Bill Bryson at his best

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	• The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir Bill Bryson Doubleday Canada, 2006 - 288 pages average customer review:based on 210 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

funny & nostalgic

Fans of "A Walk In The Woods," or "A Short History of Nearly Everything," are familiar with author Bill Bryson's work and recognize him as one of today's wittiest authors. Bryson furthers his reputation as a more erudite version of Dave Barry in his most recent work, "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid." Though the book's cover describes it as a "memoir," the term fits only in the loosest sense of the word. It's really an exaggerated recollection of Bryon's childhood, growing up in the 1950's in Des Moines, Iowa, with a good deal of pop history and social commentary thrown in.

For readers who remember the `50's or have a lively imagination, Bryson's retelling is sure to be hilarious. The author on `50's food and drink: "We didn't have to worry about what we ate because nearly all foods were good for us: sugar gave us energy, red meat made us strong, ice cream gave us healthy bones, coffee kept us alert and purring productively."

"The Thunderbolt Kid" suggested by the title is the author himself - in a recurring joke, the childish Bryson (who, like many `50's children, loved comic books), imagined that his eyes had the extraordinary superpower of being able to melt all his enemies with a single glance.

Bryson, who now lives with his family in England, has a remarkable ability to lightly poke fun of the culture while describing it. His reminisces on days gone by make it clear that he is a sucker for the past and generally the book has a kindly, wistful sort of tone. As always, Bryson is an almost unparalleled wordsmith and manages to expand his readers' vocabulary without becoming inaccessible.

As a humorist and gatherer of interesting trivia Bryson succeeds as per usual. When he poses as a more serious historian - such as in his recounting of the or early Civil Rights Movement, he has less success. He writes of an admittedly slow time in our nation's history and readily concedes that in this book, "nothing much happens." Nevertheless, whether it's Bryson's descriptions of his Iowa relatives, his childhood toys, or favorite cartoons, this books will provide more than a few of both memories and chuckles.

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Absolutely hysterical!

I bought "The Kid" on recommendation from a friend, and read it aloud to my husband on a long driving trip. At times I was laughing so hard I couldn't see the page through tears of hilarity, and couldn't get my breath to keep reading---I'd have to calm down and read sections a second and third time so my husband could understand what was so funny (the toity jar episode nearly did us in!) He said it was almost like reliving his own life and times. What a great read! Bryson has outdone himself.

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Bill Bryson at his best

Superb....as usual. Sorry to hear Mr Bryson is talking a break from writing for a while, but equally impressed with his new venture of campaigning to keep Great Britain tidy - a great man on a great quest!!

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Funny Memoir

This book is good fun and gives those who were not around in the 50s a feel for the era. It was a quick, easy read. The fascinating Bryson factoids are sprinkled into the stories. The "f" word seemed overused and shockingly out of place, but maybe that's either an accurate representation of the author's thoughts at the time or extra exaggeration. Enjoyable enough to be worth the read.

reviews: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, page 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

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