The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Book Club Discussion Questions

Bill Bryson is an immensely popular writer who has tackled a wide variety of subjects. The focus of The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is something pretty personal: his childhood in Des Moines, Iowa. Department stores and movie theaters are just two things that Bryson argues were different and better in the 1950s, parts of a life that he observes doesn’t exist anymore. Use these book club discussion questions on The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid to delve into Bryson's memoir, childhood and life in the 1950s.

Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions reveal important details about The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Finish the book before reading on.

1. What is one of your favorite memories from childhood?

2. Did Bryson’s childhood sound as pleasant as he remembers it?

3. Why do you Bryson included details about nuclear testing and school segregation in his memoir?

4. Which of the characters he introduces would you most like to meet or spend time with?
5. Rate The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid on a scale of 1 to 5.