Bjørn Hatterud - Selected Title Author
Bjørn Hatterud has written about his old tower block, and how an area in Oslo has changed through thirteen years. – The book is about power and the divide between high and low status, he says.
Bjerke Tower Block – Thirteen Years on the Third Floor is one of NORLA’s Selected Titles for autumn 2023. Here, author Bjørn Hatterud speaks about the book, who it is written for, what inspired him to write it and where and when he works best.
What is this book about?
This book is about coming of age and creating a sustainable life as a queer disabled person. At the same time, it delves into a specific area of Oslo and looks at how it’s transformed over the course of thirteen years. The book explores themes of power dynamics and the distinctions between high and low social status. It’s structured with a combination of short stories and longer reflections on a wide range of topics including laundry, war sailors, post-war architecture, Chinese takeout, the color orange, psychiatry, and driving cars.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was going to move from a place I’d lived in for a long time and that meant a lot to me. Since this place and my own life had changed so much during the thirteen years I lived there, there was a lot to think and write about.
Who is this book for?
Everyone! But it’s particularly well-liked by older women, young art students, and queer and disabled people.
Where or when do you work best?
When I have a deadline – then my self-criticism tends to fade and it gets easier. Otherwise, I write wherever I can set down my laptop and there aren’t too many people around.
Read more
See full presentation of the book here
See all NORLA’s Selected Titles for the autumn 2023 here
