused on reconstructing the author’s ethics and the values he lived by. The second chapter addresses the question of Kross’s creative method, which is unusual, rich and complicated. The final chapter is devoted to Kross’s patriotism, his essential Estonianness.