The Other People in Norman Rockell's America {Giveaway}

Hidden in Plain Sight by Jane Allen Petrick
Published: July 26, 2013 by Informed Decisions International
Going into this I knew little of Norman Rockwell. I obviously have seen his Thanksgiving painting and those for Coca-Cola, but knew little about who he actually was. Considering that this isn't actually a biography of him, it's interesting how much I learned reading this. Instead the book highlights the minorities in Norman Rockwell's work, the ones that are present, but often unnoticed.

One item I learned is that Rockwell painted from photographs, which means he'd take pictures of a given person and sketch from the photos. I never really thought about how he would have drawn his pieces, but it does make sense. After all, a photo freezes time so you don't have to worry about the model moving on you. This book is about those models and their stories.

Except it isn't really a biography of them either. Instead it tells the story of how Norman Rockwell, living in a predominately white town in Vermont, was able to find his diverse models. We then hear each one's recollections of modeling and see where they are today.

If I have any complaint about this book, it's the lack of pictures. Each time a piece of artwork was described I wanted to see it, hated that most times there wasn't an image. Of course I understand copyright issues, and I was able to easily search for one online, but think it a perfect world, those pieces should all be in here.

It is interesting how Norman Rockwell's one goal in life seemed to be to do something important, and that he felt he had failed. It really puts things in perspective hearing that someone who made such a difference and was able to capture the essence of America in his work, had no idea the impact he had. It also makes you think how many lives you may be making a difference to, without having any idea.

4/5

If you're curious to know more about Norman Rockwell and his work, then I have the perfect opportunity for you since I'm co-hosting a giveaway for 3 ebooks! Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter.
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Disclosure: I was provided this book through Virtual Author Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

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