SKU: 25996127011

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir

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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A MemoirFrom one of the world's most beloved writers and New York Times bestselling author of One Summer, a vivid, nostalgic, and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the 1950s Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century 1951 in the middle of the United States Des Moines, Iowa in the middle of the largest generation in American history the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, he is perfectly positioned to mine his

From one of the world's most beloved writers and New York Times bestselling author of One Summer, a vivid, nostalgic, and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the 1950s

Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century--1951--in the middle of the United States--Des Moines, Iowa--in the middle of the largest generation in American history--the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, he is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero. In his case, he ran around his house and neighborhood with an old football jersey with a thunderbolt on it and a towel about his neck that served as his cape, leaping tall buildings in a single bound and vanquishing awful evildoers (and morons)--in his head--as "The Thunderbolt Kid."

Using this persona as a springboard, Bill Bryson re-creates the life of his family and his native city in the 1950s in all its transcendent normality--a life at once completely familiar to us all and as far away and unreachable as another galaxy. It was, he reminds us, a happy time, when automobiles and televisions and appliances (not to mention nuclear weapons) grew larger and more numerous with each passing year, and DDT, cigarettes, and the fallout from atmospheric testing were considered harmless or even good for you. He brings us into the life of his loving but eccentric family, including affectionate portraits of his father, a gifted sportswriter for the local paper and dedicated practitioner of isometric exercises, and OF his mother, whose job as the home furnishing editor for the same paper left her little time for practicing the domestic arts at home. The many readers of Bill Bryson's earlier classic, A Walk in the Woods, will greet the reappearance in these pages of the immortal Stephen Katz, seen hijacking literally boxcar loads of beer. He is joined in the Bryson gallery of immortal characters by the demonically clever Willoughby brothers, who apply their scientific skills and can-do attitude to gleefully destructive ends.

Warm and laugh-out-loud funny, and full of his inimitable, pitch-perfect observations, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is as wondrous a book as Bill Bryson has ever written. It will enchant anyone who has ever been young.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Broadway Books
Published: 09/25/2007
ISBN: 9780767919371
Pages: 270
Weight: 0.59lbs
Size: 8.06h x 5.11w x 0.77d
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SKU: 25996127011

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hellen
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 1
it is not a toy a dog can chew on it lasted maybe 2 minutes
Size: Medium
it is not a toy a dog can chew on it lasted maybe 2 minutes
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Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2024
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Daniel Entringer
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 1
Chew
Size: Medium, Size: Medium
Destroyed in less then 5 minutes ;(
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Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2024
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Gina Reed
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
The bone lasted a long time.
My border collie is a chewer. I can look at a toy and tell you how long it’s going to last. This bone has lasted months and she still will grab it and chew on it.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2026
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Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 – Finally, a Dog Toy That Actually Lasts!
We picked up this natural leather bone dog toy hoping it would survive longer than the usual toys our dog destroys in a day—and wow, it exceeded every expectation. The leather is thick, durable, and clearly great quality. Our dog has tried his best to tear it apart (like he does with every toy), but this one has held strong. It’s been weeks now, and the toy still looks almost new. No frayed seams, no stuffing everywhere, no pieces breaking off. Just a solid, long-lasting toy that keeps our dog entertained without us having to constantly replace it. If you’re tired of wasting money on toys that only last a few hours, this natural leather bone is absolutely worth it. Tough, safe, and built to last—our dog loves it, and so do we!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2025
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Corglet
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 4
Great chew toys
Dogs love! Not rough on teeth. They do tend to pull long strings of thread off the leather and felt, which must be intercepted and cut off lest we have a string linear foreign body. I wish the whole held together a bit better. Fierce corgis can go through these pretty quickly.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2026

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