The 100-Year-Old Man who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared

I just loved this book - thanks to Shari for the recommendation! It's a funny, fast-paced, enjoyable read.

Allan Karlsson is the 100-year-old in question - in fact, it's his birthday today, and the old folks home where he lives has a party planned with the Mayor coming and everything. But Allan wants no parts of it, so he climbs out the window. So begins on of the greatest adventures of his life. Not that Allan's life has been without adventure - the format of the novel is one chapter in the present day followed by a chapter on all the preceding years, starting when Allan was a child. In a nod to Forrest Gump, he's had some involvement in many of the important chapters - and with many of the important people - of the past hundred years (though his involvement was of much more import than teaching Elvis how to dance).

Allan is of course not alone in his current adventure, and the company he takes up with is as quirky and interesting as he is. There's a petty crook, a hot-dog-stand proprietor, a farm owner with a pet elephant, and some others. Everyone brings something unique to the story and helps Allan enjoy his final (he hopes) adventure.

The author, Jonas Jonasson, is Swedish, so I'm guessing the book is a translation. I'm not sure if that's the reason for the sort of story-telling tone of the language, or if the tone is intended to influence the reader's understanding of Allan's character (I think it's the latter). Either way, this is just a wonderful, warm, enjoyable book.

The 100-Year-Old Man