Crazy and uplifting in equal measure, a very strange and wondrous life, whose protagonist gets to befriend Roosevelt and Truman and Churchill, as well as Stalin and Chairman Mao and Kim Jong-Il, and decides that a 100th-birthday party locked in a retirement community is not a good way to spend a day after all...

Reminds me of a mix between Hendrik Groen and Forrest Gump. It did take awhile for me to get into this read but I ended up liking it. You can’t help but fall in love with the adorable protagonist Allan, a Swedish man who sneaks out of his retirement home right before his 100 year old birthday party begins. Allan escapes to a train station where he accidentally steals 50 million euros and heads off to accidentally meet another criminal. It just gets stranger and stranger from there with hot dog stand vendors, elephants, and accidental murders. The reader also gets a look into Allan’s past where he has an insane history of creating explosives for some of the rulers around the world in China, America, and Russia. This was a very fun read but it does take awhile to get into.

This book is irreverent, laugh out loud, mouth drop open entertainment. Historical fiction, if you could choose your own adventure, and what if those crazy relatives had to fend for themselves all wrapped into one. The story is unexpected at every turn and does not take itself seriously.

Allan Karlsson is 100 years old. Instead of joining the fun at his birthday party, he escapes through an open window and begins a spontaneous (and highly unrealistic) grand adventure which reads a lot like Winston Groom's 1986 Forrest Gump novel. Just like Forrest's story, much of this book is told as flashbacks where simple-minded Allan casually tromps through major historical events. Jonasson's easy-to-read writing is both light and dryly humorous; however, I don't think that I laughed even once while reading the book. In 2013, this book was developed into an R-rated Oscar-nominated movie which I have absolutely zero desire to watch.

Sly, satirical and humorous story of a centenarian Swede, Alan, who escapes his nursing home and goes on walkabout to a bus station, where on a whim he steals a rude man's suitcase and sets out on a bus trip to parts unknown. But the man, a criminal, pursues. Many hijinks ensue, along with flashbacks to Alan's adventurous life.

Tea & Talk Book Club / December 2015

I read this for the "Set in a Country You've Visited" part of my 2019 reading challenge. Overall I didn't love it, a few parts made me laugh out loud but I thought it was dumb in general. The last half was easier to read once you get into the flow of the writing style, the first part felt too patchy.

I really enjoyed this book. When I initially started reading, I was intrigued by the unique style of writing. It's definitely not what you would expect: it's a wild ride from start to finish. Kind of Forest Gump meets Swedish noir during the arms race. It is a relatively easy read, though I think it's suitable for more mature audiences. It's one of those happy, feel-good books and it's a perfect read if you're feeling down or are in need of a laugh.

An amusing yarn of a man who, in his earlier years, might have been Harry Flashman, Junior (although somewhat more feckless than the George MacDonald Fraser character). In his old age, his improbable Flashman-like adventures continue.

Humorous with that wry Swedish touch. The story draws you in and the alternating chapters on Alan's life are woven together well and seamlessly. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly recommend.