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

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

By: Jonas Jonasson
Narrated by: Peter Kenny
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About this listen

 Sitting quietly in his room in an old people's home, Allan Karlsson is waiting for a party he doesn't want to begin: his 100th birthday party. Escaping through his bedroom window, into the flowerbed, Allan makes his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving criminals, several deaths, a suitcase full of cash, and incompetent but very human police. As his escapades unfold, Allan's earlier life is revealed, and we discover that he played a key role behind the scenes in some of the momentous events of the 20th century.

This ‘imaginative, laugh-out-loud bestseller’ (Daily Telegraph) has sold more than two million printed copies.

©2009 Jonas Jonasson (P)2012 Strathmore Publishing Ltd Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Fiction Funny Feel-Good Thought-Provoking Witty Comedy
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Editor reviews

Jonas Jonasson’s charming novel The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared tells the story of Allan Karlsson, who has just turned 100 and is desperate to escape his own birthday party. On the run from the old people’s home in his slippers, Allan soon is swept into an adventure involving a suitcase stuffed with money, murder victims, villains and police. As the narrative unfolds, we discover more of Allan’s Forrest Gump-like background, having worked on the Manhattan Project, befriended heads of state and had a hand in many of the momentous events of the twentieth century. This delightful audiobook is narrated by Peter Kenny and available for download from Audible.

Critic reviews

“Like Forrest Gump, Allan is an innocent with the knack of being in the right place at the right time. He has had a hand in everything from the Russian revolution to Reagan's Star Wars. Like Allan, the plot is pleasingly nimble and the book's endearing charm offers a happy alternative to the more familiar Nordic noir.” ( The Guardian)
"a mordantly funny and loopily freewheeling debut novel about ageing ¬disgracefully, [full of] infectious humour and crackpot energy. The author has ... an acute ear for dialogue and a brilliant eye for the absurd." ( Sunday Times)
“Peter Kenny...reads with the straightness [the book's] dry humour requires ... I guarantee there will be a smile on your face when you hear it.” (Christina Hardyment, The Times)

What listeners say about The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Creative Butterfly

You go on a journey that you don't want to stop

A brilliant book. I wouldn't want to give anything away as every page you turn will have you laughing and in a state of disbelief. So if you want to go on an adventure with a 100 year old Swedish man who has had an unusual, funny and amazing life then this is the book for you. I dare you not to love it.

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30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Ian

Fatastic

Great story and brilliant narration will take you on a journey you won't forget in a hurry. If this is Jonas Jonasson's debut novel, I cannot wait for his next.

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3 people found this helpful

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Made me lough

Made me lough, Easy to read ( listen), was excellent for me to listen on the tube on the way to work

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Olivia

Loved it

Where does The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is definitely in my top 5.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared?

Getting onto the bus with the suitcase

What does Peter Kenny bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Brilliantly read, and I loved the different voices and accents.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No

Any additional comments?

A must read/listen. In fact I would now like to read the book now that I've heard it in audible format.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Colin

A good laugh.

Loved it, could not put it down, a read in one go if there ever was one. I Enjoyed It!

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1 person found this helpful

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Profile Image for MR. J WORTHINGTON

Good fun

Very funny in parts, laugh out loud, bit of Forrest Gump about it really enjoyed it.

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1 person found this helpful

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Profile Image for Jj

Awesome hilarious

Where does The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I loved this book I will listen to it often.

What did you like best about this story?

It was so cool how someone of this age could have such an adventure I just wanted to listen in one go

Which character – as performed by Peter Kenny – was your favourite?

The old man was my favourite I loved the different tones to the characters

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A perfectly unusual adventure

Any additional comments?

Listen you will be pleased you did

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for georgie

best book i have listened to in ages

Would you consider the audio edition of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared to be better than the print version?

Very well narrated very funny

Who was your favorite character and why?

ALAN - done it all - a lesson in history!

Which scene did you most enjoy?

the elephant murder

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Simon

Funniest book I have listened to

What made the experience of listening to The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared the most enjoyable?

The story was completely unexpected.

What did you like best about this story?

I was regularly crying with laughter

Which character – as performed by Peter Kenny – was your favourite?

Allan

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Allan Karlsson - not your average centenarian

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Niamh

I wanted to jump in and join Allan.

Where does The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was the best book I've listened to so far. I starting using audiobooks to help me sleep at night and most to date have worked for that purpose. But this book had me glued. I found myself bringing my headphones with me everywhere and got funny looks laughing to myself while plugged in walking around Tesco's! It was fun, well written and well read.

What other book might you compare The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared to, and why?

None yet. It was fun and refreshing.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Too many to mention. I loved the tales of Allan wandering around the world meeting famous people. I found this to be written in such a way that even the dullest scene was humorous.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The amazing case of three men, a beauty and an elephant!!

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1 person found this helpful