Dad Was Alive, 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
“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 an entirely ordinary man – and a story about life and death.
To be published September 24th, 2026.
