Norwegian Wood: The guide to chopping, stacking and drying wood the Scandinavian way

When predicting the books that would do well in the UK a book on chopping and stacking wood probably wouldn't have made it into our top five guesses. That having been said, Lars Mytting's guide to chopping, stacking and drying wood the Scandinavian way has taken the UK by storm, tapping into our primal and ancient connection to wood fires and survival.

Seen as a labour of love, chopping wood connects us with nature and brings security to our families. Although many of us still rely on the central heating to get us through the winter, more and more of us are returning to the log fire as a source of warmth in our homes. And with that comes the opportunity to get back to nature, breathe in the smell of freshly chopped wood and indulge in a physical task that allows you to switch off and focus on the task in front of you.

Lars Mytting was born in Norway, where there is still a large culture of chopping wood, and lives with his family in a pine house in a small town. His first non-fiction book explores the simple relationship between man and fire, whilst offering valuable information on various woods, burn rates, stacking, drying and more. Having spoken with professionals and experienced but proud and private enthusiasts, Lars captures an underlying love for nature and history that runs throughout his book. And to complete this ode to the forest, Lars illustrates his words with beautiful photographs of woodpiles that are undeniably inspirational.

Now we realise that chopping wood might still be a hard sale for some of us, but take a look at Lars? preface below and we bet even the biggest indoors-lovers will get swept up in his enthusiasm, even if you won't be heading out to buy your first chainsaw just yet!

Read an Extract from Norwegian Wood by Lars Mytting

In the beginning each log seemed to exhaust him and he rested frequently, wheezing and panting for breath. I went over and we exchanged a few words. Thanks anyway, but no, he didn't need help. Good wood this year, he volunteered. Feel this one. Or this one. Beautiful white bark. Evenly cut, they've used a well-sharpened chain saw, you can tell from the way the chip here is square. I don't use a saw myself anymore. I'm too old. This has been neatly chopped too. You don't always get that now, not now that everybody's using a wood processor. Anyway, I must get on.?

And Ottar went back to work, and I went back inside. Not long afterward I took a drive around the area and I noticed how buying wood in the spring was something that everybody here seemed to do. Especially in front of the older looking houses: always a woodpile. Stocking up, like buying your ammunition in preparation for the elk-hunting season. Or canned food before you set off on a polar expedition.

A week went by and Ottar's pile of wood wasn't looking any smaller. Not until another week passed did I notice the top of the pile was slightly flatter now. And wasn't there a change in him too? Didn't he seem to have a bit more of a spring in his step?