The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

It must be great to be such an established writer that you can just write about your [normal] childhood and know it will sell. But deservedly so. Bryson is such an entertaining writer with a great turn of phrase and the kind of genuinely funny writing that can catch you off guard. Several times I came as close to laughing out loud on public transport as I’m likely to, which admittedly for my quiet self, translates into a barely audible snort.

I found a memoir of growing up in 60s america strangely nostalgic for a son of 80s dublin but in essence it’s just boys being boys, climbing trees, sneaking into cinemas, trying to outsmart vending machines and doing everything we can think of to see girl’s bits.

I also completely forgot how fascinated and in in awe of America I was growing up – bubblegum, cowboys, neon lights and a drool inducing drink that resembled our lemonade only in name. I’m sure I even loved some things that now grate on me, like loud confident voices with no sense of self or disturbance. But there’s no grating in The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. it’ll surely warm your cockles.