What do an elephant, a suitcase full of money, the Spanish Civil War and a centenarian have in common? They all feature in the debut novel by Swedish author Jonas Jonasson, The 100-Year old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared.
If you have never read this quirky and hilarious book it all starts on the 100th birthday of Allan Karlsson.
Sitting quietly in his room in an old people’s home, he is waiting for the party-he-never-wanted-anyway to begin. The mayor is going to be there. The press is going to be there.
However, Allan does not want to be there and would rather slip out and buy a bottle of vodka. And so he does.
He ends up at the local train station and gets a ticket using all the coins in his pocket.
While there he also acquires a suitcase full of money and hence the wrath of a rather inept motorcycle gang.
Throw in a hot dog seller and an elephant and the fun begins.
Interspersed with the story of staying one step ahead of both the motorcycle gang and the police are snippets of Allan’s past.
Not only has he witnessed some of the most important events of the 20th century, but he has actually played a key role in them.
We learn that Allan helped to make the atom bomb, became friends with American presidents, Russian tyrants, and Chinese leaders and ended up on both sides of the Spanish Civil War.
It’s a lighthearted refresher of some of the major events of the last century.
This amusing and easy to read novel is, of course, available at the Summerland Library.
However, next Thursday, Jan. 22 there will be an opportunity to view the film adaptation at the Landmark Theatre in Penticton as part of the Penticton Art Gallery’s Kitchen Stove Film Series.
For more information contact the Penticton Art Gallery at 199 Marina Way, 250-493-2928, as limited single tickets may be available at the door.
The Arts Palette column is written by David Finnis, publicity chair and president of the Summerland Community Arts Council, P.O. Box 1217, 9908 Main St., Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0.