Estonian author Epp Petrone on the future of her beloved 'My...' book series

Estonian writer and publisher Epp Petrone, 51, has built one of the most widely read book series in Estonia in recent decades. The 'My...' series, including titles like 'My America', 'My Georgia', and 'My Kihnu', has shaped how Estonians perceive both distant lands and corners of their own country. Now Petrone is reflecting on the series' future.

Estonian author and publisher Epp Petrone, 51, has spent years crafting one of the most beloved and widely read book series in Estonia. Her 'My...' series has introduced Estonian readers to far-off places and intimate corners of their own homeland alike.

A series that defined a generation

Titles such as 'My America', 'My Georgia', 'My Kihnu', and 'My California', alongside dozens of other entries in the series, have become fixtures on Estonian bookshelves. The books blend personal narrative with vivid place-writing, giving readers an intimate window into worlds both foreign and familiar.

Petrone has been both the creative force and the publisher behind the series, making her a distinctive figure in the Estonian literary landscape. Her dual role has allowed her to shape not just the writing but the broader vision of what the series could become.

The train begins to slow

Now, reflecting on what lies ahead, Petrone speaks candidly about the series reaching a natural turning point. «I can already hear how the train is starting to stop,» she has said, suggesting that the long-running project may be approaching the end of its journey, or at least a significant transition.

For readers who have followed the series over the years, her words carry both a sense of nostalgia and curiosity about what form Estonian travel and place writing might take next.