The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir

Having grown up in the UK in the seventies, and enjoyed Bryson's writing since the early 90's, I was concerned that his memoir about growing up in the American mid-west in the 50's was going to miss the mark for me.

Not at all.

Bryson draws on the universal aspects of childhood, weaves in his trademark humour and lightness of touch, and sets it all perfectly in the period using fascinating statisitical comparisons with today, and news clips that highlight some of the banalities of hindsight.

Often when a book has 'laugh out loud' on the cover, I'm sceptical. In this case it's true. And his lack of sentimentality, and any inclusion of an addiction story, make this a warm, funny and very entertaining light read.

Well written but I am seventeen years older so I have my rememberences in the forties. Very enjoyable to read.

I absolutely loved this book! I am from Des Moines and same age as writer- but I believe anybody with a love of nostalgia and sense of humor would adore this book!

The pages relating the story of the friend's dad who leaps from the impossibly high diving board may be the funniest ever written in English. What could anyone have been thinking to rate this lower than 5 stars? Thanks to Mr. Bryson for an outrageous look into a world now gone.

This was truly the worst. The attempt at humor falls flat. There were some things that ring true like electric football etc. The story is pure fiction with the author as the hero. The anti-american anti republican rant gets tiresome after awhile.The author misses no opportunity to denigrate the US.
From the cold war (Russia had a right to put warheads in Cuba because we had them in Europe)to George Bush being a draft dodger.What can you expect from a far left loon who hates this country so much that he moves to England. I got this book as a christmas present but never would have bought it and do not recommend it.;