The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

Bill Bryson’s biography “The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid” is a colorful, sentimental, and hilariously funny account of his life. Bryson tells the story of his early years spent in Des Moines, Iowa, during the 1950s. He had a lavish dream life as a superhero known as “The Thunderbolt Kid,” just like many of his generational peers. With this identity, Bryson reconstructs his family’s life and the life of his hometown at a period when cars, TVs, and appliances were getting bigger and DDT, cigarettes, and the fallout from atmospheric testing were thought to be innocuous or helpful. It’s a fun trip through time with lots of funny and realistic moments.