Anton Helgi Jónsson

Anton Helgi Jónsson was born on the 15th of January 1955 in Sólvangur in Hafnafjörður. He lived in Hraunkoti by Hellisgerði in his youth but later moved to the Sjálfstæðiðshúsið by Strandgata where his mother worked as a janitor. Toni, what most people called him, went to Lækjarskóli and to class taught by Hörður Jafetsson and knew no better than he was living in the best world of all time. At twelve years old he moved to Reykjavík and lived there for many years, but in the end he moved back to Hafnafjörður and lives there now.

Anton Helgi Jónsson has had many occupations over the years along with writing. He was a stagehand at the Reykjavík Theatre Company for a few years and was later director of the service center for physically challenged students in Stockholm. Anton has also worked in advertising and public relations and ran a company in those matters. Anton studied philosophy and literature at the University of Stockholm.

Anton Helgi Jónsson has especially focused on poetry but has released one novel and a few short-stories in magazines. His novel Vinur vors og blóma (A Friend to Us and Flowers) was released in 1982. He has written some plays and translated others. His claim to fame his most likely the radio play Frátekna borðið í Lourdes (The Reserved Table in Lourdes). The script won first prize in a competition held by The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service and the work has since then been translated to some languages.

Anton Helgi has been on committees on behalf of The Writer’s Union of Iceland for literary prizes and the allocation of funds to authors.

website: anton.is