Q.
What were your favourite books as a child?
The first novel my father read to me was Lord of the Flies. My father wasn’t too sure if it was suitable for a boy aged just seven, but I insisted. Why? Because of the cover: a blood-dripping pig’s head on a stake.
Q.
Did you always want to be a writer when you were younger?
Yes, I guess I did. As I listened to my father read, I knew I wanted to try and write myself. I was already impressing kids my own age, even slightly older ones, with my gruesome ghost stories.
Q.
You haven’t always been a writer. Which of your previous jobs has been your favorite?
I love performing music almost as much as writing. Working as an economist was, well, work. My favourite previous job was as a taxi driver. I like observing people.
Q.
Do you write full-time?
I write as much as possible. And every year, I spend 2-3 months in Thailand, thinking up new ideas for forthcoming projects and working on novels already planned.
Q.
Who (or what) inspired you to create the character of Harry Hole?
It was so many things. A friend; a drunkard I often drove around when I was working as a taxi driver in my small home town; myself; and other characters from fiction.
Q.
What can your readers expect for Harry in the future?
Suspense.
Q.
How does one pronounce your name? Is there an English word that contains this phoneme?
It’s like the German ö. Or the “o” in Peter Sellers’ pronunciation of “bomb” in the Pink Panther-movie.
Q.
Who are your favorite authors?
Jim Thompson, Vladimir Nabokov, Knut Hamsun, Henrik Ibsen, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Bukowski, and Frank Miller.
Q.
Which are your favorite books?
Lolita (by Vladimir Nabokov), The Killer Inside Me (by Jim Thompson), Pan (by Knut Hamsun), Ham On Rye (by Charles Bukowski)
Q.
Which are your favorite movies?
Starship Troopers (no kidding!), The Conversation, Rules Of Attraction, The Usual Suspects and – yes, I’m sorry – The Godfather, The Deer Hunter and Taxi Driver.
Q.
Do you have any favorite football teams?
Molde, Tottenham, and always Brazil.
Q.
Which are your favorite musicians?
Miles Davis, Jayhawks, Teenage Fanclub, Elvis Costello, Ryan Adams, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Bob Dylan.
Q.
Where do you like to travel?
Buenos Aires, southern Thailand, and Australia.
Q.
Do you have any hobbies or interests, besides writing and making music?
A little rock climbing, any kind of ballgame, and watching movies.
Q.
How do you pronounce Harry Hole’s last name?
“O” like in “pool” and “e” like in “ethnic.”
Q.
Do you and your character Harry Hole have a lot in common?
We’re both romantic, melancholic, and have a mix of chaos and discipline.
Q.
How did you start off writing?
I read. And I read. I basically put off writing as long as I could, that was until I was 37. Then I started writing like a madman.
Q.
How does writing differ creatively from your music?
Music for me is more like releasing tension, I don’t really have a method. Writing is about dreaming things up, using your imagination and instantly knowing whether you’re onto something.
Q.
How strong is your connection to Harry Hole?
He may not be my alter ego, but I’ve certainly used a lot of my own person in Harry. Let’s say 70%. The best parts. Well, some of the not so good, too.
Q.
Do you sometimes dream of Harry Hole?
Never. Thank God.
Q.
Many of your readers are perhaps mainly interested in the further development of Harry Hole, and less in the criminal case. Is this a compliment? Or is it a frustration?
That’s great! I know I’ll get you hooked on the plot anyway.
Q.
How important is it to you that your readers can identify with your characters?
I like them to both identify and to be mystified. Like in real life.
Q.
Is that why Harry Hole is not a superhero, but a man with a lot of problems?
He is a man with problems because in order to be an interesting hero you have to have problems.
Q.
Don’t you think that people sometimes wish that a policeman like Harry Hole had more features of a superhero?
As a policeman – sure. As a character in a story of fiction – perhaps. But it’s just not that kind of story. Harry is a man at war with the world, including himself.
Q.
How important is it to take a stand on topics that are not a crucial part of the plot?
It’s not. But I think it’s impossible not to be political when describing society.
Jo Nesbo on his favourite Harry Hole novels
Midnight Sun vs. Harry Hole novels
Characters in Midnight Sun
Jo Introduces Midnight Sun
Setting of Midnight Sun
Jo's autobiography
Interview: Author magazine
Interview: James Ellroy
Interview: Dead Good Quick Fire Q&A
Interview: Richard & Judy Book Club