With an abundance of books about Norman Rockwell already lining the shelves of libraries and bookstores, it may be hard to imagine what else could be written about the man who became the icon of 20th century American art. Previous accounts of Norman Rockwell's life all shared one thing in common, their research inevitably led them to interview the one man who knew Norman Rockwell in a way no one else ever could - James "Buddy" Edgerton.

In the Spring of 1943, Norman Rockwell, his wife Mary, and their three sons moved into the farmhouse next door to thirteen year-old Buddy Edgerton in West Arlington, Vermont. Edgerton's the close, though unlikely, friendship between the Edgerton and Rockwell families that has spanned more than six decades. His personal reflections are told through anecdotal narrative in vivid, historically accurate detail and include firsthand accounts of Rockwell's model choices. An innately private man, Buddy is breaking his self-imposed silence to shed light and understanding on life in rural America and the artist who captured the hearts - and the identity - of a nation.