In October, a new Norwegian book about King Harald called “The King Tells”, written by journalist Harald Stanghelle, became the best-selling non-fiction book and the fourth best-selling book regardless of genre in Norway. The first edition of the book has sold out, orders are still coming in and the publisher is now waiting for new editions that have been delayed due to the corona pandemic.
In the book, King Harald tells Harald Stanghelle about his life. The book is a long conversation between the two where much new information is brought up. Stanghelle has said that he met the King for 11 conversations over a period of one year, and the book is the result. The king talks about his popularity, his role during important historical moments, what it was like to lose his mother so early, his marriage to Queen Sonja and the loss of his former son-in-law Ari Behn who took his life almost a year ago.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the printing house in Latvia has had problems delivering as fast as usually. Now the Norwegian publisher has promised the public that another 25,000 new copies of the book is soon to arrive in Norway. The Association of Norwegian Bookdealers reports that more than 7,500 orders have been made for the second edition of the book. They state: “It is really an unusual situation. We simply are unable to deliver enough books. We thought we had enough, but now we have been empty for a while.”
The book has received a glorious welcome from the Norwegian press, which gives it top star reviews. Norway’s largest newspaper “VG”, wrote in its review of the book: “The King must be the grandest Norwegian influencer of all time”.
Author Stanghelle says the following about the book’s enormous success in a statement to the Norwegian press: “I know very well that this has to do with the main character in the book, and not the author. Nevertheless, for me it is at least very nice. I am not used to topping the bestseller lists. When I was asked to write the book, I quickly answered yes in the safe assurance that the king would say no. Nevertheless, he did not, so now the result is here.”
