Foreword

I AM JONAS JONASSON and I want to explain myself.

There was never meant to be a sequel to the story of the hundred-year-old man who climbed out of a window and disappeared. Many people wanted one, not least the protagonist, Allan Karlsson, who kept strolling around inside my head and calling attention to himself whenever he wished.

'Mr Jonasson,' he might say, out of nowhere, as I was busy with my own thoughts. 'Have you changed your mind yet, Mr Jonasson? Don't you want to have another round before I'm really old?'

No, I didn't. I'd already said everything I wanted to say about what was perhaps the most miserable century ever. The idea had been that if we reminded one another of all the shortcomings of the twentieth century, maybe it would make us better at remembering and less inclined to make at least those mistakes again. I packaged this message of mine with warmth and humour. Soon the book spread all over the world.

It sure as hell didn't make the world a better ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The book opens with Allan and Julius enjoying the rich life on the beach at Bali, their wealth resulting from their previous adventures. They're getting bored however. If you had an unlimited amount of money, what would you do with it? Do you think you'd get bored eventually?
2. At a previous birthday party Allan mentions that he thinks singer Harry Bellefonte is just a youngster. Do you think "young" and "old" are relative terms? Has your perception of who's young and who's old changed over time?
3. Allan's love of his new iPad is a running theme throughout the book. What's your relationship with technology? Do you think the instant access to information we have today is a good thing or a bad thing?
4. The book's action is kicked off when ...