The One Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
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4.3 • 375 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Sitting quietly in his room in an old people's home, Allan Karlsson is waiting for a party he doesn't want to begin. His one-hundredth birthday party to be precise. The Mayor will be there. The press will be there. But, as it turns out, Allan will not . . .
Escaping (in his slippers) through his bedroom window, into the flowerbed, Allan makes his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving a suitcase full of cash, a few thugs, a very friendly hot-dog stand operator, a few deaths, an elephant and incompetent police. As his escapades unfold, Allan's earlier life is revealed. A life in which - remarkably - he played a key role behind the scenes in some of the momentous events of the twentieth century.
The One Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared is a charming, warm and funny novel, beautifully woven with history and politics.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The madcap story of Allan Karlsson—a jovial firebrand who escapes from the Old Folks’ Home on the eve of his centennial birthday—is a funny and poignant labour of love. Before writing his bestselling debut, Jonas Jonasson walked away from his career as a successful Swedish media magnate in pursuit of a more balanced and happy existence. Jonasson’s protagonist embarks on his own wild adventure involving a stolen suitcase of dirty money, a frozen corpse plus a trip down memory lane involving Allan’s colourful family and key figures of 20th-century history.
Customer Reviews
Simple but intriguing
First read in a long time, I hate books, but I liked this one. Well most of it. Starts well, middle section is very addictive, then it gets a bit repetitive. Plausible story unless you read it twice, Can learn a bit of history from his travels and how simple the world really is but covered up by politics and artificial borders. Nice book.
A rollicking read!
What a life, what a character! Twists and turns of a life well lived
I feel sad Allan missed his cat
Not as funny as I thought
If you want to read something funny maybe try A Man Called Ova.