Thomas Kinkade is America's most collected living artist. His mass appeal surely stems from his unique ability to emphasize simple pleasures and convey inspirational messages through his paintings. The Thomas Kinkade Story celebrates the twentieth anniversary of Kinkade's first published work and includes an intimate look at the artist's life and paintings through the eyes of Rick Barnett. The book examines each period in Kinkade's career, beginning in his early days as he meets the mentors who will influence him, moving on to his life in the eighties as he becomes a recognized painter and a husband, and continuing through the nineties as he paints groundbreaking scenes of national parks and San Francisco, and progresses from his English Cottage period to his use of soft light and broken color. The book also showcases never-before-seen private photographs and paintings, including new works that embody Kinkade's 21st century style.