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309 ratings | 66 reviews | avg rating:4.46

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Bill Thorness

Goodreads Author

Born

in Williston, North Dakota, The United States

Website

http://www.billthorness.com

Genre

Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel

Member Since

July 2012

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Bill Thorness's most recent book is All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War a memoir where the author crosses continents and history to retrace his father’s steps on the battlefields of World War II. All Roads Lead to Rome (December 2024, University of Nebraska Press) was named an Independent Book Awards 2025 finalist.

A Seattle-based author, editor and freelance writer, Bill currently focuses on travel, lifestyle and history.

Visit Bill's website billthorness.com and read his Substack newsletter Annotations.

Memoir:
All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War

Join his Goodreads book group related to WWII, focused on the First Special Service Force, the subject of his memoir.

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Bill Thorness’s books

Average rating: 4.19 · 109 ratings · 21 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	Cool Season Gardener: Extend the Harvest, Plan Ahead, and Grow Vegetables Year-Round 4.19 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2013 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cycling the Pacific Coast: The Complete Guide from Canada to Mexico 4.65 avg rating — 26 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans by Bill Thorness (Goodreads Author), Bill Woods 3.67 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden 4.13 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2009 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	POWER: How J.D. Power III Became the Auto Industry’s Adviser, Confessor, and Eyewitness to History by Sarah Morgans, Bill Thorness (Goodreads Author) 3.43 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Biking Puget Sound: 60 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans, 2nd Edition really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War 4.43 avg rating — 7 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	POWER: How J.D. Power III Became the Auto Industry's Adviser, Confessor, and Eyewitness to History by Bill Thorness (Goodreads Author), Sarah Morgans, Bill Griffeth (Foreword) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Building green: energy efficiency takes root at habitat for humanity.(Currents): An article from: E 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Avoid environmental case creep into first-party property areana 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Bill Thorness's Blog

Named an Indie Book Award finalist!

I'm proud to report that my book All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War has been named an Independent Book Awards 2025 Finalist.
It's gratifying to have recognition for a project that was ten years in the making.
Thanks very much to my publisher, Potomac Books at the University of Nebraska Press, and the editors and readers who helped me craft my story.

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Published on June 25, 2025 09:30 • Tags: all-roads-lead-to-rome, independent-book-awards, memoir, thorness

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Bill is Currently Reading

Bill Thorness is currently reading

The Kingdom by the Sea

by Paul Theroux

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Jul 22, 2026 10:18AM

Bill Thorness is currently reading

Contrapposto

by Dave Eggers

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Jul 22, 2026 10:17AM

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Fever Beach

by Carl Hiaasen (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 22, 2026 10:17AM

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Bill Thorness rated a book really liked it The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 22, 2026 10:19AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness is currently reading The Kingdom by the Sea by Paul Theroux	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 22, 2026 10:18AM · like
Bill Thorness is currently reading Contrapposto by Dave Eggers	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 22, 2026 10:17AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Contrapposto by Dave Eggers. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Contrapposto by Dave Eggers <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness is currently reading Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 22, 2026 10:17AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness rated a book really liked it Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Not as good as the first (far fewer appearances of the plumber!) but still a read that had me smiling by the end of many of the short, slice-of-life essays.
Jul 22, 2026 10:15AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness finished reading Breaking Awake: A Reporter's Search for a New Life, and a New World, Through Drugs by P.E. Moskowitz	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 22, 2026 10:15AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Breaking Awake by P.E. Moskowitz. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Breaking Awake by P.E. Moskowitz <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness rated a book really liked it Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Not as good as the first (far fewer appearances of the plumber!) but still a read that had me smiling by the end of many of the short, slice-of-life essays.
Jul 22, 2026 10:13AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness rated a book it was amazing Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Incredible character development in this short novel, achieved through the tiniest of actions and pitch-perfect Irish dialogue.
May 25, 2026 09:36AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness rated a book really liked it Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk by Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 25, 2026 09:35AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Red Paint by Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Red Paint by Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness started reading Faith in a Seed: The Dispersion of Seeds & Other Late Natural History Writings by Henry David Thoreau	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 25, 2026 09:33AM · like