I’ve just finished reading the best-selling novel by Jonas Jonasson, The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared. I’d seen the book advertised and in the bookshop for a long time, but the title put me off, and when I skimmed the reviews it sounded even sillier. However, as a member of the book club, when it was chosen, I dutifully bought it and began to read it.
The title doesn’t seem to do justice to the book, and the reviews I glanced at were very superficial; it is quite an extraordinary book, and I hesitate to say too much about it because it would spoil the surprises Jonasson gives the reader. It is certainly funnier than I expected, very informative and thought-provoking – the discussion we had today at book club was very far-ranging, and there is a gripping storyline – or should I say story-lines because there are two stories running through it. It is a picaresque novel, but the different episodes and events all weave together, and all relate to each other in an interesting and satisfying way. Having finished the book and thinking about the title, I can now understand more about it – and in fact it is a very clever title!
The author is an interesting man, who came to writing late after several different very successful careers in different businesses.He had the idea for the story long ago, and the character of the old man; apparently he wrote about the old man’s adventures over the years and only when he gave up work because of health problems did he actually complete his novel.
One other thing to mention is that the novel was written in Swedish – what a brilliant and fluent translation Rod Bradbury has given us!
Lois Elsden 