A little family visit at Bókin

Always a pleasure when Bragi and Valli -Ari’s father and brother - wander through the door!

Bragi spent more than three decades among these shelves before Ari took over in the late 1990s, carrying on a long Reykjavík story. Bókin was founded in Reykjavík in 1964, and after more than six decades has become something of a Reykjavík institution (though we’re still doing our best not to become too respectable ;-))

Many will also remember Bragi from RÚV’s Kiljan, where his wonderfully opinionated conversations about books and Reykjavík’s literary characters became a regular part of the programme.

Now well into his 80s, Bragi is still every bit the character. And whenever we meet, out comes his splendid top hat.

More importantly, the old bookseller clearly hasn’t lost his eye for a beautiful treasure. Because among thousands of books, prints and curiosities, what did he spot first?

Marilyn Monroe.

The poster was admired, claimed and taken home. Some instincts even get sharper with age :-)

And that’s Bókin, really - you may come in looking for an old book and leave with Marilyn Monroe. You never quite know what will find you.