Orson is a young boy whose mother works at the U.S. Army base in Germany in the 1950s. There, he becomes a fan of a G.I. stationed at the base, one Elvis Presley, whose music is played over and over on the radio. When Orson is caught stealing recordings of Elvis's tunes from the PX, the attendant publicity catches the star's attention, and he comes to visit his young fan. Thus begin a lifelong friendship. As Elvis's career rockets ever higher and his behavior becomes ever more erratic, the two share many adventures. The sixties explode, and Elvis becomes the icon of the nation, while Orson, a college demonstrator, drifts away from regular life looking for something of substance to believe in. Each man is an emblem of his times, as social conventions crumble, barriers fall, and the cultural landscape changes forever.

WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY JR. (1925–2008), a syndicated columnist, author, editor, television host, and adventurer, was the founder of National Review and the host of the Emmy Award–winning Firing Line, the longest-running program in television history with the same host. He was the award-winning author of many best-sellers, starting with God and Man at Yale.