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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
by Bill Bryson

Published: 2006-10-17
Audio CD : 6 pages
6 members reading this now
44 clubs reading this now
5 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 7 of 8 members
BONUS FEATURE: Exclusive interview with the author.

From one of the most beloved and bestselling authors in the English language, a vivid, nostalgic and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the middle of the United States in the middle of the last century. A book that delivers on the ...
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Introduction

BONUS FEATURE: Exclusive interview with the author.

From one of the most beloved and bestselling authors in the English language, a vivid, nostalgic and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the middle of the United States in the middle of the last century. A book that delivers on the promise that it is ?laugh-out-loud funny.?

Some say that the first hints that Bill Bryson was not of Planet Earth came from his discovery, at the age of six, of a woollen jersey of rare fineness. Across the moth-holed chest was a golden thunderbolt. It may have looked like an old college football sweater, but young Bryson knew better. It was obviously the Sacred Jersey of Zap, and proved that he had been placed with this innocuous family in the middle of America to fly, become invisible, shoot guns out of people's hands from a distance, and wear his underpants over his jeans in the manner of Superman.

Bill Bryson's first travel book opened with the immortal line, ?I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.? In this hilarious new memoir, he travels back to explore the kid he once was and the weird and wonderful world of 1950s America. He modestly claims that this is a book about not very much: about being small and getting much larger slowly. But for the rest of us, it is a laugh-out-loud book that will speak volumes ? especially to anyone who has ever been young.

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Book Club Recommendations

1950"s Tv Dinners and Twinkies and a number of different desserts from the 50"s.
by ruckus (see profile) 02/24/16
It was a lot of fun to go back in time. We had TV Dinners for lunch and Chocolate Milk made with Hershey's Chocolate Syrup. Some women brought PB&J sandwiches. We watched a video made by the author and that was different. We enjoyed going back in time to our childhood.

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
by Joan B. (see profile) 01/17/22

 
by Kim C. (see profile) 08/21/19

 
by Tonya C. (see profile) 05/31/18

 
  "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson"by Barb S. (see profile) 06/29/17

We enjoyed reading this book. It was a fun book to read and talk about memories from our own childhoods.

 
  "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid"by Elaine B. (see profile) 02/24/16

A memoir that will bring you all back to a time that was simpler and one of the best times we can admit too.

 
  "The Life and Times of the Thuderbolt Kid"by Jodie A. (see profile) 02/25/14

Even though I found the book kind of tedious it did bring about good discussion at our book club.

 
  "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid"by Carroll S. (see profile) 02/06/14

This is the perfect book for Baby Boomers to reflect on their years of growing up! It is laugh out loud funny at times!

 
  "The Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid"by Sandy B. (see profile) 05/03/12

I really enjoyed this book. I was born in the early 60's but could still relate to a lot of the things that he talks about. I found it laugh out loud funny in spots. His description of things was hilarious!... (read more)

 
  "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid"by Cynthia Y. (see profile) 09/17/10

Very funny, particularly if you were born in the 1950's.

 
  "Not up to his usual"by Avid R. (see profile) 06/05/10

I did not care for this book, although in fairness, most of the other members of the club did. I found it meandering and pointless, lacking the charm of his travel memoirs. We all agreed there wasn't much... (read more)

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