bFrom one of the world's most beloved writers and iNew York Timesi bestselling author of iA Walk in the Woods iandi The Bodyi, a vivid, nostalgic, and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the 1950s.brbbrBill 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. pUsing this persona as a springboard, Bill Bryson re-