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Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid : A Memoir by Bill Bryson (2007, Trade Paperback)
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Author: Bryson, Bill. Release Date: 2007-09-25. Condition: Used: Acceptable. Qty Available: 4.
- Buy It NowThe Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid- 9780767919371, paperback, Bill Bryson
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherCrown Publishing Group, T.H.E.
ISBN-100767919378
ISBN-139780767919371
eBay Product ID (ePID)59063587
Product Key Features
Book TitleLife and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid : a Memoir
Number of Pages288 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicPersonal Memoirs, Literary, United States / State & Local / MidWest (IA, Il, in, Ks, Mi, MN, Mo, Nd, Ne, Oh, Sd, Wi), Form / Essays
Publication Year2007
IllustratorYes
GenreBiography & Autobiography, Humor, History
AuthorBill Bryson
FormatTrade Paperback
Dimensions
Item Height0.7 in
Item Weight8.4 Oz
Item Length8 in
Item Width5.2 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
Reviews"Bill Bryson's laugh-out-loud pilgrimage through his Fifties childhood in heartland America is a national treasure. It's full of insights, wit, and wicked adolescent fantasies." -Tom Brokaw "Bryson is unparalleled in his ability to cut a culture off at the knees in a way that is so humorous and so affectionate that those being ridiculed are laughing too hard to take offense." -The Wall Street Journal "A cross between de Tocqueville and Dave Barry, Bryson writes about…America in a way that's both trenchantly observant and pound-on-the-floor, snort-root-beer-out-of-your-nose funny." -San Franciso Examiner "Bill Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." -Chicago Sun-Times "Bryson is…great company…a lumbering, droll, neatnik intellectual who comes off as equal parts Garrison Keillor, Michael Kinsley, and…Dave Barry." -New York Times Book Review, "Bill Bryson's laugh-out-loud pilgrimage through his Fifties childhood in heartland America is a national treasure. It's full of insights, wit, and wicked adolescent fantasies." --Tom Brokaw"Bryson is unparalleled in his ability to cut a culture off at the knees in a way that is so humorous and so affectionate that those being ridiculed are laughing too hard to take offense." --"The Wall Street Journal" "A cross between de Tocqueville and Dave Barry, Bryson writes about...America in a way that's both trenchantly observant and pound-on-the-floor, snort-root-beer-out-of-your-nose funny." --"San Franciso Examiner" "Bill Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." --"Chicago Sun-Times " "Bryson is...great company...a lumbering, droll, neatnik intellectual who comes off as equal parts Garrison Keillor, Michael Kinsley, and...Dave Barry." --"New York Times Book Review", "Bill Bryson's laugh-out-loud pilgrimage through his Fifties childhood in heartland America is a national treasure. It's full of insights, wit, and wicked adolescent fantasies." -Tom Brokaw "Bryson is unparalleled in his ability to cut a culture off at the knees in a way that is so humorous and so affectionate that those being ridiculed are laughing too hard to take offense." - The Wall Street Journal "A cross between de Tocqueville and Dave Barry, Bryson writes about…America in a way that's both trenchantly observant and pound-on-the-floor, snort-root-beer-out-of-your-nose funny." - San Franciso Examiner "Bill Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." - Chicago Sun-Times "Bryson is…great company…a lumbering, droll, neatnik intellectual who comes off as equal parts Garrison Keillor, Michael Kinsley, and…Dave Barry." - New York Times Book Review, "Bill Bryson's laugh-out-loud pilgrimage through his Fifties childhood in heartland America is a national treasure. It's full of insights, wit, and wicked adolescent fantasies." --Tom Brokaw "Bryson is unparalleled in his ability to cut a culture off at the knees in a way that is so humorous and so affectionate that those being ridiculed are laughing too hard to take offense." -- The Wall Street Journal "A cross between de Tocqueville and Dave Barry, Bryson writes about...America in a way that's both trenchantly observant and pound-on-the-floor, snort-root-beer-out-of-your-nose funny." -- San Franciso Examiner "Bill Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." -- Chicago Sun-Times "Bryson is...great company...a lumbering, droll, neatnik intellectual who comes off as equal parts Garrison Keillor, Michael Kinsley, and...Dave Barry." -- New York Times Book Review, "Bill Bryson's laugh-out-loud pilgrimage through his Fifties childhood in heartland America is a national treasure. It's full of insights, wit, and wicked adolescent fantasies." -Tom Brokaw"Bryson is unparalleled in his ability to cut a culture off at the knees in a way that is so humorous and so affectionate that those being ridiculed are laughing too hard to take offense." -The Wall Street Journal "A cross between de Tocqueville and Dave Barry, Bryson writes about…America in a way that's both trenchantly observant and pound-on-the-floor, snort-root-beer-out-of-your-nose funny." -San Franciso Examiner "Bill Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." -Chicago Sun-Times "Bryson is…great company…a lumbering, droll, neatnik intellectual who comes off as equal parts Garrison Keillor, Michael Kinsley, and…Dave Barry." -New York Times Book Review
TitleLeadingThe
Dewey Edition22
Dewey Decimal910.4092 B
SynopsisFrom one of the world's most beloved writers and New York Times bestselling author of A Walk in the Woods and The Body , a vivid, nostalgic, and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the 1950s. Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century--1951--in the middle of the United States--Des Moines, Iowa--in the middle of the largest generation in American history--the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, he is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero. In his case, he ran around his house and neighborhood with an old football jersey with a thunderbolt on it and a towel about his neck that served as his cape, leaping tall buildings in a single bound and vanquishing awful evildoers (and morons)--in his head--as "The Thunderbolt Kid." Using this persona as a springboard, Bill Bryson re-creates the life of his family and his native city in the 1950s in all its transcendent normality--a life at once completely familiar to us all and as far away and unreachable as another galaxy. It was, he reminds us, a happy time, when automobiles and televisions and appliances (not to mention nuclear weapons) grew larger and more numerous with each passing year, and DDT, cigarettes, and the fallout from atmospheric testing were considered harmless or even good for you. He brings us into the life of his loving but eccentric family, including affectionate portraits of his father, a gifted sportswriter for the local paper and dedicated practitioner of isometric exercises, and of his mother, whose job as the home furnishing editor for the same paper left her little time for practicing the domestic arts at home. The many readers of Bill Bryson's earlier classic, A Walk in the Woods, will greet the reappearance in these pages of the immortal Stephen Katz, seen hijacking literally boxcar loads of beer. He is joined in the Bryson gallery of immortal characters by the demonically clever Willoughby brothers, who apply their scientific skills and can-do attitude to gleefully destructive ends. Warm and laugh-out-loud funny, and full of his inimitable, pitch-perfect observations, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is as wondrous a book as Bill Bryson has ever written. It will enchant anyone who has ever been young.
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Ratings and Reviews
Most relevant reviews
- Dec 08, 2015
One of the funniest books, ever, especially for a Mid-America baby boomer.
My new boyfriend effusively urged me to read this. He was so enthusiastic I picked it up with a cautionary attitude; so, new boyfriend - will he be able to handle it if I think Billy Bryson's memoir based story is a dud? To my delight, very few books have ever caused me to burst out laughing more times that I could count. Accurately captures the feelings of America's mid-century culture and Bryson's boyhood changes with hilarious hyperbole. I will look for more of his books to put on my shelf.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Jun 04, 2019
Reminds me of my childhood!
Bill Bryson is a truly gifted story teller and writer. He's very funny and at the same time accurate in his descriptions of life. In my opinion, one of the most interesting and entertaining authors of our time.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Dec 24, 2018
Relevant, humorous, and relatable.
Tremendous memoir!!! Bill Bryson is an incredible author who weaves history, personal experiences, and humor in this delightful read.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Sep 28, 2021
Literally pee-your-pants funny
This is about the funniest book I've read in a long time. This is a memoir of growing up in the 1950s in America. Besides Bill Bryson's gut busting humor, it has some insigtful reflections on our society and how we got here.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Mar 06, 2022
Excellent
Bill Bryson is a very good authorVerified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Jul 06, 2016
Memories of Childhood
Great book for those growing up in the Midwest in the 1950's and 1960's. A lot of memories of the world we grew up in. Also nice reliving the simpler times .Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Feb 22, 2021
Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
The funniest book ever written.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Oct 24, 2018
Lots of laughs and recognition for those who remember the '50s
Hilarious book if you were around in the 1950s... maybe even if you weren't.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Apr 15, 2018
Fun! A fast but very fun read!!
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- Jan 19, 2021
Highly recommend to helicopter parents.
Hilarious moments from the past! Good read.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
