Born in 1951 in the middle of the United States Des Moines, Iowa Bryson is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for twenty-four carat memoir gold.

Like millions of his generation, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero: in his case, he ran around the house wearing a jersey with a thunderbolt on it, and a towel round his neck that served as his cape, leaping tall buildings in a single bound and vanquishing evildoers (in his head) as The Thunderbolt Kid.

Using his old fantasy life as a springboard, Bill Bryson recreates the life of his family in the 1950s in all its transcendent normality. Warm and laugh-out-loud funny, The Thunderbolt Kid is full of Bill Bryson's inimitable, pitch-perfect observations. Complete and unabridged.

Bill Bryson recreates the life of his 1950's family in all its transcendent normality...

Bill Bryson, Continent, Travel