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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir Paperback - 2007
by Bill Bryson
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 Paperback
- Edition First Thus
- Pages 288
- Volumes 1
- Language ENG
- Publisher Anchor Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Date September 25, 2007
- ISBN 9780385661621 / 0385661622
- Reading level 1330
- Dewey Decimal Code B
Excerpt
Media reviews
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Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid : A Memoir
by Bryson, Bill
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- ISBN 13
- 9780385661621
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Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid : A Memoir
by Bryson, Bill
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- Used - Good
- ISBN 13
- 9780385661621
- ISBN 10
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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
by Bill Bryson
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Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
by Bryson, Bill
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- Used - Very Good
- ISBN 13
- 9780385661621
- ISBN 10
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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
by Bryson, Bill
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- ISBN 13
- 9780385661621
- ISBN 10
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Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
by Bill Bryson
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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
by Bryson, Bill
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