The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

Translated from the original Swedish by Rod Bradbury

2014 Longlist

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 criminals, several murders, a suitcase full of cash, 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.

(From Publisher)

About the Author

Jonas Jonasson was born in Sweden in 1962. He has a professional background as a journalist and media consultant. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is his first novel which Jonasson describes as ‘an intelligent, very stupid book’. He is currently working on his second.

Librarians’ Comments

“After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home. Desperate to avoid his 100th birthday party, he climbs out of the window and decides to escape”. Charmingly funny version of 20th Century history. Hilarious, whimsical and highly entertaining present-day story involving, among other surprises, an elephant (my favourite “character”).

A fabulous read – a mix between Tom Sharpe, Tom Robbins and Jim Dodge. It’s a bit of a roller coaster ride, full of fun and ingenuity and with great pace. A delight.

This is an extraordinary novel with hilarious entertainment, well written and historically well researched. It is a splendid combination of popular culture, mystery and Swedish style storytelling.