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

First Published: 2012 by Hesperus Press Limited (London)
Date Started: 28th March 2013
Date Finished: 30th March 2013
Genre: Humour
Read for: Casual
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The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson tells the very funny story of Allan Karlsson, who on his one hundredth birthday is being thrown a party in the Old People's Home that he doesn't want. The mayor and the press are going to be there, and he will do anything to get out of going to it. So, not wanting to go to the party, he does what the title of the book says: he climbs out of the window.
Allan goes where life will take him, and soon ends up going on one huge adventure, meeting many people on the way. Most of these people end up being friends with him, but there are a few who are quite the opposite. Being a rather clever man when it comes to getting out of bad situations, and with the help of friends along the way, Allan continues to go with whatever will happen and with not a lot of bother and care whenever trouble is involved (which is pretty much the majority of the book).

I've never read anything quite like this before, and even though it is early on in the year, I have to say that this is my favourite book so far. It's laugh out loud funny and some of the characters are very unique. The narrative is written very well and at times made it hard to put down. The book is a translation done by Rod Bradbury as the original is written in Swedish. Although I've not read the original version (I'll let you guess the reasons as to why), I feel that Bradbury has done an excellent job of translating it to English. I did have some difficulty trying to think how to read the names of a few people and places, but nevertheless, I carried on reading.

One of the ways that I love the way that it's written is that it not only follows the present life of Allan, it also goes back in time to when he was younger, starting from when he was a child all the way to how he ended up in the Old People's Home. It really helps you to understand as a reader how Allan is the way that he is. Like in the present time of his life, Allan's life before he ended up in the Old People's Home is an exciting adventure. I'll not describe it to much as I don't want to tell any spoilers, but he ends up meeting with a lot of famous 20th century political leaders along the way, some end up being good friends and remembering him rather well, others who would very happily kill him.

This is a book that I would happily recommended to anyone who wants a good laugh and an addictive read. As it says on the cover, it's an international bestselling sensation,and I can see why it is. I have a feeling this is one of those books that I will re-read over time and still enjoy may years later.