Dad Lived, and Then He Was Dead: On Tractor Mechanics, Accordion Music, Moonshine, and Unpainted Pine

Dad Lived, and Then He Was Dead: On Tractor Mechanics, Accordion Music, Moonshine, and Unpainted Pine

Bjørn Hatterud

Original title: Far levde, og så var han død: ei bok om traktormekanikk, trekkspelmusikk, heimebrenning og umåla furu
Publisher: Samlaget, 2026
Genre: Narrative non-fiction

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“You’re gonna write about me. And you’re gonna write about all the bad shit, too!”

Agricultural mechanic Tor Hatterud comes from generations of practical men: farmers, forestry workers, and tenant farmers in rural Norway. He was always tinkering with something, his hands covered in cuts and scars. He could ski for miles, spoke an old-fashioned dialect, and demonstrated his love by washing the car. His son Bjørn couldn’t be more different. He is a gay, disabled academic who works in the cultural sector in the capital.

Who was Bjørn’s father? And what happened when he died? Tor first started by losing control of his left foot. For the first time, father walked as slowly as son – who walks with a limp – and a different kind of conversation began between them.

One of the last things Tor did was take on a major building project. He enclosed the veranda in glass, creating a bright, airy room filled with sunlight and joy.

This is the story of a father who was a perfectly ordinary man – and a story about life and death.

Continuing his journey around Lake Mjøsa with his mother, Bjørn Hatterud takes a moving deep dive into his father’s life and final days. […] Hatterud’s portrayal of his father reinforces the idea that everyone has a story to tell, while highlighting the author’s remarkable talent for finding rich material where others would never think to look – and bringing it to life. […] Once again, Hatterud demonstrates his ability to write about experiences that resonate with many readers, with a charm few can match.

Klassekampen

Bjørn Hatterud’s books take ordinary people seriously. At a time when reading is in crisis and people are reading far too little, Hatterud gives us hope. He has an intimate, firsthand understanding of rural and working-class culture. Many readers will recognize themselves in his writing. He gives voice to the thoughts and experiences of hardworking Norwegians of the postwar generation.

Dag og tid

As a writer, he is one of a kind. In his fourth book, he tells the story of his father. It is refreshing to read about good people, especially when life is difficult. […] I am never bothered by the fact that all of Bjørn Hatterud’s books are rooted in his personal life. His ambitions go far beyond that. After all, we were once taught that the personal is political. He uses his own experiences as a springboard for broader reflection.

Samtiden

Bjørn Hatterud

Photo: Agnete Bruun

Bjørn Hatterud is an Oslo-based writer, musician, and art curator who grew up gay and disabled in a working-class family in a rural Norwegian community. He has experienced national success with his first two critically acclaimed books, Against Normality (2018) and Me, Mum and Mjøsa (2020). In his books, Hatterud writes about his life’s extraordinary trajectory, and about how growing up as an outsider led him to forge a pathway into art, literature and non-mainstream culture – the spaces where he discovered identity and freedom. His third book, Bjerke Tower Block, confirmed his position as one of Norway’s leading narrative non-fiction writers. He has been awarded Fritt Ords Pris (Free Speech Award) and Kritikerprisen (The National Book Critics’ Award) for his writing. His newest novel, Dad Was Alive, and Then He Was Dead, comes out in September 2026.

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Other titles by Bjørn Hatterud

Against Normality

Bjørn Hatterud

Against Normality
2020
Bjerke Tower Block: Thirteen years on the third floor

Bjørn Hatterud

Bjerke Tower Block: Thirteen years on the third floor
2023