The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

A Memoir

This autobiographical account chronicles the author's growing up during the 1950s in Des Moines, Iowa. It portrays mid-century American suburban life through a humorous and nostalgic lens, capturing childhood pastimes, pop culture, and family dynamics. The narrative reflects on a simpler era through the perspective of an observant youth coming of age in the American Midwest.

by Bill Bryson

Broadway Books · First published 2006 · 288 pages