The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (The Hundred-Year-Old Man, #1) in Fiction Fanatics

Nov 27, 2018 Book Concierge rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: movie, audio, comedy, book-club, crime, library, concierge, elephants, adventure, sweden

Audible Audio read by Steven Crossley

3.5***

From the book jacket: After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he鈥檚 still in good health, and one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn鈥檛 interested (and he鈥檇 like a bit more control over his alcohol consumption). So he decides to escape, embarking on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey.

My reactions:
Well, this was a ...more

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Apr 20, 2023 Sandie rated it really liked it

Shelves: literary-fiction

Allen Karlsson is turning one hundred. The rest home where he is living these days is planning a celebration but Allen wants none of that. He has two interests in life, explosives and vodka and neither are available at the rest home. So he climbs out of his ground floor window and takes off.

Over the years, Allen's interest in explosives has taken him all over the world and he has met many world leaders. He has worked for the United States Manhattan Project as a janitor who solves the last issue ...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Mandie Lowe rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Oh, I should have read this earlier! It's been on my reading list for a while. I kept putting it off, because I expected it to be more literary. It was far more entertaining than I expected.

A very fun, entertaining read indeed. Yes, it's completely far fetched and ridiculous and impossible, but it's genuinely funny. Recommended to just about anyone. ...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Steph rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I'm not really sure what to do this with this book. I have never read anything quite like it. On the one hand, it absolutely was not for me: I'm not a fan of comic novels (I just did not get 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' at all and often wish Austen would stop trying to be ironic); I am also not a fan of novels about politics (I know this is terrible but I think all political parties are just as bad as each other, with a few exceptions that are particularly awful and so I can't really b I'm not really sure what to do this with this book. I have never read anything quite like it. On the one hand, it absolutely was not for me: I'm not a fan of comic novels (I just did not get 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' at all and often wish Austen would stop trying to be ironic); I am also not a fan of novels about politics (I know this is terrible but I think all political parties are just as bad as each other, with a few exceptions that are particularly awful and so I can't really be bothered to vote). Yet somehow, I loved this novel and have even bought a copy for my dad (who does love politics and history and is a very funny man). So what is it all about? and perhaps more importantly, how has this, bizarrely named novel, sold over 750,000 copies in its native Sweden and been on the bestseller list in Denmark for a year?

Sick of being stuck in an old people's home, on his 100th birthday, Allan Karlson makes an escape. In the process, he manages to steal a suitcase (in many ways entirely accidentally) full of drug's money belonging to Sweden's largest and most dangerous gang. He thus finds himself (at 100) on the run from both the gang itself and the police, who increasingly begin to suspect he is involved in several murders that seem to have accidentally occurred on route. On his journey to liberation, he gathers a group of faithful, peculiar cronies including Benji, a hot dog vendor with more incomplete degrees than half the British population, a down and out, a farm worker called Rose and an elephant (naturally). In the process, he also reveals his previous escapades prior to nursing home incarceration, which include working for China and the Communists and saving Winston Churchill. I can't actually either summarise or reveal any more as simply too much goes on and there are two many mini-stories within the hypo-narrative.

This is a real coup of a novel and it is rare you come across anything so original. As long as you don't go into this novel expecting anything serious or particularly realistic, you will thoroughly enjoy what it has to offer. Karlson has been compared to Forest Gump and I can see why, but the point about Karlson is his brilliant intelligence even if he and others fail to initially recognise it. He is an absolute unacknowledged genius, which is where so many of his problems begin. This was witty, satirical narrative that often bordered on absolute farce. I laughed (a lot). I loved the characters, I loved the humour and there were some really splendid moments of mock tension. If anything, it reminded me of Voltaire's 'Candide': the ridiculous, near impossible journey; the eternal optimism of the protagonist against insurmountable odds; the use of satire to mock political and historical issues; the wonderful humour; the gathering of a group of rough shod individuals, who somehow find a way of finding a sort of happiness together.

Having said this, some of the present day sections felt a little slow and there were times when I just wanted Jonasson to get on with it. Moreover, I'm not sure I know enough about history or politics (despite an A Level in the former) to have fully appreciated all the jokes. So ultimately, it did remain not quite my cup of tea.
Nonetheless, this is a magnificent book and even though it perhaps was not for me and I won't be rushing out to buy his next offering, it was a rip roaring, titter of a read that I still thoroughly enjoyed.

Probably more like 3.5, but given its breadth and the fact I think it will appeal so much to people of a more political/ satirical bent, I am going to go with 4. ...more

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Oct 20, 2022 Catsalive rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2022

I loved this delightfully quirky tale of Allan Karlsson's adventures. What made it even better was Steven Crossley's brilliantly deadpan delivery. I had fits of giggles on a number of occasions, & had to stop the car during the destruction of Vladivostok because I couldn't see through the tears. Such a calm narration of the ludicrous was just beautiful. ...more

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Jan 17, 2019 Chris rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Boring, boring, boring, and dumb. That鈥檚 all I can think of that sums up the book for me. When I picked it up I wasn鈥檛 expecting great literature but I was hoping for a quick and enjoyable read. Neither happened which was unfortunate. I鈥檓 also wondering if the translation had something to do with my dislike of the book.

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Nov 29, 2022 Alisha Brook rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-stars, still-to-review

4 stars

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Mar 08, 2013 Becky rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bookclub, challenge-books, favorites

3.5 stars really. I really liked this one - totally charming and disarming. Who would have thought a book about the story of a 100-year-old man who is apolitical, not religious, and seemingly lacking any ambition could be so fun? A well done satire with some laugh out loud moments.

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