Talve was born of Estonian parents in Ingria in the year 1919. He made an academic career as a professor of ethnology at the University of Turku, Finland, from 1962 to 1986. He studied in Tartu and Stockholm and gained his doctorate in the year 1960 with his thesis published under the title Bastu och torkhus in Nordeuropa (“Étuves and dryers in northern Europe”). His book Suomen kansankulttuuri (“Finnish Folk Culture”) is regarded as his main work. Talve focused especially on the modernisation of the countryside, on the industrialized regions and on urban ethnology. In addition to his career as ethnologist, he has been active as a journalist and writer. He has published an autobiography and a novel Maapagu (“Exile”). In the year 2002 Talve finished his manuscript on the history of Estonian culture. He is pursuing his research work at the University of Turku as an emeritus professor.