The central character in this light-hearted, Scandinavian novel is Alan Karlsson. It begins on the day of his one-hundredth birthday as he sits in his room at the old people’s home contemplating the planned party, a party which he does not relish so he climbs out of the window and embarks on an adventure. Things just happen to him as he soon finds himself in possession of a suitcase full of money which belongs to a criminal gang who chase him across Sweden. As he progresses along his journey, he gathers around him a group of disparate characters and a series of flashbacks reveal his past involvement in key political events of the 20th century. The twin stories of Alan’s past and present day adventures provide a satire on the foibles of mankind and lead to a satisfyingly happy ending.
If you enjoy quirky, dry humour then the believable absurdity of both storylines will amuse you as it did for many of our group.
Pat Mutton