The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window Book Club Kit

The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window by Jonas Jonasson is the official March 2020 pick for the Peanut Blossom Book Club for Recovering Readers.

Welcome to our February Book Club discussion!

One complaint I have seen most often about friends’ book clubs is that their group picks the same kind of book over and over again.

While that kind of routine can be comforting for busy moms with little time to read, it can also eventually lead to boredom and avoidance of books altogether.

Since our very beginning, I have tried to mix up our genres a bit from month to month. Sometimes this means that books aren’t everyone’s “cup of tea” but it is something that has repeatedly been mentioned as a favorite characteristic of our group.

This month’s book repeatedly popped up in my “You might also like” feature on Amazon for the longest time.

When I took a closer look, the description made me laugh and I thought it would be fun to read this at the same time as my husband so we could chat about it together.

Peanut Blossom Book Club

This book club pick is one of the awesome books from our sixth year of book club.

We’re still going strong! Want to join us?

You can join our book club for free by signing up for my email newsletter right here:

What Is The 100-Year-Old-Man About?

“The international publishing sensation — more than six million copies sold worldwide!
A reluctant centenarian much like Forrest Gump (if Gump were an explosives expert) decides it’s not too late to start over . . .

After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he’s still in good health, and in one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn’t interested (and he’d like a bit more control over his vodka consumption).

So he decides to escape. He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator, and an elephant (not to mention a death by elephant).

It would be the adventure of a lifetime for anyone else, but Allan has a larger-than-life backstory: Not only has he witnessed some of the most important events of the twentieth century, but he has actually played a key role in them.

Starting out in munitions as a boy, he somehow finds himself involved in many of the key explosions of the twentieth century and travels the world, sharing meals and more with everyone from Stalin, Churchill, and Truman to Mao, Franco, and de Gaulle.

Quirky and utterly unique, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared has charmed readers across the world.”

Get a copy of the book here.

The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window Book Club Discussion Questions

I believe the best book club questions to spark a lively discussion in your group help readers make personal connections to the story.

You can read about how to write the best book club questions on your own here, but hopefully these will get you started!

Be sure to check out the official discussion in our book club group right here.

Question 1:

The man behind the title of the book is named Allan and the story starts on his 100th birthday. Why do you think the author chose this age in particular?

Question 2:

Allan climbs out the window to avoid his birthday party, have you ever wished to climb out a window and disappear from something? What was it?

Question 3:

Who is the oldest person you know? Did this book make you want to ask them more about their personal story?

Question 4:

Did you trust Allan’s telling of the stories from his history? Do believe they were all true or is he remembering things differently from reality?

Question 5:

Much like the movie Forrest Gump, Allan is inserted into key moments in history. Which one did you enjoy reading about the most?

Question 6:

This book has been described as quite funny, did you laugh while reading it?

Question 7:

Have you read books by Swedish authors before? Would you read another one after this?

Host a Watch Party

This book club pick has been turned into a movie, you can watch it on Amazon here!

Book Club Party Menu

For this month’s book club party food, why not host a 100th birthday for Allan?

You can bake a simple boxed cake mix in a 9×13-inch baking pan or turn it into cupcakes. Then frost it with this easy cream cheese frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, or a simple vanilla glaze with sprinkles.

Not into cake? Make my easy birthday cake popcorn treat for nibbling while you chat.