The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
by Bill Bryson
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson holds a well received rating of 3.93 out of 5, based on 42.7K reader ratings. First published in 2006. The book spans 288 pages.
About The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
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 1950sBill 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.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Bill Bryson |
| Published | 2006 |
| Pages | 288 |
| Genres | Non-Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Biography & Memoir, History, Travel |
| Average Rating | 3.93 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 42,680 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid?
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is categorized as Non-Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Biography & Memoir, History. Its primary genre classification is Biography & Memoir.
Is The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid worth reading?
Based on 42.7K reader ratings, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid has an average score of 3.93 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid?
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid has 288 pages.
Who wrote The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid?
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid was written by Bill Bryson. It was first published in 2006.
What is the ISBN for The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid?
The ISBN-13 for The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is 9780767919360.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
