"The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson

Finally something that is sweet, quirky, original and feel good literature.

Contrary to what publishers regularly assume readers would go for - thrillers, mysteries, popular historical novels dressed up as biographies, another Dead Sea scrolls adding to the pile of preconceptions - here is a decidedly witty, lighthearted novel that encompasses the whole 20th century and its most important figures, while simultaneously celebrating a hundred years old main character who is combination of Forrest Gump and Good soldier Švejk - good natured, easy going and simple soul who survived all the life's calamities because he refused to ever worry about anything.

Allan Emmanuel Karlsson is exactly hundred years old when we first encounter him. He is also not happy with the strict discipline in his retirement home (later we find out why he lives there) and dreads all the fuss journalists and officials will make out of this occasion, so in the spur of the moment he quietly slips trough the window and disappears towards some bus station in his slippers - to some randomly chosen destination - carrying a bag that belonged to somebody else and hoping that inside of the bag there perhaps might be what he forgot, a hat or a pair of shoes. What follows is a hilarious send up to action novels because there happen to be a lot of action - this sweet centenarian is suddenly wanted man with both police and criminals sniffing at his trail - but Jonasson is turning it all upside down, since nobody is real dangerous or truly evil, its just a lot of comic twists and ridiculous accidents and at the end everybody is happy as they deserve to be. Along the way we are also sporadically told about Karlsson's long and eventful life, during which he somehow floated trough world wars and political intrigues, while bouncing from continent to continent and encountering all sorts of famous historical figures.

The best thing about this novel is how Jonasson loves his characters - he obviously has a lots of affection for everybody and there is not a single really bad guy around, people just appear dangerous but when inspected closely they are all comical, which in itself can be a poignant statement. Police detectives are equally clumsy as the supposedly lethal criminals, world leaders are not what they appear to be and some people enjoy a long and fruitful life simply because they mind their own business instead of fighting the windmills. Perfect example is a priest Kevin Ferguson who stupidly loses his short and pointless life trying to convert new followers in Iran as compared to wonderfully simple minded Herbert Einstein (yes, brother of famous Albert) who lives to grand old age despite his apparent and very obvious obliviousness. This is a message that Jonasson constantly signals between the lines, that we humans might find more peace and happiness if we stay out of troubles and leave fights to others. Not particularly radical or revolutionary but by caring about our own little corners and nests we might just get out if it alive, instead of throwing our lives away. Just like a golden goose from a fairy tale, Karlsson constantly pulls all sorts of characters to follow him and the group slowly but surely gets bigger and bigger (including a real, gigantic circus elephant) until the conclusion that leaves reader thoroughly delighted, happy and satisfied. Not just a happy end but a great feel-good reading therapy and it remains to see can Jonasson continue with something equally charming or is this perhaps just one but unforgettable work.