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Loading... The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (original 2009; edition 2012)by Jonas Jonasson (Author), Rod Bradbury (Translator)
Work InformationThe One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson (2009)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Allan Karlsson is about to celebrate his 100th birthday, but instead of attending the party at his much-hated retirement home, he climbs out the window and walks directly into a series of ridiculous situations, starting with stealing a suitcase full of money from a criminal in the bus station and going on to involve several new friends, at least two murders, and an elephant. But none of it seems too bizarre to Allan, who it turns out has spent his life heedlessly wandering in and out of various major events of the past century, accidentally befriending heads of state and shaping world history. The whole thing is utterly silly, and utterly delightful. You can't exactly call the main character a good person -- he's as amoral as he is apolitical, which is very, despite how often he gets caught up in politics -- but he is weirdly charming in his own forthright way, and vastly entertaining. The writing style is a lot of fun, too, and I have to give huge props to the translator for rendering something that feels exactly the right kind of humorous and quirky. None of it is meant to be taken at all seriously, so don't start nitpicking it for historical accuracy or judging the characters' criminal activities. It's something you have to just decide to go with, in all its insanity, and then sit back and enjoy the ride. Which I did, immensely. The premise was interesting but the execution was not particularly amusing, or plausible. Maybe the reader needs to be raised in a Scandinavian culture to appreciate the telling. The flashback histories seemed a contrived way to make the MC important. Mainly skimmed after the first several chapter/episodes to see if the narrative improved, but basically a DNF.
Fast-moving and relentlessly sunny, the novel quickly develops into a romp that takes in all the major events of the 20th century. . . the plot is pleasingly nimble and the book's endearing charm offers a happy alternative to the more familiar Nordic noir. Stalin synger svenske drikkeviser, og Truman blir dritings .Forrest Gump som hundreåring i ny bok. ANMELDELSE: Han redder general Franco, riktignok etter først å ha plassert en bombe for å drepe ham. Han avverger et attentat mot Churchill, og gir Oppenheimer den endelige løsningen på formelen for atombomben. Det rene soap altså. Samtidig er det — på sin høyst skakke og fantasifulle måte — en fantastisk reise gjennom forrige århundre. Jonas Jonassen er intelligent, vittig og systemkritisk, der han harver over alt fra fjollete politifolk, rasehygienikere og despoters ideologiske paranoia. I en bok som gir håp om at alle har en fremtid, også hundreåringer. Nästan frustande av alla förvecklingar som ryms i debuten släpper jag snart taget en bit in i läsningen. Jag inser att precis vad som helst kan hända och kommer att göra det. Författaren tycks bubbla av infallsrikedom strösslad med lite sensmoral. Is contained inHas the adaptationAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
Fiction.
Literature.
HTML: 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's still in good healthâ??and tomorrow is his hundredth birthday. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn't interested, and he'd like a bit more control over his vodka consumption. So he decides to escape. He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator, and an elephant.Quirky and utterly unique, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared has charmed over two million people around the world. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)839.738Literature German literature and literatures of related languages Other Germanic literatures Swedish literature Swedish fiction 2000-LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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This is a charming book, though one that perhaps is just a litle too long. It's a perfect contrast however to the somewhat dark crime novels that have emerged from Scandinavia in recent years. Why not read it? ( )