Mountains Hell Paradise

How a Norwegian comedian tried to become a mountain lover

Are Kalvø grew up right in the middle of the picture-postcard landscape of north-western Norway, on a farm at the foot of mountains that people travel halfway across the planet to see. Yet he was never drawn to the great outdoors. But a few years ago, the mountains started to steal his friends, until one day he realised that all his acquaintances had at least one photo of mountains on social media.

He started to wonder. What is it that everyone sees in nature? So, out of curiosity, he headed for the hills to find out what drives people to give up urban pleasures in their free time, invest outrageous sums of money in hiking gear, trudge for eight hours in the rain and fog, and spend their evenings in smelly functional underwear in the company of equally pungent nature lovers in huts with bizarre names like Mosquito Home, At the Ugly One's, Crow's Nest or Cat's Arse.

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Kalvø's account of his outdoor experiences is laugh-out-loud funny... Without a doubt, the best book ever written by Norway's funniest man alive.

– Aftenposten

I much prefer going to places where there are people. And even better, waiters.