by Bill Bryson
I wasn't really sure about this book because while Bryson's story about his trek around the continental United States was very entertaining, and quite informative, the idea about reading about somebody's childhood didn't really appeal to me – I've never been a big fan of autobiographies (or biograph...
Welcome to Des Moines, Iowa and the 1950s! There are some things you should be afraid of (mainly Communism, teenagers, and comic books not approved by the Comics Code Authority). But, no need to worry! The Thunderbolt Kid (aka Bill Bryson) will be your trusty tour guide. Ah, the 50s—a time when ci...
I thought this was a fun, slightly whimsical look at growing up in the 1950s in the midwest. I found it especially interesting because I have lived in Iowa all my life, and in Des Moines for the past 14 years, so I know all of the locations mentioned in the book. I have a feeling that in real life B...
I very much enjoyed this memoir of Bill Bryson's childhood in Iowa read by the author on audiobook. A delightfully nostalgic look back to 1950s America and a charmed eccentric childhood.“It’s a bit burned,” my mother would say apologetically at every meal, presenting you with a piece of meat that lo...
I'd read anything by Bill Bryson, he makes me laugh without fail. Even if he wrote out his shopping list I'm sure he'd make it funny, unfortunately this is more or less what he falls back on a bit too often. The unique circumstances of a fifties american childhood are captured with an alien anthropo...
“Making a man laugh is tougher than making him cry” 1. I was depressed, my life was going nowhere and then I read Bill Bryson. 2. I was not passing my exams, I was depressed and then I read Bill Bryson. 3. I was still single and depressed, and then I read Bill Bryson.So, finally I ...
This is essentially an older man saying "back when I was a lad' but with Bryson's trademark gentle wit. And it's all the better for it. A nostalgic, bittersweet glance back at what once was.
I love Bill Bryson and his dry sense of humor. This was a quick read (or listen) and I really did laugh out loud. Some things brought back my own memories - crouching under school desks for nuclear attack drills, for example. On the other hand, I decided some things are probably unique to boys. I th...
Bryson writes clear and compelling stories of his childhood. Fun read.
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