About the Book:
A few minutes before his hundredth birthday party is thrown, Allan Karlsson escapes from his room in the Old People’s Home and embarks on a journey that will leave the entire town of Malmkompling in a frantic search. With no destination in mind, he heads for the train station and inquires on a trip to anywhere that leaves the soonest. Here he met a slightly built young man who asked if he could look after a gray suitcase while he takes a dump in the toilet. The man rushes inside just as soon as Allan's bus arrives. As a man who has never been given to pondering things too long, Allan then took for the bus with the suitcase in tow. The suitcase, as it turns out, contains 500 million crown notes. Unbeknown to Allan, the young man (who is, by the way, a member of Never Again, a small group of men with criminal intentions) follows his trail and haunts the geriatric that went away with his suitcase and its princely sum. While back in the Old People's home, things were set abuzz bringing some well-wishers (which includes the mayor, journalists and the police) in a wild goose chase for the old geezer. Riding the bus to Byringe Station only begins Allan’s escape, an adventure among the very many adventures in this centenarian's life. From his first failures as an explosives nut, to being a prisoner and a renegade of the Russian correction camp "Vladivostok" to the various coincidences that dragged him into the worst places at the worst times and with the most notorious men and women in history (among them were Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera; the father of atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, 33rd U.S. Vice President, Harry S. Truman; Madame Chiang Kai-shek or Soong May-ling; he saved the then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill from being blown to bits in Tehran, Herbert Einstein (brother of Albert Einstein whom he was mistaken for during a planned kidnapping); Soviet Union leader, Joseph Stalin; North Korea Supreme Leader; Kim Il Sung (and Kim Jong Il who was then 10 years old); The founding father of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Tse-Tung). There was no space for dullness in its pages. It's a thrilling and engaging read that makes you slap out a laugh or two (to be met by confused looks. Just warning you). A work of fiction that's a fun roll of comedy and unforgettable characters: Julius Jonsson, the red biddy Gunilla Bjorkland a.k.a The Beauty (and her circus elephant “Sonya” and Alsatian “Buster”), Benny the hotdog vendor, Bosse. One will admire Jonas Joansson for milking a hilarious story in the midst of world wars and violence. I definitely enjoyed reading it that I didn't want to put it down. Definitely among the list of notable reads of 2013, along with Adam Johnson's "The Orphan Master's Son".
This is Jonas Jonasson's first book and according to his FB page there's an upcoming book "The Analphabet That Could Count" WHICH IS MAKING ME VERY EXCITED RIGHT NOW!
A few minutes before his hundredth birthday party is thrown, Allan Karlsson escapes from his room in the Old People’s Home and embarks on a journey that will leave the entire town of Malmkompling in a frantic search. With no destination in mind, he heads for the train station and inquires on a trip to anywhere that leaves the soonest. Here he met a slightly built young man who asked if he could look after a gray suitcase while he takes a dump in the toilet. The man rushes inside just as soon as Allan's bus arrives. As a man who has never been given to pondering things too long, Allan then took for the bus with the suitcase in tow. The suitcase, as it turns out, contains 500 million crown notes. Unbeknown to Allan, the young man (who is, by the way, a member of Never Again, a small group of men with criminal intentions) follows his trail and haunts the geriatric that went away with his suitcase and its princely sum. While back in the Old People's home, things were set abuzz bringing some well-wishers (which includes the mayor, journalists and the police) in a wild goose chase for the old geezer. Riding the bus to Byringe Station only begins Allan’s escape, an adventure among the very many adventures in this centenarian's life. From his first failures as an explosives nut, to being a prisoner and a renegade of the Russian correction camp "Vladivostok" to the various coincidences that dragged him into the worst places at the worst times and with the most notorious men and women in history (among them were Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera; the father of atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, 33rd U.S. Vice President, Harry S. Truman; Madame Chiang Kai-shek or Soong May-ling; he saved the then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill from being blown to bits in Tehran, Herbert Einstein (brother of Albert Einstein whom he was mistaken for during a planned kidnapping); Soviet Union leader, Joseph Stalin; North Korea Supreme Leader; Kim Il Sung (and Kim Jong Il who was then 10 years old); The founding father of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Tse-Tung). There was no space for dullness in its pages. It's a thrilling and engaging read that makes you slap out a laugh or two (to be met by confused looks. Just warning you). A work of fiction that's a fun roll of comedy and unforgettable characters: Julius Jonsson, the red biddy Gunilla Bjorkland a.k.a The Beauty (and her circus elephant “Sonya” and Alsatian “Buster”), Benny the hotdog vendor, Bosse. One will admire Jonas Joansson for milking a hilarious story in the midst of world wars and violence. I definitely enjoyed reading it that I didn't want to put it down. Definitely among the list of notable reads of 2013, along with Adam Johnson's "The Orphan Master's Son".
This is Jonas Jonasson's first book and according to his FB page there's an upcoming book "The Analphabet That Could Count" WHICH IS MAKING ME VERY EXCITED RIGHT NOW!
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| The last pic is of the author and he is not at all dangerous. |
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