Väinö Linna was a Finnish author and a former soldier who fought in the Continuation War (1941–44). Linna gained literary fame with his third novel, Tuntematon sotilas (The Unknown Soldier, published in 1954), and consolidated his position with the trilogy Täällä Pohjantähden alla (Under the North Star, published in 1959–1963 and translated into English by Richard Impola). Both have been adapted to a film format on several occasions; The Unknown Soldier was first adapted into a film in 1955 and Under the North Star in 1968 as Here, Beneath the North Star, both directed by Edvin Laine.

Linna was born in the village of Urjala, near the city of Tampere, in the western region of Finland. He was the seventh child of Viktor (Vihtori) Linna and Johanna Maria (Maija) Linna. After completing his studies, he moved to Tampere, working as a laborer before being recruited into the army. He maintained a diary of his frontline experiences during the Continuation War, which later inspired him to write Tuntematon sotilas.

After the war, Linna pursued his literary career while working in a factory during the day. His subsequent success allowed him to dedicate himself exclusively to literature. Linna's social realism had a significant impact on Finnish social, political, and cultural life. Two of his major works have been adapted to film, with The Unknown Soldier being adapted three times (1955, 1985, 2017).

Väinö Linna's portrait appeared on the Finnish 20 mark bill from 1993 until the introduction of the Euro.