The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
Posted by: audio in Travel Audio BooksThe Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
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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- ISBN13: 9780739315231
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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- Audiobook
- Unabridged
ISBN: 0739315234
Release Date: 2006-10-17
Original Language: English
Unknown: English
Published: English
It got me through
I read this book after receiving some devastating personal news. I grew up at a later time than Mr. Bryson, and in a different part of the country, but I found myself laughing hysterically and relating very well to his accounts of growing up in America. I loved his bits of factual information providing references of where he was and what was going on around him. I consider this book ingeniously funny, and I smile just looking at the cover. It was a life saver for me.
funny book, educational
The 1950s were a different time in America. TV was new on the scene, and so was the threat of nuclear annialation. All this is put in hilarious perspective by Mr. Bryson.
One thing does concern me. Did Bryson get exposed to nuclear fallout from the testing in Nevada:
"The Sedan shot resulted in a radioactive cloud that separated into two plumes, rising to 3 km (10,000 ft.) and 4.9 km (16,000 ft.) The two plumes headed northeast and then east in roughly parallel paths towards the Atlantic Ocean. A large amount of nuclear fallout was dropped along the way, narrowly dispersed in a relatively small number of United States counties. Detected radioactivity was especially high in eight counties in Iowa and one county each in Nebraska, South Dakota and Illinois. Most heavily affected counties were Howard, Mitchell and Worth counties in Iowa.." from Wikipedia, Sedan (nuclear test)
Fantastic story about 50'
After reading his first bestselling books, I decided to read other Brysons' books as well. This was third book of Bryson, which I read. And once again Bryson has very interesting and funny story for readers. Interesting to read how world was seen with child's eyes in 50' and what happened in the world, when Bryson was small kid.
The Poignant Past
Love Bryson's stuff! I really got fits of belly-shaking laughter when I read this book -- not only because it is (entertainingly?) true and I can identify with it (the paper route, the anecdote with the little girl he wanted to be his girlfriend)-- but because it enlightens. It not only offers insightful nuggets of wisdom into the American psyche, but also reveals, via his personal anecdotes, our common foibles. Elucidation through laughter. I always laugh WITH Bill Bryson. Read it if you want to get a feel for living and growing up in America.
Thunderbolt kit hits the mark
From a writer's point of view, Thunderbolt is a master's course in how to capture readers and keep them wanting more.
[http://ritastories.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/bill-bryson-and-the-thunderbolt-kid-hit-the-mark/]
While the story is not unique, the way it is told makes this a must read book.
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