The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, by Bill Bryson

I like reading books by Bill Bryson. He has a way of seeing humor in everyday situations. The first book of his that I read was Notes From a Small Island about his early days moving to England. I read it a few years after living in London and his observations about the English were exactly what I was experiencing. Even now Russell and I will say to each other, "Ooooh lovely, toast!" just like he observed the English getting so thrilled about their morning toast.

The book is a memoir of his childhood in Des Moines, IA. He tells stories of his father and mother - who both seem to be caught up in their jobs and somewhat absent minded when it came to keeping an eye on the kids. So, he spent a lot of his childhood days with the freedom to roam his neighborhood, get into trouble, and experience the adventure of growing up.

He misses the days when kids could freely roam. I miss them, too. I feel sorry that Lyra won't have the same childhood freedoms I had. We had some great adventures when I was a kid.