Begin at the beginning…..

During the past couple of years I saw a book mentioned on so many of the ‘Book Blogs’ I occasionally read.  It sounded so bizzare yet so much fun it had me wanting to read it.  It dutifully got listed on my ‘want to read’ list and then promptly forgotten about 🙂

A few weeks ago I finally got round to ordering it and will sit down over the weekend to start reading a book about an old man about to turn 100 who runs away from the place he is living and the adventures he has along the way.

 Back of Book Blurb

Escaping (in his slippers) through his bedroom window, into the flower bed, Allan makes his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving a suitcase full of cash, a few thugs, a very friendly hot-dog stand operator, a few deaths, an elephant, and incompetent police. As his escapades unfold, Allan’s earlier life is revealed. A life in which – remarkably – he played a key role behind the scenes in some of the momentous events of the twentieth century.

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Chapter 1

You might think he could have made-up his mind earlier and been man enough to inform his surrounding of his decision. But Allan Karlsson had never been given to pondering things too long.

So the idea had barely taken hold in the old man’s head before he opened the window of his room on the ground floor of the Old Folk’s Home in the town of Malmkoping and stepped out – into the flower bed

This manoeuvre required a bit of effort since Allan was 100 years old, on the very day in fact.  There was less than an hour to go before his birthday party would begin in the lounge of the Old Folk’s Home. The mayor would be there.  And the local paper.  And all the other old people.  And the entire staff led by the bad-tempered Director Alice.

It was only the Birthday Boy himself who didn’t intend to turn up….

Here’s hoping the wait has been worth it.

Have any of you read it – was it as funny as advertised?