Norm Rockwell, a Menomonie resident whose day job is being a well-known cartoonist, recently released his seventh book. An illustrator for 25 years and, before that, an art teacher at Eau Claire’s North High School, Rockwell’s books have exclusively been about cartooning (the last one titled The Best Cartoons of Norm Rockwell). That is, until now.

Norm’s latest book is a departure from illustration, and instead gives locals an inside look at the man behind the cartoons. How I Won the Cold War is Rockwell’s humorous take on the two years he spent as a soldier and reporter for the U.S. Army.

“Like they always say, writers should write about what they know,” he said. “This peacetime in Germany is so burned into my brain.”

Rockwell was drafted into the army in 1961, and shipped off to be stationed in Germany. He served as both a member of a mortar platoon and as a reporter for the Stars and Stripes, which is the U.S. Militaries independent news source.

From draft notice to discharge, you get a spunky take on this clever cartoonist.

“It’s not a combat book; it’s not about fighting,” Rockwell said. “It’s just about a guy who gets drafted into the army. A lot of guys from the 60s or 70s can relate to this. People were drafted against their will.”

“Some things I write about in the book are the horrible boat ride to Germany. I was hanging over the back of the deck and my job was to watch for people who went overboard,” he said. “Not like we could stop them if they did.”

“But I met my wife the day I was transferred, and ended up in the Division Newspaper, even though I only had a few journalism classes. I went around southern Germany as a feature writer, and I would sometimes just pick out where I wanted to go.”

How I Won the Cold War can be purchased at The Local Store or online at NormRockwellBook.com or Amazon.