Bónus

by Andri Snær Magnason

“Avevo appena traslocato. Squattrinato e affamato, corsi al supermercato Bónus ma lo trovai un po’ vuoto. Il negozio era pieno di testi e messaggi, ma non c’erano storie, non c’era poesia. Chiusi gli occhi e le orecchie, cercando rimedio a tanta desolazione. E mi resi conto che questo mercato era disposto secondo la struttura della Divina Commedia. Il Paradiso era là, nel reparto frutta e verdura, l’Inferno nel reparto macelleria e il Purgatorio in quello dei prodotti per le pulizie. Notai che c’erano succhi Bónus, coca Bónus e prosciutto Bónus e mi dissi: poiché la poesia accompagna da sempre il nostro paese, occorre anche una poesia Bónus. In tempo di crisi, i letterati scrivono realismo sociale e, in campagna, romanticismo; oggi dobbiamo scrivere realismo capitalista. La poesia deve essere al servizio del mercato. Chiunque abbia terminato la scolarità obbligatoria deve essere in grado di comprenderla. Deve essere breve. Deve stimolare la crescita economica e promuovere il consumo, non deve necessariamente avere un titolo, salvo a favore di una compagnia multinazionale”.

Genres: Poetry, Humor

Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Andri Snær Magnason is an Icelandic writer, born in Reykjavik on July 14, 1973. An award winning author published in 40 languages. His most recent book is On Time and Water - a book seeking to explore the issue of time and climate change through language, mythology and memoir. Andri has written novels, poetry, plays, short stories, essays and he has directed documentary films. His novel LoveStar was chosen as “Novel of the year” by Icelandic booksellers, it received the DV Literary Award, The Philip K. Dick special citation Award of 2013 and won the french Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire as best foreign Sci-Fi in France 2016. His children’s book, The Story of the Blue Planet, was the first children’s book to receive the Icelandic Literary Prize and has been published or performed in 35 countries. His first book of poetry was a runaway best seller published by the Bonus supermarket chain in Iceland. The Story of the Blue Planet received the Janusz Korczak Honorary Award 2000 and the West Nordic Children’s Book Prize 2002 and the Green Earth Honor Award 2013 and the UKLA Award 2014. The play from the story was performed on the main stage of YPT in Toronto in 2005 and 2013. He has been active in the fight for preserving the delicate nature of Iceland, his book Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual for a Frightened Nation takes on these issues. Dreamland has been made into a feature-length documentary film. Andri Magnason is the winner of the Kairos Award of 2010 granted by the Alfred Toepfer institute in Hamburg. His most recent documentary films are The Hero's Journey to the Third Pole - a bipolar musical documentary with elephants and Apausalypse, available on the website of Emergence Magazine.

Andri Snær Magnason lives in Reykjavík. He is married with four children.
His work has been published to more than 40 languages.

Reviews

[Christian]

A short but brilliant little book of poetry all about the supermarket chain Bōnus in Iceland. It’s quite crazy to think someone could walk into a supermarket and end up writing an entire book of poetry based off of the experience but Magnason has done this exceptionally well. There are actually quite an array of poems in here- some focused on the supermarket itself whilst others more as a launching pad for a bigger idea.
Favourites of mine were:

You Are What You Eat (thought provoking)
Snow White (very clever)
Lamb Chops (see Snow White)
You Are What You Eat II
Love Poem From Checkout 2
The Epicentre (my favourite, and so damn thought provoking)

[Alice]

How many poets can step into a discount supermarket and base off an entire collection of poems off of it.

I was pleasantly surprised by the peculiar work of this Icelandic poet. The style is something I've never seen before, he manages to be romantic, witty and thought-provoking all at the same time.
I was pretty impressed by this collection and am incredibly glad there is an Italian edition. I hope an English translation is in the making, so you can all enjoy it with me too.

[Lauren Bachman]

Maybe it's the recent vacation to Iceland talking, but this collection of poetry was so darn enjoyable. Very consumable (no pun intended) with some comical yet thought-provoking gems in here.

[Alice Li]

lol. Saw and finished this book in a bookstore in downtown Reykjavik.

[Teo]

[Read in English.] A short, clever book of poetry about supermarkets and also an imaginative piece of marketing by the Bónus supermarket chain. Apparently this is the highest selling book of poetry in the history of Iceland, which says something about both the poetry itself and the Bónus brand.

[Karl Hallbjörnsson]

Stórskemmtileg, kaldhæðin og skondin.

[Michael Ruberto]

When I saw this in a bookstore in the Keflavik airport while waiting to fly home, there simply wasn't any scenario where I wasn't going to buy it. I am both deeply perplexed and excited that this exists. I read it all on the flight back to Boston, and while I expected that I'd enjoy it, I wasn't expecting it to be as legitimately good as it was. Some common themes throughout the collection are capitalism, consumption, commodification, and alienation from the "real world". All of which is incredibly ironic coming from a book that is ostensibly by and about a grocery store chain. Some of the poems in here do fall a bit flat to me, and some just gave me a sensible chuckle, but more of them than you might expect were legitimately profound and thought provoking. It's a quick read so I definitely see myself going back through it a few more times in the future. Some standouts include the You Are What You Eat series, Material Girl, and Paradise Lost

All that is a long winded way to say: Krónan could never...

[Ronja]

What is not to love about this. I reread this whole book 2 times in one evening and cant wait to do it a third time. You are what you eat (I-III) and paradiese lost are my favourites so far. Magnason has inspired me before but this hit a completly different spot. Its icelandic supermarket poetry and its everything what it sounds like and so much more.

[Cody]

After reading "Under the Lights, My Love" by Annie Ernaux I had to give this a shot after seeing it at an Icelandic bookstore.

These poems are ridiculous in a great way. If Ernaux romanticizes the supermarket, Magnason is ridiculing it.

[Jan Pavlík]

I live in toxic relationships and I want to leave, his name is capitalism

[Linda]

Icelandic literature has entered Latvia a bit more loudly in the past few years. But those are novels mostly. We don't know much about Icelandic poetry. So on my trip to the land of ice I bought this book as it was the only one I could afford in a book shop on a high street in Reykjavik.

I consumed (and I believe that is the most appropriate word) this poetry with a massive grin on my face. Read out loud for my friends. Took pictures of some poems and sent to others. And felt shitty about this. Really - THIS is my taste in poetry now?

I found some peace in the little afterword written by I don't know whom.

"The books old extremely well and stirred up a heated discussion: had the last stand of human expression given up to consumerism? [...] is the poet on a higher level than those working in a supermarket, baking bread, canning beans and raising animals to be sold there? And if the supermarket is the source of food and therefore life itself, should it now also be a place for poetry? Should the writer not claim all the spaces for his art?"

Happening or literary prank, nevertheless, really entertaining, highly enjoyable and painfully truthful.

[Skuli Saeland]

Mikið um orðaleiki og hnyttni. Andri Snær er orðheppinn, oft háðskur en fyndinn. Mörg skemmtiljóð í þessari ljóðabók.

[Elise]

When we were recently in Iceland, we passed many Bonus supermarkets, with their large yellow signs with a giant pink pig. I could not resist picking up this small book of poems inspired by the supermarket chain and Dante's Divine Comedy. I will definitely read this again.

The series of poems brings us through the paradise of fruits and vegetables, the inferno of frozen meats to the purgatory of cleaning products. There are many insightful thoughts here.

Love Poem on Check-out 1
Once my life was a black and white TV
and on a good day
some sharpness blended into the grey tones
but never more than that.

Then you came along
Now life is 60 inches
in color and 3D
Birds sing
in the surround system

Table Prayer II(second path to de-alienation)
And I thank you, Billy Joe from Nebraska, for the flour.
I thank you, Hamel from Kapurthalal, for the spices.
I thank you, Xi Ping in Chengdu, for the rice.
I thank you, Geiri from Isafjordur, for the cod.
I thank you, Arni from Hraunkot, for the milk.
I thank you, Orvar from Arbaer, for the carrots.
Without you, I would be
DEAD!

[Erika Owen]

I have a strangely deep love for Bónus, an Icelandic grocery store chain. Maybe it's the pig logo, maybe it's the entire refrigerator room of skyr, but when I think of Iceland, I think of this grocery store. This book is exactly what it sounds like: poetry inspired by the aisles of this foodery, best understood by those who love this quirky place.

[Trésor de Velours]

Drôle de plaquette ! L’auteur adopte un regard plutôt espiègle pour parler de l’une des plus importantes chaînes de supermarchés en Islande, Bónus (l’équivalent de Maxi, au Québec). À la fois un peu nihiliste, mais toujours sympathiquement taquin, le recueil de poèmes discutent de la relation qu’entretiennent les Islandais-e-s avec ce magasin iconique.

[Alice Brooker]

Really different to any poetry I've read before, I also need to go to iceland now and find bonus!!

Favorite poems are:

Homo Consumus
Miracle
Paradise Lost
No Sponsor
The Naked Chef
You Are What You Eat II
Icelandic Ministry for the Environment
You Are What You Eat III
Love Poem from Check-out 2
The Yellow Gate

[tessa marini]

L’ho letto in italiano. Molto carino e originale, molte poesie riescono davvero a far riflettere sulla realtà odierna. Sta poi al lettore decidere se percepire quella nota di malinconia o se scherzarci sopra e basta.

[Kristina]

Yes, I bought this as an American tourist who is fascinated by this silly pig mascot. The poetry itself is pretty dang good though. Mostly funny jabs, but a few that catch you off guard in their depth.

[Oxalis]

I really enjoyed this. After reading the other reviews, I have to agree with many of the readers that it's hard not to love it. The author crafts inventive poetry while focusing on heavy issues like consumerism, materialism, and capitalism. As a quick read, it's highly recommended!

[Ian Hefele]

Surprising find in Ísafjördur while in Iceland last. Enjoyed it much more than I thought I would!

[Ariel]

Bought it when my partner and I visited Iceland and read it (in English) in one go. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I laughed. I cried. Capitalism is killing us all.

[Cindy Jiménez-Vera]

I gave it five stars, but it deserves five thousand.

[Ari Hallgrímsson]

Þetta er fimma.

[Abura]

Bonus A, Bonus B.

[Hanna]

this is, unironically, excellent

[Jordyn Damato]

icelandic poetry book dan got me from iceland. 5 stars for that alone

[Amy]

Is it great poetry? No. Is it great fun? Yes.

[Elena]

Islandski humor 😍

[rick.]

Brilliant, funny, perceptive, and thought-provoking. It's far more than anyone could expect for a book of poetry about the Icelandic discount grocery store, Bónus. Highly recommended, and proof that insight can be found in the most seemingly mundane of experiences.

[Ryan Turnbull]

Wonderful poetic and mythological satirization of the quintessential site of late-capitalist consumption: the supermarket.