- Hardcover: 270 pages
- Publisher: Broadway Books; 1 edition (17 Oct 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 076791936X
- ISBN-13: 978-0767919364
- Product Dimensions: 15.7 x 3 x 23.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (121 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,628,848 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid
and over 900,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
New York Times
'Outlandishly and improbably entertaining...inevitably [I] would
be reduced to body-racking, tear-inducing, de-couching laughter.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
be reduced to body-racking, tear-inducing, de-couching laughter.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Daily Mail
'A funny, effortlessly readable, quietly enchanted memoir...Bryson
also provides a quirky social history of America.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
also provides a quirky social history of America.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Epically funny and thoroughly enjoyable,
By
This review is from: The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid (Hardcover)
I have read every Bill Bryson book ever penned. I have enjoyed every last one of them without exception, even the rubbish ones. I'm pleased to report however that his latest book is far from that. I enjoyed 'A Short History' but it was never anything I could quite read cover to cover continuously. Thunderbolt Kid is a return to the Bill we've come to know and love. Although I'm only eighteen and British myself and one would think that I would have no common frame of reference with which to appreciate an exploration of life in 1950s America, the fantastic thing about this book is that you don't need to have been born in the fifties or even in the states to enjoy it. I think the blurb puts it very eloquently when it says that all you need to have been is young once. That said, where it does get technical, Bill goes to some lengths to explain it in a way that allows those of us not of colonial extraction to continue to snort with laughter. Be warned, this is not a book to be read in public or while eating or drinking. As with each of Bill's books, it really is laugh-out-loud funny. Well done Bill, you've not lost it and you remain one of my favourite authors, even if you do insist on insulting my home town.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bill Bryson just gets better and better,
By Mrs. Webb "Gypbud" (Devon, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid (Hardcover)
This is a superb book, full of warmth, wit and wonderful anecdotes from the author's life. As well as being excellent social commentary on middle class America Bill Bryson also includes a plethora of insights and statistics about his home country that are eye popping and give you pause. I could not commend this book to you highly enough - a brilliant amusing and thoroughly engaging read.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bryson on top form,
By
This review is from: The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid (Hardcover)
There is an inexplicable `something' about Bill Bryson books that make them feel like familiar old friends as soon as you start reading them, and `The Life & Times Thunderbolt Kid' continues this. In essence, the book chronicles Bryson's early years and the changing face of America during the 1950's. I was aware that a `memoir' style effort from Bryson could be a victim of simply retracing old ground, since his earlier travel books packed in so much of his life story, but it feels as fresh and new as ever.
Although the stories contained in the book are interesting in their own right, it seems that a certain emphasis has been placed on the comedy aspects, although this never feels like it is forced. Tales of the `toity jar', a Grandmother's public confusion over liquorice baby sweets and Bryson's one-of-a-kind father had me absolutely howling with laughter. `The Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid' is an appealing slice of Americana, and a timely reminder that the USA was once a pretty fascinating and charming place. Highly recommended.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews |
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
