The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir

I really enjoyed this book, remembering the 50s. Brought back some fond memories. We chose this book for our book Club, and will discuss it tomorow. It was an easy read.

Bryson is well-known for his travelogues but here he takes us through his growing up years. All things mundane related to childhood turn interesting and are set aglow when touched by his genial wit. Bryson's companionable style is evident in this very entertaining memoir which is also a tribute to a much safer, much more innocent, and much more personable lifestyle of 1950s America. At times warm, at times wise, at times nostalgic, and always funny, this is a heart-warming chronicle of childhood by a gifted humourist which brings back cherished memories of our own.

If you spent any time in the 50's this will be a laugh out loud perspective that will not disappoint. Bryson is smart, funny and just has a gift for narrative.
The humor may be more appealing to males but I am not really sure.
Enjoy this treat.

It's a historical text book wrapped in a delightful tale of a "regular" kid from the 1950s. And I will say, funny, funny, funny. I was reading it on an airplane and I was laughing out loud almost to the point of my embarrassment. Bryson is very sharp. He supplements his childhood anecdotes with (sometimes shocking) historical facts. He successfully juxtaposes the good and the bad. Every time I turned the page, I wished America could return to a "simpler" time and then I'd turn another page and count my blessings that we have moved on. It made me long for the smell of grammar school coat closets and thank goodness we weren't all blown to pieces with a nuclear holocaust.

If you like TV, toys, kids, adults, baseball, movies, state fairs, underage drinking, family vacations, teenage pranks or anything relating to history at all, I would recommend this book as a must read.

My son has been raving about Bill Bryson's for some time now, but I was not sure that they would appeal to me. After hearing others rave about his memoir: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, I thought this might be a fun audio book. I am sorry I waited so long to try Bryson's work.

This memoir was terrific. It leaves you with a feeling of appreciation for the simple things in life. Bill Bryson and I were born a year apart, and as baby boomers growing up in the 50's and 60's, I found this memoir to be a trip down memory lane. He talks about his mom's bad cooking, his strange relatives, going to the store for penny candy (candy cigarettes), playing outdoors until dark, first crushes, Saturday at the movies, loss of innocence etc. He could be describing a whole lot of baby boomers in this memoir. This book is hysterical, and there were many times I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. The audio version is highly recommended.