Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Hogarth (2016), 208 pages
Description
Hilarious, profound, and achingly true-to-life, Jonas Karlsson's new novel explores the true nature of happiness through the eyes of hero you won't soon forget. A passionate film buff, our hero's life revolves around his part-time job at a video store, the company of a few precious friends, and a daily routine that more often than not concludes with pizza and movie in his treasured small space in Stockholm. When he receives an astronomical invoice from a random national bureaucratic agency, everything will tumble into madness as he calls the hotline night and day to find out why he is the recipient of the largest bill in the entire country. What is the price of a cherished memory? How much would you pay for a beautiful summer day? How will our carefree idealist, who is content with so little and has no chance of paying it back, find a way out of this mess? All these questions pull you through The Invoice and prove once again that Jonas Karlsson is simply a master of entertaining, intelligent, and life-affirming work. -- Provided by publisher.… (more)
Media reviews
I received this copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I think the topic of this book is quite interesting. Imagine receiving a bill for being alive, and how much would you pay for it all?
User reviews
LibraryThing member cattylj
Maybe I'm too cynical for this (and I'm definitely in the minority here) but I thought it was a dud. The Invoice is sweet and has an uplifting message, but it's ultimately forgettable. Although I liked the semi-absurdist premise, taking on cliches like "the best things in life are free" and "you
The thing is, I totally agree with the message! Life is all about perspective. Pain and adversity provide opportunities for growth and help us define our own happiness. You'll never be content in life if you only look for worth in material things. Did you feel anything reading those past 3 sentences? Probably not, because they're also cliches and as such are pretty flat when taken at face value. These sentiments don't become interesting unless we come at them from a new direction or introduce some sense of conflict. That's missing in these 200 pages. For me, each chapter read like a rewording of these basic concepts without any new spin. On top of that, there is no sense of urgency from our protagonist. He's unflappably affable. And yes, that's kind of the whole point, but what a bore when you can predict exactly how a character is going to react (or not react, as it were) to every new development.
To be fair, I read this right after reading Delicious Foods which is one of the most depressing books I've read in a long while, so I wasn't exactly primed for a feel-good, easy breezy, pick-me-up.
I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
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can't buy happiness" is a dangerous move unless you can cut through the sappiness and provide something unexpected. Karlsson never quite got there. At some point I thought to myself, "Kafka for middle schoolers," and then I couldn't shake that comparison.The thing is, I totally agree with the message! Life is all about perspective. Pain and adversity provide opportunities for growth and help us define our own happiness. You'll never be content in life if you only look for worth in material things. Did you feel anything reading those past 3 sentences? Probably not, because they're also cliches and as such are pretty flat when taken at face value. These sentiments don't become interesting unless we come at them from a new direction or introduce some sense of conflict. That's missing in these 200 pages. For me, each chapter read like a rewording of these basic concepts without any new spin. On top of that, there is no sense of urgency from our protagonist. He's unflappably affable. And yes, that's kind of the whole point, but what a bore when you can predict exactly how a character is going to react (or not react, as it were) to every new development.
To be fair, I read this right after reading Delicious Foods which is one of the most depressing books I've read in a long while, so I wasn't exactly primed for a feel-good, easy breezy, pick-me-up.
I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member streamsong
Our unnamed hero of this story is an average Joe underachiever. He works part time in a film store, has a small apartment in Stockholm with secondhand furniture, a bike and a few close friends.
Then he receives an astronomical bill for 5,700,000 kronor from a unknown bureaucratic agency. At first,
But when further attempts are made to collect it, he takes it more seriously and contacts the company, and his personal representative there, Maud. Maud explains that this is a bill for all the enjoyment he has gotten from his life – music, sunsets, once being in love, or rewatching your favorite film.
As our hero tries to explain his life and reduce his bill, the amounts he owes continues to go significantly upward until he owes the largest amount of anyone in Sweden.
The story is sweetly uplifting and does make one think about things like the value of things that come to all us everyday.
However, there's a bit of logic gap. The amount of money one possesses has no impact one one's ability to enjoy life. However, if you have enjoyed your life, you are required to pay money for it – which will then be redistributed to people who have not had such an enjoyable life. Ah but given the original premise, how can money make their life more enjoyable? Head spinning.
Overall – sort of sweet, but no meat.
I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
Then he receives an astronomical bill for 5,700,000 kronor from a unknown bureaucratic agency. At first,
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believing it is some sort of wild mistake, he ignores the bill. But when further attempts are made to collect it, he takes it more seriously and contacts the company, and his personal representative there, Maud. Maud explains that this is a bill for all the enjoyment he has gotten from his life – music, sunsets, once being in love, or rewatching your favorite film.
As our hero tries to explain his life and reduce his bill, the amounts he owes continues to go significantly upward until he owes the largest amount of anyone in Sweden.
The story is sweetly uplifting and does make one think about things like the value of things that come to all us everyday.
However, there's a bit of logic gap. The amount of money one possesses has no impact one one's ability to enjoy life. However, if you have enjoyed your life, you are required to pay money for it – which will then be redistributed to people who have not had such an enjoyable life. Ah but given the original premise, how can money make their life more enjoyable? Head spinning.
Overall – sort of sweet, but no meat.
I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Copperskye
I had read and loved the author’s The Room, so when The Invoice showed up on the LTER list I was very much looking forward to it. Unfortunately, The Invoice was a struggle to get through. The narrator's voice was flat and uninteresting and the pages got harder and harder to turn. Too bad, as the
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premise – receiving a bill for your happiness in life – could have made for an excellent read. Show Less
LibraryThing member browsers
[This article originally appeared in High Points magazine, July 2016]
Imagine a system that is able to determine exactly how happy you are with life. Various experts look at your experiences and how you've reacted to them, and can come up with a precise “Experienced Happiness” quotient. Now
The book is humorous and charming, and our hero falls in love with the bureaucrat who has been assigned to his case.
However, there are some darker undercurrents that prevent this book from being the feel-good book that it seems to be on the surface. Think back to George Orwell's 1984 or Frank Kafka's The Trial. Each of these deal with a bureaucracy that ultimate reach and power. The difference is that there is never any indication in The Invoice that this could be wrong. We are in the age of smartphones and Google; we willingly give up our privacy to for-profit companies, so why shouldn't the government have access to our lives, too?
This is a world in spirituality has been replaced by a combination of science and money.
In addition to this disturbing worldview is the microcosm: our hero. He works in a video store, but more than that, he is an avid movie fan and in one sense, the ultimate audience member. He is socially isolated, intellectually incurious, and spiritually unmoved. He has no drive, no imagination, no real depth in any aspect of his life. He is mentally passive, and is ready to be entertained. His concept of the world increasingly revolves around scenes from movies he's seen. Although he yearns for a relationship, we do not sense love, only a desire for what is immediately in front of him. And the climax of the book is a reenactment of a scene from one of his favorite movies.
Although not as frightening as a dystopian view of the world, in which there is a dictator spewing fear and hate, there is something deeply disturbing about a novel in which the “good guy” just sits around and waits for something to happen—even if he does have a good attitude about it.
Imagine a system that is able to determine exactly how happy you are with life. Various experts look at your experiences and how you've reacted to them, and can come up with a precise “Experienced Happiness” quotient. Now
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imagine that the world has decided to attempt to equalize everyone's contentment by taxing those with the highest EH. What happens when one of the happiest people in the world, who works part-time in a video store, receives an invoice for millions?The book is humorous and charming, and our hero falls in love with the bureaucrat who has been assigned to his case.
However, there are some darker undercurrents that prevent this book from being the feel-good book that it seems to be on the surface. Think back to George Orwell's 1984 or Frank Kafka's The Trial. Each of these deal with a bureaucracy that ultimate reach and power. The difference is that there is never any indication in The Invoice that this could be wrong. We are in the age of smartphones and Google; we willingly give up our privacy to for-profit companies, so why shouldn't the government have access to our lives, too?
This is a world in spirituality has been replaced by a combination of science and money.
In addition to this disturbing worldview is the microcosm: our hero. He works in a video store, but more than that, he is an avid movie fan and in one sense, the ultimate audience member. He is socially isolated, intellectually incurious, and spiritually unmoved. He has no drive, no imagination, no real depth in any aspect of his life. He is mentally passive, and is ready to be entertained. His concept of the world increasingly revolves around scenes from movies he's seen. Although he yearns for a relationship, we do not sense love, only a desire for what is immediately in front of him. And the climax of the book is a reenactment of a scene from one of his favorite movies.
Although not as frightening as a dystopian view of the world, in which there is a dictator spewing fear and hate, there is something deeply disturbing about a novel in which the “good guy” just sits around and waits for something to happen—even if he does have a good attitude about it.
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LibraryThing member aimless22
A wonderful little novel about the price of happiness.
Our narrator, a nameless 39-year-old man, lives alone, works part time at a video store, has a limited social circle, and is unusually happy. He likes to listen to the sounds outside his window. He likes to watch films and eat pizza. He likes
The Kafkaesque situation that arises in his world comes in the form of the titular invoice. He is so content in his life that he did not know about the world-wide collection of payment for "Human Experiences." When he finally realizes that the invoice is real and the charge of 5,700,000 kroner must be a mistake, he calls the number on the invoice.
Thus begins a phone relationship with Maud, the customer service representative who takes his call, and the company, W.R.D., that has evaluated everyone in the world.
A wonderful story about how one's experiences are truly life-affirming rather than melancholy and sad.
The story allows the reader to think about their own life while immersing themselves in the narrator's.
What have we experienced that has ultimately made us better, happier, more human?
How can we redefine or reevaluate those less-than-wonderful experiences and turn them into positive ones?
I loved the pace, the writing, and the ideas.
A wonderful read.
Our narrator, a nameless 39-year-old man, lives alone, works part time at a video store, has a limited social circle, and is unusually happy. He likes to listen to the sounds outside his window. He likes to watch films and eat pizza. He likes
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to talk to his friend Roger. He is content.The Kafkaesque situation that arises in his world comes in the form of the titular invoice. He is so content in his life that he did not know about the world-wide collection of payment for "Human Experiences." When he finally realizes that the invoice is real and the charge of 5,700,000 kroner must be a mistake, he calls the number on the invoice.
Thus begins a phone relationship with Maud, the customer service representative who takes his call, and the company, W.R.D., that has evaluated everyone in the world.
A wonderful story about how one's experiences are truly life-affirming rather than melancholy and sad.
The story allows the reader to think about their own life while immersing themselves in the narrator's.
What have we experienced that has ultimately made us better, happier, more human?
How can we redefine or reevaluate those less-than-wonderful experiences and turn them into positive ones?
I loved the pace, the writing, and the ideas.
A wonderful read.
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LibraryThing member Karin7
Preface to review: Before you discard this book due to my 2 star rating, bear in mind that I normally give satires only one star because I don't like satire, so this book fared quite well.
Quite without the protagonist noticing it, a tax has been imposed on life experience (not sure why people say
Thus begins two things, a semi-philosophical, satirical examination of what happiness really is, and a telephone relationship with a woman who works for the international corporation who decides just how much people are taxed based on some incomprehensible, complicated process. Certainly there is some humour in this, but I really wasn't impressed. The entire satire was based on such a ludicrous premise of this insane tax, and the protagonist is just so bland and boring (part of the point, naturally) that I came close to liking this at times, and really wanted it to be a solid three stars at the very least, but I cannot honestly say that I ever actually liked it, just came sort of close at moments.
As you can see from the average reviews thus far, many people had a more enjoyable, happier experience with this book. No doubt if there actually were this sort of tax, this would raise their taxes more than it would mine.
That said, if you enjoy satire, this may be a book for you.
Quite without the protagonist noticing it, a tax has been imposed on life experience (not sure why people say
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happiness tax, since even the unhappy are taxed; but the happier you are, the higher you are going to be taxed, but anyone who gets to see blue skies, ever, and nature, or food, or just about anything is going to have some sort of high fee for the experiences of them). That is, until he gets a bill for 50,000,000 kroner. At first he discards it; as a part time employee at a video store who lives in a little apartment, clearly this is some sort of junk mail. That is, until he gets his next statement with a late payment fee attached.Thus begins two things, a semi-philosophical, satirical examination of what happiness really is, and a telephone relationship with a woman who works for the international corporation who decides just how much people are taxed based on some incomprehensible, complicated process. Certainly there is some humour in this, but I really wasn't impressed. The entire satire was based on such a ludicrous premise of this insane tax, and the protagonist is just so bland and boring (part of the point, naturally) that I came close to liking this at times, and really wanted it to be a solid three stars at the very least, but I cannot honestly say that I ever actually liked it, just came sort of close at moments.
As you can see from the average reviews thus far, many people had a more enjoyable, happier experience with this book. No doubt if there actually were this sort of tax, this would raise their taxes more than it would mine.
That said, if you enjoy satire, this may be a book for you.
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LibraryThing member CarrieWuj
What if every experience in life had a price tag, only we didn't know it? Would we appreciate it more? That is the premise of this little book. The (unnamed) narrator might be construed a "slacker" by society's uber-achieving standards: part-time job at a video store, nearing middle-age, single,
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apartment dwelling, carry-out eater, very few possessions....One day he receives an invoice for $5, 700,000 (kronor, actually as the story takes place in Sweden) which he disregards, assuming it is an error, since money in those amounts was never conceivable in his lifestyle. But no, he gets another, with a late fine, and so he goes in pursuit of who is charging him for what. The WRD, (World Resources Distribution) is a maze of bureaucracy, but he finally connects with a person, Maud, who just says "Being alive costs"(p. 31) Apparently, everyone, everywhere must pay up for experiencing life and the amount corresponds to a index created by number crunchers at the WRD who assess people's happiness. The narrator is an anomaly in that he is off the charts, especially because he has so little material wealth. His attempts to get his invoice reduced and to determine the source of the high number consume the rest of this short book and it is both humorous and meaningful in the ways we measure and value our lives as we live them. Good lessons without heavy-handed moralizing. Show Less
LibraryThing member Morphidae
I can’t say that I cared for The Invoice. The book sagged in the middle; there was far too much inner exposition. The main character didn’t seem all that happy - more laid-back and lazy – as if he were stoned. Lastly, and most importantly, I couldn’t get past the suspension of disbelief of
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the basic premise. Someone so aware of their environment, like Jonas, wouldn’t have missed all the signs. And when he was questioning if the entire thing was a scam, he would have gone to the police or other government agency, not the agency on the invoice. The writing style itself was smooth enough that I’m able to add a half star. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Invoice, Jonas Karlsson
What is your happiness quotient? Do you think it is better to be happy or unhappy? In the world of this book, one must pay a price for experiencing happiness. It is not a tax; it is simply the cost one must absorb for how one deals with life. The amount is figured out
This is a tale in which big brother is watching every moment of your life from insignificant to significant. Your relationships with others are measured and evaluated. You have let the watchers in by not taking their actions seriously enough, by not paying enough attention to what is happening in the world around you, even as you innocently enjoy what the world around you has to offer, by answering questionnaires about your life and not paying enough attention to the answers you provide, sometimes exaggerating a bit to make yourself seem more important. There is no privacy from the powers that be. Every aspect of your life has a dollar value attached to it. All of your property is inventoried. If you enjoy more, you must give more, but it does not pertain to monetary wealth. You simply must give back for what you have received, so it can be shared, even if in fact, you received little or nothing because you were content with what little you had. You have a debt to society, and it must be paid.
This book takes place in Sweden. It is brief, barely 200 pages, but not a word is wasted. It is about an ordinary man with no name who has no possessions of value, who works in an ordinary part-time job. When this ordinary man discovers that he has an enormous debt to society to the tune of millions of kroner, he has no idea why. What could he have bought that would have cost millions? Wouldn’t he remember such large purchases? Why does he owe so much money? Surely, he thinks, it must be a mistake and he tosses his first bill. After first ignoring the invoice, he follows up when he receives a second notice. He calls the help number provided and is put on hold. He roams the voicemail corridors for hours as the hold time increases rather than decreases. He is trapped in the voicemail tunnel. Soon, though, he discovers that no, it is not a mistake. He owes the money. He is a happy man and happiness has a price. He faces adversity with cheerfulness, and consistently turns negatives into positives. Isn't that a good thing? Well, not for him. He is an anomaly. He is a happy man who has nothing in a world of fairly miserable people, even though some have more than enough money to provide for their every need. His positivity has a very substantial cost, not only for himself but for others around him as well. Relationships are tracked. Just knowing him, a satisfied person, could raise someone else’s debt to society because his happiness might be contagious.
Sometimes the neediest were forced to pay more while those in far better circumstances were given lower invoices. In a way, they were penalized for being happy as those who made more money were penalized for being successful. Everything apparently had a price. Was this a reverse Socialism working in the background or a spoof about the redistribution of wealth? Being rich did not guarantee peace of mind or contentment. One's attitude governed that. The rich often had a lower debt to society because the rate applied depended on enjoyment derived.
As he navigated the labyrinthine world of W. R. D., the company (or cold hearted corporation responsible for monitoring the enjoyment quotient and preparing and collecting payment of the invoices), he met face to face with supervisors. Each time his bill grew enormously. In the end, he demanded to meet Maud, the counselor handling his file. Their telephone conversations had gown increasingly friendly. It had to be kept secret or she would lose her job. So even in his investigation, he found a silver lining, romance. He began to like Maud more and more. If their friendship was known, how would it affect her invoice? If positive living led to higher invoices, which was a negative outcome that upset most people, would he become anathema to everyone with whom he fraternized. He did little and was happy. He took little from society materially, but he was on overload with how he took pleasure from his simple, modest existence. Does he represent the perfect citizen in a perfect world of socialism? Should everyone, therefore, be like him and be content with less, less desire, less ambition, less of everything material and even less intelligence? According to those that monitored him, he was imperfect because he was perfect, capable of being perfectly upbeat at all times. This author has designed a story that outlines a society by subtly pointing out its failures. The system seemed to grow more and more unfair as human emotion and computation was left out or removed from the process, and mechanical formulae were used for evaluation. It seemed as if actuarial results left no room for adjustment. The lack of human compassion caused errors. It would seem that a person's good life was rated by those who didn't fully understand the good life? Positivity was a negative!
One has to wonder if he will ultimately reverse and become an unhappy pariah, avoided by others, forced into a place of unhappiness because of his being penalized for being happy. Will his frustration deepen? Will his ability to shrug off adversity end? For sure he was caught in a bureaucratic nightmare. Had society become a maze with no way out? Would he still be consistently happy, creating rainbows with a pot of "happiness", at the end?
***I won this book as part of the Early Reviewer program on Library Thing in return for a review.
What is your happiness quotient? Do you think it is better to be happy or unhappy? In the world of this book, one must pay a price for experiencing happiness. It is not a tax; it is simply the cost one must absorb for how one deals with life. The amount is figured out
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using elaborate formulas in which all of one’s activities are calculated. It is a formulaic, one-size-fits all method. It is redistribution as an art form! This is a tale in which big brother is watching every moment of your life from insignificant to significant. Your relationships with others are measured and evaluated. You have let the watchers in by not taking their actions seriously enough, by not paying enough attention to what is happening in the world around you, even as you innocently enjoy what the world around you has to offer, by answering questionnaires about your life and not paying enough attention to the answers you provide, sometimes exaggerating a bit to make yourself seem more important. There is no privacy from the powers that be. Every aspect of your life has a dollar value attached to it. All of your property is inventoried. If you enjoy more, you must give more, but it does not pertain to monetary wealth. You simply must give back for what you have received, so it can be shared, even if in fact, you received little or nothing because you were content with what little you had. You have a debt to society, and it must be paid.
This book takes place in Sweden. It is brief, barely 200 pages, but not a word is wasted. It is about an ordinary man with no name who has no possessions of value, who works in an ordinary part-time job. When this ordinary man discovers that he has an enormous debt to society to the tune of millions of kroner, he has no idea why. What could he have bought that would have cost millions? Wouldn’t he remember such large purchases? Why does he owe so much money? Surely, he thinks, it must be a mistake and he tosses his first bill. After first ignoring the invoice, he follows up when he receives a second notice. He calls the help number provided and is put on hold. He roams the voicemail corridors for hours as the hold time increases rather than decreases. He is trapped in the voicemail tunnel. Soon, though, he discovers that no, it is not a mistake. He owes the money. He is a happy man and happiness has a price. He faces adversity with cheerfulness, and consistently turns negatives into positives. Isn't that a good thing? Well, not for him. He is an anomaly. He is a happy man who has nothing in a world of fairly miserable people, even though some have more than enough money to provide for their every need. His positivity has a very substantial cost, not only for himself but for others around him as well. Relationships are tracked. Just knowing him, a satisfied person, could raise someone else’s debt to society because his happiness might be contagious.
Sometimes the neediest were forced to pay more while those in far better circumstances were given lower invoices. In a way, they were penalized for being happy as those who made more money were penalized for being successful. Everything apparently had a price. Was this a reverse Socialism working in the background or a spoof about the redistribution of wealth? Being rich did not guarantee peace of mind or contentment. One's attitude governed that. The rich often had a lower debt to society because the rate applied depended on enjoyment derived.
As he navigated the labyrinthine world of W. R. D., the company (or cold hearted corporation responsible for monitoring the enjoyment quotient and preparing and collecting payment of the invoices), he met face to face with supervisors. Each time his bill grew enormously. In the end, he demanded to meet Maud, the counselor handling his file. Their telephone conversations had gown increasingly friendly. It had to be kept secret or she would lose her job. So even in his investigation, he found a silver lining, romance. He began to like Maud more and more. If their friendship was known, how would it affect her invoice? If positive living led to higher invoices, which was a negative outcome that upset most people, would he become anathema to everyone with whom he fraternized. He did little and was happy. He took little from society materially, but he was on overload with how he took pleasure from his simple, modest existence. Does he represent the perfect citizen in a perfect world of socialism? Should everyone, therefore, be like him and be content with less, less desire, less ambition, less of everything material and even less intelligence? According to those that monitored him, he was imperfect because he was perfect, capable of being perfectly upbeat at all times. This author has designed a story that outlines a society by subtly pointing out its failures. The system seemed to grow more and more unfair as human emotion and computation was left out or removed from the process, and mechanical formulae were used for evaluation. It seemed as if actuarial results left no room for adjustment. The lack of human compassion caused errors. It would seem that a person's good life was rated by those who didn't fully understand the good life? Positivity was a negative!
One has to wonder if he will ultimately reverse and become an unhappy pariah, avoided by others, forced into a place of unhappiness because of his being penalized for being happy. Will his frustration deepen? Will his ability to shrug off adversity end? For sure he was caught in a bureaucratic nightmare. Had society become a maze with no way out? Would he still be consistently happy, creating rainbows with a pot of "happiness", at the end?
***I won this book as part of the Early Reviewer program on Library Thing in return for a review.
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LibraryThing member mamajoan
I appreciated this fanciful little book, in which a guy who has sort of drifted through life is suddenly required to pay an enormous sum of money for his "experienced happiness." It seems that the governments of the world have collectively decided to make everyone on earth pay a fee based on how
Anyone who has ever dealt with "customer service" at a large corporation will appreciate the surreal ridiculousness of the protagonist's dealings with the company that sent him the bill -- each time he contacts them, the end result is that his amount due doubles.
The author is pretty obviously trying to convey the notion that a life lived without much examination, with a placid attitude toward both the good and the bad, is the happiest kind of life. And it's kind of charming the way he describes the tiny, insignificant details of daily life, like the cabinet door that won't stay shut, the sound of kids playing outside the window, the discomfort of your ear getting hot and sweaty during a long phone conversation, etc. All of these things, we're to understand, contribute to the protagonist's overall happiness score, because he takes them all as equally interesting parts of life.
But at the same time the protagonist feels compelled to argue that he really isn't all that happy; he's not married, has few friends, spends his days working at a video shop and doing not much of anything. (On one workday, the most interesting thing he does all day is change the wallpaper on his mobile phone.) Like most of us in the modern world, he seems to have the vague nagging feeling that there's more to life than this - the feeling that "there must be something that other people are doing, which I am not doing, which results in other people being happier than me." Yet, for our protagonist, it seems that this actually isn't the case. He is, according to the corporate algorithm, the happiest person on earth.
So the message or moral of the story is fairly obvious, but it's not presented in a preachy way. It's a cute little story with a nicely optimistic ending.
Ironically, if reading this book tempts you to start thinking deep thoughts about the nature of happiness and how happy your particular life is, then you'll be thinking much deeper thoughts than the protagonist does. And he's a lot happier than you. So, maybe, don't? :)
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much pleasure they have received from their life experiences, and our protagonist - whose name we never learn - has been given a shockingly high happiness score according to the complex algorithm being used.Anyone who has ever dealt with "customer service" at a large corporation will appreciate the surreal ridiculousness of the protagonist's dealings with the company that sent him the bill -- each time he contacts them, the end result is that his amount due doubles.
The author is pretty obviously trying to convey the notion that a life lived without much examination, with a placid attitude toward both the good and the bad, is the happiest kind of life. And it's kind of charming the way he describes the tiny, insignificant details of daily life, like the cabinet door that won't stay shut, the sound of kids playing outside the window, the discomfort of your ear getting hot and sweaty during a long phone conversation, etc. All of these things, we're to understand, contribute to the protagonist's overall happiness score, because he takes them all as equally interesting parts of life.
But at the same time the protagonist feels compelled to argue that he really isn't all that happy; he's not married, has few friends, spends his days working at a video shop and doing not much of anything. (On one workday, the most interesting thing he does all day is change the wallpaper on his mobile phone.) Like most of us in the modern world, he seems to have the vague nagging feeling that there's more to life than this - the feeling that "there must be something that other people are doing, which I am not doing, which results in other people being happier than me." Yet, for our protagonist, it seems that this actually isn't the case. He is, according to the corporate algorithm, the happiest person on earth.
So the message or moral of the story is fairly obvious, but it's not presented in a preachy way. It's a cute little story with a nicely optimistic ending.
Ironically, if reading this book tempts you to start thinking deep thoughts about the nature of happiness and how happy your particular life is, then you'll be thinking much deeper thoughts than the protagonist does. And he's a lot happier than you. So, maybe, don't? :)
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LibraryThing member browner56
As a financial economist by profession, I spend a lot of time thinking about how the prices for goods and services are set as well as how those items are distributed to the consuming public. In the so-called “free market” model, prices alone often determine who gets what, with the people
What if in a socially progressive European country—Sweden, say—this scenario was actually true? Suppose further there is an unassuming, not-quite-so-young-anymore man who, out of blue, receives an official bill for 5,700,000 kronor (about 685,000 dollars) because his Experienced Happiness (E.H.) score is so high. This situation sounds like Kafka meets Bergman meets Orwell meets Woody Allen, right? Nevertheless, that is the basic premise of The Invoice, Jonas Karlsson’s cheerfully engaging reflection on the things that make us truly happy and what that contentment might be worth. In fact, when the novel’s protagonist protests the charge, he is told that there has indeed been a mistake: his original E.H. score was severely understated and he now owes considerably more!
This is a very short, very sweet story. The main character, whose name we never learn, is both likeable and someone who is easy to root for, especially in his efforts to maintain a satisfied perspective and even forge a new romantic relationship against the mounting odds. The author’s message is straightforward enough and delivered gently with a good-natured sense of humor that I found appealing. That central theme is also mildly thought provoking, despite the fact that the tale reads more like a longish short story than a fully developed novel. I enjoyed the brief amount of time it took to consume this book and I will look forward to reading more of Karlsson’s work in the future.
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willing to pay the highest amount ending up with the desired objects. What would happen, then, if happiness itself was a commodity to which a price could be attached? Also, what if the collective amount of happiness we experience as a planet is a zero-sum game wherein those that enjoy the most happiness are compelled by some sort of bureaucratic authority to pay the most while those in relative pain receive a transfer payment as compensation for their suffering?What if in a socially progressive European country—Sweden, say—this scenario was actually true? Suppose further there is an unassuming, not-quite-so-young-anymore man who, out of blue, receives an official bill for 5,700,000 kronor (about 685,000 dollars) because his Experienced Happiness (E.H.) score is so high. This situation sounds like Kafka meets Bergman meets Orwell meets Woody Allen, right? Nevertheless, that is the basic premise of The Invoice, Jonas Karlsson’s cheerfully engaging reflection on the things that make us truly happy and what that contentment might be worth. In fact, when the novel’s protagonist protests the charge, he is told that there has indeed been a mistake: his original E.H. score was severely understated and he now owes considerably more!
This is a very short, very sweet story. The main character, whose name we never learn, is both likeable and someone who is easy to root for, especially in his efforts to maintain a satisfied perspective and even forge a new romantic relationship against the mounting odds. The author’s message is straightforward enough and delivered gently with a good-natured sense of humor that I found appealing. That central theme is also mildly thought provoking, despite the fact that the tale reads more like a longish short story than a fully developed novel. I enjoyed the brief amount of time it took to consume this book and I will look forward to reading more of Karlsson’s work in the future.
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LibraryThing member ORTeacher
"The Invoice" by Jonas Karlsson is a cute little novella that makes one smile and reflect upon how little it takes to find a measure of happiness.
Our protagonist is simply "I" so that the reader can more closely relate to him. He gets a bill from a mysterious government agency that is going to
I was pleasantly surprised at how taken in I was by our simple man and was totally immersed in his plight. In this age of so many harsh things constantly being pushed into our viewing, it was a good reminder on how the simple things are really what is important. Perhaps one of the main reasons he was happy was he didn't watch much TV.
Sadly, this is only a few hour read, but still well worth it.
Our protagonist is simply "I" so that the reader can more closely relate to him. He gets a bill from a mysterious government agency that is going to
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charge him for the privilege of having a high "emotional happiness" upbringing. In spite of having illnesses, family deaths, and relationship breakups, these events have caused him to appreciate the simple things that make him happy. Unfortunately for him, wealth was not one of the things to make him happy and he owes much, much more than he can pay. He is able to make a connection with a phone operative at the agency, and even finds happiness talking with her.I was pleasantly surprised at how taken in I was by our simple man and was totally immersed in his plight. In this age of so many harsh things constantly being pushed into our viewing, it was a good reminder on how the simple things are really what is important. Perhaps one of the main reasons he was happy was he didn't watch much TV.
Sadly, this is only a few hour read, but still well worth it.
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LibraryThing member aligarf
What a sweet little book! I was pleasantly surprised, it was quirky, and oddly meaningful. This book reminds us to appreciate the act of living, breathing, and enjoying the sun. It does so by showing us a world that has decided to charge us money for these small everyday occurrences. The hero of
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the story has nothing we would use to measure success, no money, no house, no car... yet here he has amassed a fortune of positive experiences. A short, quick read, and I found it a sweet world to spend a few hours in. Show Less
LibraryThing member PencilStubs
This book reminded me of a “Twilight Zone” episode because it introduces us to an alternate world where one small difference from our own society has huge consequences and changes everything. In “The Invoice,” the one small difference is that everyone is billed for life experiences—the
Note: I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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more “happy” or “satisfying” these experiences are deemed, the more expensive they are. The idea is ridiculous yet thought-provoking. What should be considered a “satisfying” or “happy” experience, and how much should it be worth? The main character leads a very simple, unaccomplished and austere life, yet finds himself being billed an astonishing amount. He contacts customer service to get his bill straightened out because it *must* be wrong, and his problem escalates from there, until the end of the book, which was wrapped up nicely. Overall, a light, quirky, humorous, and interesting read. Note: I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member detailmuse
I’d anticipated a light and quirky novel along the lines of A Man Called Ove (which I enjoyed), but The Invoice seems more a light, dystopian satire (which I enjoy less). The plot is not much larger than the title: an uninteresting man who lives an uninteresting life receives an enormous tax
Though short, much of the novel feels tedious; the protagonist is bland and the reveal is slow and repetitive. That said, it does call Kafka to mind, and some philosophical questions are interesting, particularly regarding how a person’s low expectations, squandered opportunities, or gratitude and appreciation affect happiness.
(Review based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher.)
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invoice (its amount based on an algorithm’s high calculated level of his satisfaction with life), and he pursues an appeal to the amount.Though short, much of the novel feels tedious; the protagonist is bland and the reveal is slow and repetitive. That said, it does call Kafka to mind, and some philosophical questions are interesting, particularly regarding how a person’s low expectations, squandered opportunities, or gratitude and appreciation affect happiness.
(Review based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher.)
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LibraryThing member westcott
Starts off like Kafka, but lighter, then ends up feeling oddly like a romantic comedy, but never ends up quite as sappy or obvious as I feared it might at one point. I have never heard of this author, but I'd check him out again given how much I enjoyed this. This book follows a man who is given a
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bill for how much his life is worth as a part of a program to redistribute based on happiness, fulfillment, experience, etc. and the bill (the titular invoice) isn't what he expects. Show Less
LibraryThing member ashmolean1
Loved this book. Very Kafkaesque. Karlsson has written a story with bureaucratic nightmare scenarios written in a modern day setting which is both disturbing and entertaining at the same time. Well written and a delightful short read. I loved the compact format of the book too.
LibraryThing member c.archer
This little book takes an interesting look at the value of life and living. It is a modern day fable in which people receive invoices charging them since "being alive costs". The main character in the story is left unnamed, but is a youngish single man living in Sweden, who works part-time in a
I am glad that the writer didn't try to make more of this story. It is a unique and fresh look at the value of the lives we live, but would have certainly devolved if he had tried to do anything more. In the words of another fable character,baby bear, "It is just right".
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video store and leads a most unassuming life. He receives a bill for over 5 million kronor as a one-time fee for his enjoyment of his life thus far. He pretty much ignores the initial invoice as some kind of mix-up, but eventually discovers that it is very much real. He has no money or anything of value with which to pay it, and can't figure out why he has been charged so much for his mundane and simple life. His efforts to correct the "error" lead to comical results. There, of course, is a moral to this fable. Since it is such a short and quick read, I would recommend that you read it yourself to discover it.I am glad that the writer didn't try to make more of this story. It is a unique and fresh look at the value of the lives we live, but would have certainly devolved if he had tried to do anything more. In the words of another fable character,baby bear, "It is just right".
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LibraryThing member asomers
This was a thought provoking novel. My take away from the story was that all too often we take life for granted. What if there was a price for everything that made us happy? Would we stop and appreciate it more? Would we make different choices? Would we be satisfied with small personal pleasures or
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want more grandiose expressions of contentment and happiness?I'm not sure if that was what the author was questioning, but its what I thought about as I read the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member MaureenCean
Received an ARC as an Early Reviewer. This is a very quick read, just a few hours. But golly, it was entertaining and felt longer than it was. The premise, which I won't detail, is amusing, if not a little silly on the surface, but it is the journey of self discovery that the main character
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completes that is the centerpiece. It may put your perception of average and ordinary up on its ear. Show Less
LibraryThing member debnance
A man lives a simple life. He finds an invoice in his mail. It’s for all the happinesses he has experienced in his life. And it’s for a huge amount of money.
Let’s see where this one goes, shall we?
I won’t say too much more, but if you are interested in what truly makes people happy...if
Let’s see where this one goes, shall we?
I won’t say too much more, but if you are interested in what truly makes people happy...if
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you like surprising books...or if you just want to take a little spin around town for a couple of hours, then jump on this fun story today. Show Less
LibraryThing member sherripo
This book was a quick read and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It makes you stop and think about what is important in life - material things or being happy with your life as it is and what is actually more valuable.
LibraryThing member bonitajean
Thank you LibraryThing for the opportunity to read/review this book. I enjoyed it, but was somewhat disappointed by the way it ended. The book was strange but interesting. Had to change kroners to dollars to find out how much he owed. The author was also the author of The Room - really different
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writing. The main character was charged a happiness tax - amounting to millions. But happiness in his life I did not see - matter of fact I felt sorry for him, he did live in his own world, that's for sure. Fast reading, enjoyable and different. Show Less
LibraryThing member wincrow
"The Invoice" by Jonas Karlsson is a story about a man who receives a bill for his life. Naturally he ignores it until a new bill arrives, this time with a late fee. While the story was pretty short, barely over 200 pages, but the story stuck with me. I began to wonder what kind of bill I would
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receive. All in all an interesting story that I would recommend, especially for book clubs. Show Less
LibraryThing member claudiaannett
Brilliant idea for a novel. The invoice is a tax on happiness, and the unnamed Swedish hero has nothing.. He works part time in a video store with almost no friends or family. So why is he taxed more than anyone else? A very Swedish answer is because his expectations were so low, it took very
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little to make him happy. He spends his time trying to convince his customer service rep that his life really is pitiful to get the tax reduced, but discovers some things about himself along the way. Show Less
Awards
Niels Klim prisen (Nominee — 2016)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
208 p.; 5.2 inches
ISBN
110190514X / 9781101905142