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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir Hardcover - 2006
by Bill Bryson
From one of the most beloved and bestselling authors in the English language comes a vivid, nostalgic, and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the middle of the United States in the middle of the last century.
About this book
The book delves into Bryson's past, telling of his youth growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, during the 1950s and early 1960s. It also reveals the backstory between himself and Stephen Katz, who appeared in A Walk in the Woods and Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe. Bryson also describes and comments on American life in the 1950s. The title of the book comes from an imaginary alter-ego Bryson invented for himself in his childhood, who has the ability to vaporize people.
Summary
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.From the Hardcover edition.
First Edition Identification
The book was first published on September 1st 2006 by Broadway Books, a division of Doubleday- Hardcover, Octavo with illustrations. Mustard boards with blue overlay on spine with bright gilt lettering on spine. First edition dust jacket has a picture of a sweater with a thunderbolt hanging on a clothesline, and a $25.00 price stamp. Full number line and First Edition on copyright page.
Doubleday, Toronto Canada also published in 2006- Illustrated bibliography and endpapers
Details
- Title The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
- Author Bill Bryson
- Binding Hardcover
- Edition 1st/1st
- Pages 288
- Volumes 1
- Language ENG
- Publisher Crown Publishing Group (NY), New York
- Date October 17, 2006
- Illustrated Yes
- Features Bibliography, Dust Cover, Illustrated, Table of Contents
- ISBN 9780767919364 / 076791936X
- Weight 1.17 lbs (0.53 kg)
- Dimensions 9.38 x 6.4 x 1.02 in (23.83 x 16.26 x 2.59 cm)
- Reading level 1330
-
Themes
- Chronological Period: 1950's
- Geographic Orientation: Iowa
- Library of Congress subjects Travel writers - United States, Bryson, Bill
- Library of Congress Catalog Number 2006043859
- Dewey Decimal Code B
Excerpt
Media reviews
Citations
- Booklist, 07/01/2006, Page 4
- Booksense '76 November 2006, 11/01/2006, Page 1
- Kirkus Reviews, 07/01/2006, Page 660
- Library Journal, 09/01/2006, Page 155
- Library Journal Prepub Alert, 06/01/2006, Page 88
- Publishers Weekly, 07/10/2006, Page 61
- School Library Journal, 10/01/2006, Page 188
- Vanity Fair, 11/01/2006, Page 138
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