The 100-Year-Oled Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared / Jonas Jonasson / 384 pages

     If you are looking for a hilarious romp through history, poking fun at just about every important figure, this is the book you are looking for! Allan Karlsson is about to turn 100 and he doesn't want anything to do with it. The nursing home is throwing a birthday party complete with the town's mayor and media but Allan has made a decision. After working his way through a window, Allan makes his way to the bus station. He picks up a rather large suitcase and takes off on the bus. No, the suitcase isn't his and yes, the owner is very angry.
     As Allan travels across the breadth of Sweden, we flashback to his life and where he has been. His father wasn't happy because Socialism wasn't taking hold in his country so traveled to Russia where he could help their cause. The father left Allan and his mother behind. Thus Allan's life is set. He becomes interested in explosives and becomes a rather rich business man. He blows up his own house and his travels begin on a bicycle. I am not sure how he does it but Allan does manage to meet just about every major figure during the 20th Century. He first goes to Spain with a friend to help in the revolution only to end up saving General Franco's life. Franco offers him a chance to go to New York and from there he ends up in New Mexico. It is a little head shaking at all the connections but read the book, you will laugh out loud at Allan's madcap adventures.
    The one thing I thought about with recommending this is someone has to be familiar with all the historical events of the 20th Century. One has to be of a certain age or even a true history buff to understand all the hidden innuendos. The author really did his research and Jonasson admits sometimes a bit too much. I found this a quick read. I was very curious about what was happening in the present as well as what happened in the past. Excellent satire on our world and historical events.

Six degrees of reading: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.