Allan Karlsson is taking things easy. After climbing out the window of his old people’s home and accidentally entangling himself in a saga involving a suitcase full of cash, a gang of thugs and an elephant, the still-sprightly centenarian is living a well-deserved life of luxury in Bali, with his best and only friend Julius.
Many people would never tire of sipping cocktails on the beach, but after a time Allan and Julius grow restless. There are only so many fancy drinks that one can drink, and compared to their exciting international adventures of the past, their decadent beachside life is becoming a bore.
When Allan’s one-hundred-and-first birthday begins to creep closer, Julius decides it’s time to liven things up. He organises a nice hot air balloon ride in honour of his friend’s big day, and it’s almost time for take-off when the operator jumps out to have a quick bite of Allan’s birthday cake.
After Julius accidentally snaps the lever that sets the balloon in motion, Allan and Julius go sailing high into the sky. Quickly over the shock, the pair settle in for a whale of a time, but Allan and Julius are no hot air balloon experts, and soon have to make an emergency landing in the sea.
Rescued by a North Korean ship, Allan and Julius are preparing to return to their life of Balinese boredom when they make a surprising discovery: there’s a case of contraband uranium on board. Soon, the pair are swept into an international diplomatic crisis involving all manner of very important people, but can they survive unscathed? Or have Allan and Julius finally met their match?
Jonas Jonasson’s sequel to the 2009 bestseller, The One-Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared, is another masterful satire on the shortcomings of man, and through Allan and Julius’s latest adventures, the author paints a thought-provoking picture of the current state of the world.
In particular, Allan’s encounters with contemporary leaders ranging from Putin to Trump to Kim Jong-un, make some timely and important points about truth, morality and power. Gifted storyteller Jonasson conveys these messages gently, with nuance, warmth, wit, and not a hint of didacticism.
Allan is an endlessly endearing protagonist, and The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man is just as intricately plotted as the first book, with madcap twists and turns galore. If you liked The One-Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed with this funny, smart and stimulating novel.
A highly recommended read.
About the author:
After a long career as a journalist, media consulta
nt and television producer, Jonas Jonasson decided to start a new life. He sold all his possessions in his homeland of Sweden, moved to a small town byLake Lugano in Switzerland, and wrote a manuscript. That manuscript became the international 2009 hit, The One-Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared, and Jonasson is now the author of four bestselling novels including his latest, The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man.
Purchase a copy of The Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man here
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