Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Synopsis
It all starts on the one-hundredth 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. But, as it turns out, Allan is not… Slowly but surely Allan climbs out of his bedroom window, into the flowerbed (in his slippers) and makes his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving criminals, several murders, a suitcase full of cash, and incompetent police. As his escapades unfold, we learn something of Allan’s earlier life in which – remarkably – he helped to make the atom bomb, became friends with American presidents, Russian tyrants, and Chinese leaders, and was a participant behind the scenes in many key events of the twentieth century. Already a huge bestseller across Europe, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is a fun and feel-good book for all ages.

      ~ Buddy Style Reads ~
    Three Ways to Enjoy a Book!

At NRBC we use three styles of buddy reads. These will be indicated in the thread title as “Buddy Read”, “Relaxed Buddy Read” or “Informal Buddy Read”.

A “Buddy Read” has a discussion leader and a reading date is set to start the book. A reading schedule is posted prior to the start date and discussion questions are posted each day regarding that section of the book. More information about these types of reads is below. An example is here, showing a reading schedule here.

A “Relaxed Buddy Read” is similar to our usual “buddy reads” except there are less questions and break points. For example, a book may be split into three sections and those reading the book should pause at the end of the section to answer some discussion questions, make comments, or ask their own questions to other readers. An example is here.

An “Informal Buddy Read” doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book. An example is here.

A “Read and Watch Buddy Read” may be set up as any of the above, but we will also watch the movie or T.V. series - or even go to a play! - and make comparisons, discussing what has been left out or changed as well as the actors and actresses. There is a long debate of what one should do first: read the books or watch the movie? We usually read first, but it isn’t essential. Also, if you would like to join in, but don’t want to watch the movie, show, or play, but only read the books, that is fine, too. An example is here.


MORE UNDER SPOILER
(view spoiler)[

“Buddy Reads” (“BRs”) include:

• A reading schedule which can range from 50, 75, to 100 or so pages a day.

• Discussion questions posted daily by moderators and occasionally group members
   who help one of us out. If you want to be a Discussion Leader, let us know.

• If the book is really long, we'll plan a break day.

• Members do NOT have to answer every question, they are meant to stimulate
   conversations about the books AND allow us to glance back upon them when the
   sequels come out. This helps us to remember what exactly happened in the previous
   book.

• We find the buddy style of reading to be more fun than just posting one or two
   sentences about a book. We feel this is what distinguishes us as being a ‘book club’
   rather than just another GoodReads ‘group.’

• If you can NOT start the book on time, feel free to join in at a later date. They are
   set up to make it easy to do so.

• Moderators are people too, so occasionally we get sick, have to work late at our real
   jobs, or have something that keeps us from writing the questions. Please forgive us;
   we're only human and we don't get any compensation for what we do--not even
   free books!

• Discussions and questions are set up to make you think, analyze, and see things you,
   or even we, may have missed. Feel free to add your own thoughts at any time, if you
   think we've missed something.

• If you've read the book, feel free to let us know what you thought about the book.
   You can do so at the end of the buddy read, or, if you can't wait, add spoiler tags
   before you comment like:

   **************BEWARE! SPOILER FOR THE END OF THE BOOK**************

   Or insert a (view spoiler)[spoiler (hide spoiler)]. If you do NOT know how to do so, just check out our
   GoodReads 101 explanation on how to Insert a Spoiler.

• If you are looking for a reading buddy, post an inquiry in our Buddy read requests thread. Use that thread, if you want to have a repeat read of a BOM
    or buddy read, too.

• Have fun! We always do when more than one person joins in. And we look less silly
   if someone else discusses a book with us. (hide spoiler)]

r

Thanks mods!


(Team Tonks)

Can't wait to read this!

Team McGonagall

Hey Jan! This starts soon. Do you think you'll start it soon? I have about 3 or 4 buddy reads to do in the next few days and then a book of the month!

What would suit you best for reading this?

Will be joining in for this!
Team Gilderoy Lockhart

Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 1 - 7

First of all, what a wonderful book title! Call me crazy, but I would totally read this book, just because the title is so unconventional and wacky! I have never been able to decide what I like more, authors who are able to succinctly tell their whole story with just a one or two-word title, or someone like Jonas Jonasson, with this book, literal a title as it can be! What do you guys think?

Plus, there is something about these Swedish authors and long book titles, be it Fredrick Bachman with his My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry or Steig Larrson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or Jonas himself with The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden. Sort of fun, if you ask me! :)

Okay! Back to the book.
So far, this has certainly been as wacky as I was expecting it to be. Allan Karlson, our sprightly centurion, is quite the character, to say the least. (view spoiler)[I loved how the author made his escape from the old-age home, both simplistic to essentially tell us that it was literally just that for Allan - a jump from a window, and equally phantasmagorical, for it is crazy! (hide spoiler)]

As soon as I started with the book, my first thought went to A Man Called Ove, although Allan doesn't seem as much a curmudgeon as Ove was. (view spoiler)[And that is sort of where I am having a little bit of a hiccup with the narrative. Things just tend to happen very smoothly for Allan, which seems a little contrived. But, I'll play along for now. (hide spoiler)]

Tina wrote: "Hey Jan! This starts soon. Do you think you'll start it soon? I have about 3 or 4 buddy reads to do in the next few days and then a book of the month!

What would suit you best for reading this?"

Hi Tina. I probably won't get to this until later next week, possibly not even until next weekend :( I was sick for a few days and it totally messed with my reading flow! Apoorv is on a roll with this one and I feel bad leaving a buddy reader hanging but I won't be able to join in for at least 5 more days. But we can keep this casual and everyone can check in as they can.

Apoorv I promise someone will be reading this with you - just possibly after you, lol.

Apoorv wrote: "Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 1 - 7

First of all, what a wonderful book title! Call me crazy, but I would totally read this book, just because the title is so unconventional and wacky! I have ne..."

I am totally with you! I knew I wanted to read this book before I even knew the plot. Maybe because the title kind of is the plot, but it's got to at least be a little quirky!

I think I might have a thing for Swedish books written about old people. A Man Called Ove and The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules were really enjoyable - I'm hoping this one joins the club!

JanEyre9 wrote: "I think I might have a thing for Swedish books written about old people. A Man Called Ove and The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules were really enjoyable - I'm hoping this one joins the club! ."

I LOVED LOVED LOVED A Man Called Ove. If The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules is anything like that, then I'm adding that to my list ASAP. :=)

I'm going to have to take my time too, Jan! Slow and steady sounds good. And am glad you're better now

Apoorv - I'll try and read a few chapters until Jan is able to read with us

This is my first book that has an old person as the main character - I haven't read or heard of the books you've both mentioned. I might give them a read if I like this book!

Okay, I'm up to chapter 4 now.
I was struggling a bit at the start (seems like I am with all my books recently). But the mention of pee slippers... I can't handle it. I have toilet humour so I think Allan and I will get along just fine.

I'll read a bit more before I go to bed and post when I wake up

I think this would be a great audiobook.

I noticed there's no quotation marks when they're speaking. Why do you guys think it is like that?

Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 8 - 14

Now, to be honest, these chapters were a little dry to me. A lot happened, sure; but somewhere I am slightly frowning at the double story line - Allan of today, and of multiple decades ago.

Allan of today and his crazy (view spoiler)[on-the-run badass antics with his troop is absolutely fun. Its wacky and in many ways, over the top - but its fun! I love the whole scene when they came onto Gunnila's doorstep and the craziness of the whole elephant scene with Bucket. I laughed out loud for sure. (hide spoiler)] Tina, I love that you have toilet humour, and this part of the story would certainly make you laugh.

My concern at this stage of the book is with (view spoiler)[the historical Allan, I have to admit that whatever he did back then, is a great segway into how he easily does what he does at 100; but all the incidences seems a stretch too much. So much so, that I hardly trust the proceedings. More so when you drop in a big political name every other page, I am more inclined in looking at the happenings with a microscope and suspicion, (hide spoiler)]

So, am I a little disappointed? Maaaaaaybe! It certainly started off as a 4-star book; midway through, it is looking more like a 3-starer. Let's hope things kick back up and the craziness quotient sky-rockets!

I just got to Chapter 10 and while I enjoy the current day parts, I agree with Apoorv that the past is too dry and too much a scenic tour of historical events without depth. I am at 3 stars too right now and hope it gets better.

Finished. Not my favorite. My opinion is the same as above and wasn't really fair to Indonesia.

Finally starting this one for Team McGonagall

I love that it instantly starts with the title action. No hemming and hawing, he just gets right out of there immediately.

Great audio so far.

Ok, I'm looking forward to knowing a bit about Allan's past, he's a bit too calm while he (view spoiler)[ knocks out a man and creates a cell for him (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4 - Ummm what?!?! (view spoiler)[ he blew a guy up and then got sterilized??? What the - I mean - this is - weird. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8. I really don't like that (view spoiler)[ they keep referring to the woman at the farm as "The Beauty". It grinds my feminist gears. However she, properly named Gunilla, seems like a force to be reckoned with.

Also - an elephant? This book is a bit ridiculous. (hide spoiler)]

Lexi wrote: "I just got to Chapter 10 and while I enjoy the current day parts, I agree with Apoorv that the past is too dry and too much a scenic tour of historical events without depth. I am at 3 stars too rig..."

On Chapter 12 and completely agree. The past scenes are dry and too plodding for me.

Sigh, I am not enjoying this as much as I hoped. I expected it to be more charming and fun. Some parts are certainly funny but as a whole I find this a bit over the top to the point where I feel annoyed.

I’m up to page 316. Nearly done. It started of good but has become a little dry is some places. I hope i can finish it tonight

I decided to take a break and come back to the audio fresh next week, the story was irking me a bit and I want to give it a fair shot.

Finally finished! It was alright. I was reading it tonight and had to stop to have a nap in order to finish it.

I agree with you 100% Jan. I thought I'd enjoy it more and that it would be more charming and funny. I did have quite a good laugh

Apoorv wrote: "Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 8 - 14

Now, to be honest, these chapters were a little dry to me. A lot happened, sure; but somewhere I am slightly frowning at the double story line - Allan of tod..."

Apoorv wrote: " ."

It definitely did make me laugh for quite a few minutes, the scene that you mentioned!

I was able to get a copy today and am going to jump in (Team Bellatrix Lestrange)

I love the title too, Apoorv is right that Swedish authors seem to have a gift for interesting titles! I read a lot of history non-fiction, so I'm interested in the story of Allan's past life.

Karolyn wrote: "I was able to get a copy today and am going to jump in (Team Bellatrix Lestrange)

I love the title too, Apoorv is right that Swedish authors seem to have a gift for interesting titles! I read a lo..."

What do you think so far Karolyn?

I am on chapter 16 and I think if it wasn't for this BR I might stop reading. It's not terrible, but I feel bored! There are moments on humor and parts that grab my attention, but the majority is falling flat for me. I blame myself for assuming this would be a light romp, I didn't quite expect all the (view spoiler)[ nonchalant murder (hide spoiler)] I do really like Allan's attitude though, he's keeping me in it.

JanEyre9 wrote: "Karolyn wrote: "I was able to get a copy today and am going to jump in (Team Bellatrix Lestrange)

I love the title too, Apoorv is right that Swedish authors seem to have a gift for interesting tit..."

I'm almost done with it. It's OK, but not great... although I appreciate a lighter Read without all the non-fiction I've been doing lately. It feels like there could be two great stories here, Allen's past and his birthday adventure. But, with them slammed together, it's just too over the top for me! I do think the author has done a nice job of creating some interesting characters, though!

Apoorv wrote: "Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 8 - 14

Now, to be honest, these chapters were a little dry to me. A lot happened, sure; but somewhere I am slightly frowning at the double story line - Allan of tod..."

Apoorv - Did the book ever pick up for you?

JanEyre9 wrote: "Karolyn wrote: "I was able to get a copy today and am going to jump in (Team Bellatrix Lestrange)

I love the title too, Apoorv is right that Swedish authors seem to have a gift for interesting tit..."

If it wasn't for Tower teams, I wouldn't have picked up quite a few books and definitely would have finish quite a few as well. I probably would have just 'stored' this book and picked it up again in a few months/years.

I'm thinking, each country has a different style of writing. UK and USA books are slightly blended for me. Australian writing is different. I probably struggled with this as it was the first I've read based in Sweden. It's different, so I don't understand it and fully appreciate it.

Tina wrote: "I'm thinking, each country has a different style of writing. UK and USA books are slightly blended for me. Australian writing is different. I probably struggled with this as it was the first I've r..."

I agree that country's/regions have different styles. I've read a few Swedish authors, and had a harder time with this one. I couldn't put down The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or Stieg Larsson's other books. I do see the style of writing in first person alternating between characters as a common approach of Swedish authors.

I am currently listening to this audiobook and I am in love with the style and the general story of this lovely man.

Hope you enjoy it Erika!! I struggled with this but the writing style is wonderful and there are a lot of wacky, humorous moments.

Let us know how you go! It was a bit challenging for most of us

I listened to a few more chapters yesterday and its still making me chuckle despite confusing me a bit

The chuckles are in there - what about the Bible and the ending? Total lol funny. The political parts and some of the rest of it got by me, but overall I thought it was fine - listened to the audio and enjoyed most of it.