Product Description

From elite bodybuilding competitors to gymnasts, from golfers to fitness gurus, anyone who works out with weights must own this book -- a book that only Arnold Schwarzenegger could write, a book that has earned its reputation as "the bible of bodybuilding."

Inside, Arnold covers the very latest advances in both weight training and bodybuilding competition, with new sections on diet and nutrition, sports psychology, the treatment and prevention of injuries, and methods of training, each illustrated with detailed photos of some of bodybuilding's newest stars.

Plus, all the features that have made this book a classic are here:

Product Description

Five-time Mr. Universe, seven-time Mr. Olympia, and Mr. World, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the name in bodybuilding.

Here is his classic bestselling autobiography, which explains how the "Austrian Oak" came to the sport of bodybuilding and aspired to be the star he has become.

"I still remember that first visit to the bodybuilding gym. I had never seen anyone lifting weights before. Those guys were huge and brutal....The weight lifters shone with sweat; they were powerful looking, Herculean. And there it was before me -- my life, the answer I'd been seeking. It clicked. It was something I suddenly just seemed to reach out and find, as if I'd been crossing a suspended bridge and finally stepped off onto solid ground."
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold shares his fitness and training secrets -- demonstrating with a comprehensive step-by-step program and dietary hints how to use bodybuilding for better health. His program includes a special four-day regimen of specific exercises to develop individual muscle groups -- each exercise illustrated with photos of Arnold in action.

For fans and would-be bodybuilders, this is Arnold in his own words. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

Inspirationalbook Excellent read for all people
First of all I am a huge fan of Arnold's as a body builder and a movie star. When I got back into weight training I was aiming to achieve a body with similar attributes to Arnold, the physically ascetic dimensions unlike the bulky body builders of today (Jay Cutler). What I didn't know prior to reading this book is how much stretching and activities such as and cardio swimming, dance classes, and yoga contributed to Arnolds beautiful muscular physic and elegant posing routines. With these additional physical movements such as yoga you actually help lengthen your muscles and tendons making everything flow together better and make you more lose and avoid injury such as pulled muscles. A lot of the exercises he has in the back of the book are good but I only used a couple of them since I have my own routine right now to target specific areas I am working on. The book is an awesome companion to help get yourself into the mindset you need to be a world-class body builder. There is a brief history of Arnold's upbringing and journey through his teens and into competitive bodybuilding. This book was written in 1977 and its interesting how open and honest Arnold is about "drugs" or steroids. I mean he flat out says that the American body builders had better drugs the Austrians he trained with and got his juice from. Thats the statement he makes in the book. Anyway I think this book overall is a good short read. Over a third of the book the last part of it is totally dedicated to teaching the reader not only the proper way to do different weight lifting exercises it also has a diagram of a very fit and slender via 1977 Arnold displaying these exercise in photos which are full page which is nice so you know if your doing the specific lift such as a bench press correctly, I think he calls you a sissy or something if you do a half ass pushup. Also Arnold has near perfect form so you have a pretty good guide to make sure your fulley extended and not "cheating" as Arnold puts it. So to conclude this book is half Arnold's story through his teen and how he got to be the best body builder in the world. And the second half is purely devoted to Arnold showing and writing how to do each one of the exercises in extreme detail, the exercise that helped him become number one and win the 6 Mr. Universe at the time it was written. One last thing the book is nice and small so if you want to bring it to the gym as a companion to make sure your doing the exercise correctly by looking at Arnold doing them you can.

IM HERE TO PUMP YOU UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
vERY HONEST! STRAIGHT TO THE POINT AND WENT OUT HIS WAY TO MAKE SURE IT GOT HERE ON THE DATE I NEEDED IT BY. SAME DAY I PURCHASED HE SHIPPED OUT. MYEXPERIENCE WAS MORE THAN GREAT. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

GOD BLESS,
JJ-BEAR

Sorry Governor, but you're only half right
This book is good enough to steal.I ought to know.I had my first copy of this book stolen out of my car (at which time they took my entire gym bag) and my second copy (that I bought to replace the first one) was borrowed from me and never returned. that being said, the first half of this book is Arnold's ego trip sort of autobiography.It's an "okay" read if you have nothing else with you when you pay a long trip to the toilet...... But the send half is the ultimate explanation of how to lift weights and how to get results without killing yourself.It's the 2nd half that makes the "now Governor of California," an okay sort of guy and gives the credability to the book that the first half could never have held on its own.

It's a text book for the weightlifter in all of us.

Don't steal yours, buy it.And don't lend it out to anyone because it won't come back.

great book
I am not much of a body builder (I love to lift, but I'm not that devoted), but a lot of what Arnold says in this book resonates with me.The autobiographical parts talk a lot about self-discipline and defying others' expectations to go on and make something of yourself - to live your dreams.I think this is the best lesson this book has to offer.
I think every athlete should read this book at the very least.Or anyone who just wants to do something special with their life.

A Walk in the Mind of A Success-Oriented Superstar
How you every wonder how some people in the minority in a relatively fewer short years can achieve so much and how the majority can achieve so little in an entire lifetime of wishing, waiting and wanting?I am sure that these questions have crossed everyone's mind at one time or another.Though the main theme that permeates throughout this book is about bodybuilding and how to become a success in this field, looking deeper, you see that this is an autobiographical journey into the mind of what makes a successful person successful.

The second have of the book on the specific exercises for bodybuilding is good but a little sketchy and not quite definitive for a beginner.Nevertheless, and overall this is a very inspirational and good read. ... Read more

Product Description

The complete program for building and maintaining a well-conditioned, excellently proportioned body -- for a lifetime of fitness and health.

In Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men, legendary athlete Arnold Schwarzenegger shows you how to achieve the best physical condition of your life. For every man, at every age, Arnold outlines a step-by-step program of excercise, skillfully combining weight training and aerobic conditioning. The result -- total cardiovascular and muscular fitness.

Arnold's program of exercise features stretching, warm-up and warm-down routines, and three series of exercises, each more ambitious than the last, all calculated to help you progress at your own speed. In addition, Arnold contributes important advice about equipment, nutrition and diet, and getting started on your program of exercise.

Special sections of Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men cover training for teenagers, exercises designed to keep you in shape on the road or when you can't get to the gym, and the regimen Arnold followed to win his seven Mr. Olympia titles.

Illustrated with hundreds of photographs of Arnold and other top bodybuilders, Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men will help every man look great and feel terrific. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

understanding bodybuilding
This book is straight forward and honest.Simple and precise it is a good building block for those who are learning or need to re-learn how to do proper techniques and concepts.

The Governator's Bodybuilding Book
I really enjoyed this book.Even thought the book is almost 30 years old, fitness and how to get there is timeless.

Good, but his Encyclopedia is better
The information in this book will get you into shape. The basics of exercise are what works and those basics are timeless.
This book provides the information in a concise and easy to understand manner.
However, if you already know that you will be sticking with the weight training and Arnold is your guru of choice, then I would just spring for "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding" right off the bat.
It is way more thorough.
As for the dumb comments about Arnold's gains all coming from steroids...
Yes, we all know he took them, and no they are not the reason he was big.
Extremely hard work and persistance are the reasons he was big.
Anyone who thinks that steroids are all it takes has obviously never trained seriously. I know because I am the same size and a natural.
If you want to succeed at this then you have to train hard and smart, and you have to do that consistently for a long time.
That's probably where Arnold's best, he really inspires you to want to get your butt in the gym and move some weight.

Yo..it works
Yes, the excercises are basic. Yes, the knowledge revealed is basic.

But the EFFICIENCY of both the knowledge and excercises is amazing. You will do these excercises and see results IF you do them as specified and very quickly. But the problem I ran into was the difficulty. I made progress very rapidly using his system (no joke..it really WORKS even for us skinny guys) and had to drop the ones that put too much pressure on my back but they do indeed work and work well. I even saw results with only doing these twice a week!

But I do recommend learning more about diet if you are serious about bodybuilding. Diet/rest/proper quality and quantity of excercise are the keys.

As a nerd after doing Arnolds system I gained a whole new respect for bodybuilders. The sheer willpower needed to go into the gym and torture yourself like this day after day is awe-inspiring lol.

Don't judge the book by Arnold on the cover
I bought this book many years ago and found it to be very helpful to those attempting to sculpt their body other than for competition. His exercises are reasonable to do at home without gym equipment. He explains how to target specific muscle groups and how to maintain a balance in your physique. There is also a section on working out with improvised weights and equipment such as when traveling or on business trips and time does not allow for a trip to the gym.
This is an excellent book and a shame it is overlooked because it is thought to be directed at professional muscle bloaters. ... Read more

Product Description
Laurence Leamer, author of three Kennedy bestsellers, presents the definitive biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger, his rise to fame and power, and his marriage to Maria Shriver T he life of Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most extraordinary success stories of our time. An immigrant with a heavy accent from a village in Austria, he became the greatest bodybuilder in history, the number one movie star in the world, the Republican husband of a Kennedy princess, and the governor of the greatest of American states. Fantastic shows how and why this man of willful ambition and limitless drive achieved hisunprecedented accomplishments. Leamer has had exclusive, intimate interviews with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, his closest associates, including his elementary school friends in Austria, his mentors, bodybuilding competitors, lifelong friends, first serious girlfriend, political rivals, agents, publicists and producers, many of whom have never been interviewed before. Leamer captures the public and private Schwarzenegger, a political/cultural figure unlike any other, who could change the face of politics in our country. This intimate book is studded with news-making revelations: -The untold story of Arnold's traumatic relationship with his father -How Arnold's first mentor, a Jewish partisan in WWII, helped shape the youth -The intimate story of Arnold's first great love and the five years the couple lived together -Why Arnold married Maria Shriver and the startling story of their wedding day -The star who hated Arnold and tried to ruin his career -How Arnold overcame sordid sexual revelations and prevailed politically -How Maria took over management of her husband's campaign -The game plan that may bring Arnold to the White House. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

A good book with some noteworthy flaws -- like its subject
Readable and well-researched, "Fantastic" takes a largely positive view of Schwarzenegger as an essentially good but demonically, narcissistically driven man.

Others have written more thorough reviews and I will not attempt to write a full one here.Instead, I'll point to three things that bothered me about the book, none of which should keep you from reading it.

First, the author too often epxresses an entirely gratuitous political opinion.His description of economist Arthur Laffer is one example.(Laffer comes into play late in the book, as one of dozens of economists and others whom Arnold consulted during his gubernatorial campaign in 2003.)The author first describes the "Laffer Curve" in a rather silly, perhaps disingenuous way.Laffer's main point was that cutting high marginal tax rates -- when one began with the high tax rates inherited by Reagan in 1981, at least -- results in collecting MORE revenue, because you removed disincentives to working harder.Instead, the author of this book states that the point of the Curve was to suggest that too-high tax rates make people stop working.That does happen too, but such wasn't the contextual point of the Curve.More importantly, even if the description WERE accurate, it's a silly inclusion in a book about Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Second, the chapter devoted to Arnold's campaign "Brain Trust" is disproportionatly given over to a narrative by the author's brother, a UCLA economist who was one of the aforementioned dozens of folks consulted by the Arnold team.The brother, although ostensibly a Republican, pooh-poohed any conservatives who dared to defend Prop 13 (a limit on property- and other tax increases)."Stuff My Brother Told Me About The Dumb Conservatives And How They Were Mean To That Smart Warren Buffett" might have been a better title for that out-of-place chapter.

My third critique is one I admit to be unfair: The book came out just before Arnold's slate of big reform measures got clobbered at the ballot box in 2005.This is no one's fault; it's an accident of timing.But having enjoyed this book 85% of the way, I crave one more chapter dealing with this defeat (which I find unfortunate) and Arnold's remarkable leftward dash thereafter (ditto).

Arnolds book
Arnold is without doubt one of the most influential human beings of the 21st century. Fantastic gives us a glimpse into the life of the man who on the face of things looks invincible. The book (and I pray it doesnt make things up) also gives readers a glimpse into arnolds kinder side. The oak has a heart.

boyfriend loves it
my boyfriend is a huge arnold fan so he loves this book that i bought for him

a very good book
this book is an objective and complete biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
it tells the rise to fame and power from his childhood to his first year of governorship. After reading it, one must observe that succes in life depends not on luck, as many believe so, but on discipline, wilful ambition,drive and
positive thinking followed by action.
i recommend this book not only for arnold fans (it should be mandatory for them :) ) but to anyone who wants to get an insight into one of the most extraordinary success stories of our times
Please excuse any language mistakes, i`m not a native english speaker

A Real Page-Turner
Larry Leamer's 'Fantastic' is fantastic. I couldn't put it down. It is amazing to learn that one human being, Arnold Schwarzenegger, built such an amazing life. Leamer catalogues this life in a readable, entertaining, objective way. If anyone wants to know what makes Arnold tick, this book will tell him.

Marc H. Rudov
Author
The Man's No-Nonsense Guide to Women
(ISBN: 978-0974501710) ... Read more

Product Description
Here for the first time in one volume are all the basic and revolutionary concepts on exercise, training principles, contest preparation, diet and nutrition that have evolved into modern bodybuilding from the man who stands at the forefront of the sport. The "Encyclopaedia of modern bodybuilding" will answer every question any dedicated bodybuilder of bodybuilding enthusiast could ever think to ask. It is an exhaustive reference and instructional manual covering every conceivable aspect of the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding
The book was in very good shape when I recieved it.The seller was very prompt in sending the book. I was pleased with the overall process.

One Word: Revolutionary
This is a late review but there is only a few reasons to go out of your way to get this version. I can draw some political connotations this day in February but I'll hold back. There is some information that the Governor cut out from the 2nd edition The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised and can only be found in here. It's not really necessary to have this because of the revised 2nd edition but if your curious in how the Governor helped disadvantaged citizens it's all in here. And some other information for the Arnold fan and historian. See my other review on the 2nd edition.

Must-Have If You Love Bodybuilding
This book is worth every penny for the pictures alone. The "trouble spot" training section is great too, as it goes into a detail on an enormous number of movements.

Great Reference
This is a goldmine of information for bodybuilders or anyone who trains with weights.

It presents an incredibly wide range of exercises for every body part complete with descriptions and pictures.It is worth the money for that alone.

I have had this book for over 20 years and have often used it as a reference. It will give one many different exercises for any given body part to keep training fresh and effective.

As the book was written in the 1980s, some of the information is dated.In the area of nutrition, there is a lot more current information.Also the split routines used by Arnold would constitute overtraining for most people.I used that approach many years ago and have gotten far away from that.I am a believer that less is more in terms of training.In spite of that, there is a lot of great information in this book.When combined with other approaches, the knowledge that one can gain from this book is invaluable.

#1 BBS Manual: "Training to Failure" - D.I.Y Hercules for Everybody
*Note* There is a revised edition of this book.

The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding is the largest tome of bodybuilding information found in any publication, finishing up at around 800 pages with approximately 1000 pictures and weighing in at a whopping 5.8lbs, making it the only book that gives you a workout while reading it. Arnold divides his massive manuscript into a number of sections, starting with the history of bodybuilding, competitions, the gym experience and training techniques (the core exercises) before rounding up with various poses and additional information on bodybuilding supplements and diets. Arnold advocates trying to find pictures of a bodybuilder who fits your size and figure and then aiming to replicate their results. Arnold himself used Reg Park as a model for his first teenage foray in the gym while in subsequent years built each body part up using different bodybuilding models to achieve his own unique juggernaut definition. This is but a tiny fraction of the kind of good quality recommendations that the Encyclopedia comes up with. Bodybuilders (bbs) everywhere refer to the `encyclopedia' for its awesome display of photographs of superhuman bbs throughout the ages. There is no lack of snaps that detail the human anatomy. You will likely run through the book many times to find that muscle group or separation that you missed the first time. It is startling how much anatomy you need to get around before you can understand what impact each exercise has on the developing muscle. This is a fully fledged subject that will have your attention for years to come and there is no better place than to start here. Combining this book with the movie "Pumping Iron" on DVD will give you a much better idea of where the information is coming from and you will see most of the faces in this book actually exercising and involved in many of the competition photographs that are on display here. Arnold's description of the muscle groups and how to work them is coupled with illustrations and photographs to show the kind of development you should be aiming to achieve. Creating striations on muscle groups like deltoids and pectorals are topics that will cause you to go back to page one to re-examine everything you have read and seen. Anatomical research coupled with exercising methodology and application with dieting will transform your physique over the course of even a few months. As a lifelong hobby you will be bulking up before your first year is out. A few years will have you at competition level. The whole point is get into the gym to work off that fat to reveal your true shape, a shape that can be defined and built upon with muscle. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other world-class bodybuilders, advocate more than one set per exercise called High-Volume Training, HVT, the traditional method of using multiple sets to train to failure by training each set to failure, resting, and then repeating the set to failure, as many times as it takes before you just can not do anymore sets for that body part. You will build muscle no matter what kind of genetics you have if you stick with HVT. Hypertrophy is the scientific term for the enlargement of muscle tissue caused by a specific amount of intensity needed for the hypertrophy to occur. No intensity, no hypertrophy, no gain. HVT achieves hypertrophy every time because each muscle group is trained to failure. This is the key to building muscle. You must get that straining feeling where you just can't do another repetition. If you find yourself doing lots of repetitions (more than 10) then you need to add more weight. Arnold includes various Power-Training techniques to help shock the body into being able to lift heavier weights. They work.He also includes increasing intensity techniques by utilizing `forced reps', `negative reps', `isolation training', `supersets' and `stripping methods' among a host of others to learn about. There is much more here then any review can hope to explain (and look at the length of mine!). That is why it is 800 pages or so. Apart from the five stars which it deserves the book does have some major drawbacks. The first big drawback is that all the photographs involve drug use. There are only a few photographs of bodybuilders who have not used steroids and the reason is obvious. It is the little dirty secret that hides behind all the bigger muscle on display. You simply will not get as big as these legends without doing drugs. However you will certainly be able to achieve the same definition and still have very big muscles without drugs. The bodybuilders who did not do drugs are at the start of the book in the history of bodybuilding. Look at the photographs of everybody until you reach Reg Park. After that it is all drug users. Achieving the same sizes without drugs is near impossible apart from the exceptionally genetically gifted person. There is also a lesson to learn from this drug experimentation. Don't do it if you put any value on the most important muscle of all... your heart. All of the guys in this book are much older now and you can see them in the bonus material of the "Pumping Iron" DVD. Sadly they don't look good (sadly some are in wheelchairs) and even Arnold has had a bypass. Just go with food type supplements like 100% Whey Protein and Creatine and stay away from all forms of steroids. The other major drawback is that the 70s bodybuilding era did not give much regard to what is called perfect form. Perfect form is all about doing the exercises the right way to avoid injury. A lot... and I mean a lot... of the exercises in the Encyclopedia are considered very dangerous, mainly because of back arching. These include nearly all of the `Rows'-type exercises (Bent-Over Barbell Rows, Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows, T-bar Rows and the One-Arm Dumbbell Row) which are abandoned today. A `Straight-Leg Deadlift' is something you must do right or you can injure yourself. The `Goodmorning' is considered iffy. Using a Smith-machine for the `Vertical Machine Press' is bad because it has a set path. Triceps `Extensions' are a problem. Take care with `Dipping' and avoid `Sissy Squats'. Arnold's book does not do perfect form so well and in most cases just comes up with plainly dangerous material. This is not to say that you can not do the exercises now and again. Most you can, but in the long term you will only get an injury. Avoiding injury = gain. It is as simple as that. So learn perfect form. How to do this? If you want to learn perfecting form then read "The Insider's Tell-All Handbook on Weight-Training Technique" by Stuart McRobert. This book clearly explains how to perform Back Extension, Cable Row, Calf Raise, Close-Grip Bench Press, Crunch Abdominal Work, Curl, Decline Bench Press, Dumbbell Row, Finger Extension, Grip Machine Training, Incline Bench Press, Leg Press, Lever Bar Work, L-fly, Neck Work, Overhead Lockout, Overhead Press, Parallel Bar Dip, Partial Deadlift, Pinch-grip Lifting, Prone Row, Pulldown, Pullover, Pullup/Chin, Pushdown, Rader Chest Pull, Shrug, Side Bend, Squat, Stiff-legged Deadlift, Thick-bar Hold and the Wrist Roller Training. Get it along with this book and you will not be disappointed with what you can learn between the two. Getting that perfect form right is something that you can learn from the latter book and start doing better in a year than the bb who has been in the gym for ten years. It is that important. Slow and controlled exercising does not avoid injury. Injury has nothing to do with the speed or control of the exercise. Injury occurs because of bad form. So get the form right, learn what Arnold teaches you about developing muscle groups and stay away from drugs to live until you are 90 with a darn near perfect body. It can be done! ... Read more

Product Description

Who is the real Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Customer Reviews (5)

He always comes back
Ian Halperinwrites about the seemingly charmed life of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He does a good job on explaining Arnold's motives and drives - if ever there was a self made man this is it. However Ian says he had to go undercover to get some answers from both Arnold and his wife Maria's acquaintances, because they would incur the Schwarzenegger's wrath otherwise. After looking at some pictures of him in `disguise'- sunglasses while training with Lou Ferrigno, one can't wonder if the author was really being `put on' that the interviewees didn't suspect him. He also 'goes undercover' and poses as a body building promoter. Other reports are from neighbors or people who say certain events happened in Arnold's life, and of course the reports of inappropriate behavior are covered in detail and much depth throughout the years. Tales of backstabbing and how Arnold taunts others and his insensitive streak are reported in many instances.

There is just a lot of negativity, so it is surprising that some of the last words in the book is how he would vote for Arnold for president, if the Constitution could be changed. There is some jumping back and forth in the time line and then what he considers his ultimate undercover job - posing as a Republican?
A history of body building is given and there are some pictures, however none of Arnold's younger years. Much of the history and style of the Kennedys is gone into and how they have pulled strings in different instances to help Arnold. Of course then there is the strange statement from Halperin that Teddy'sChapaquiddick instance happened on the night of the Apollo moon landing; when the moon landing was 2 days later. One wonders what other facts might have been mixed up?
This is another example of a gossipy book and if that is what you want to read then this is for you.

gross
What you are sam is a waste of skin. Interesting person nothing new in the book...

Fantasy written by a delusional moron
Ian Halperin is a hack writer who does no research and publishes stuff that the tabloids wouldn't even touch. Hearing him ramble on about his largely-imagined sex life on the Opie & Anthony radio show, I am convinced he is delusional, most likely mentally ill and probably has strong repressed homosexual tendencies. This past week, he held a "bed-in" protest (one of the most transparent and idiotic publicity stunts in recent memory), which he claimed was attended by the world press when in fact this clown was visited briefly by a small handful of other shameless publicity seekers and fellow probable homosexuals. Why a half-baked Canadian gossip-monger managed to get a book about a successful US politician published is beyond me. I am hoping that Mr. Halperin will fade into the publishing oblivion that he so richly deserves.

Excellent Work
A Canadian national treasure, Ian Halperin once again blows the lid off of an American icon. Much like his other fictional works, the award winning author conjures a world in which gay Jews control the illegal steroid trade, forcing the future governor into one compromising position after another, no pun intended. The Austrian muscleman reigns supreme, and with the help of underground Canadian bloggers, gains the White House! A must miss political thriller, Halperin hits another Canadian home run*!!!

(Canadian Home Run- Eight strikes... eh, take your base, kid. Nice try.)

Nothing new
There's no doubt that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a great subject to write about. His life has been rather charmed. At the same time, he's worked far and away harder than most people to get what he wanted. He's planned each step in his road to success.

It's therefore unfortunate the author gave us a mere rehash of what we've already read. While he went to Arnold's home town and traveled extensively, interviewed friend and foe, he came up with little that is new. We still see the same brilliant yet boorish, charismatic yet unlikable character that's in all biographies about the man.

Schwarzenegger is neither vilified nor made into a saint in the book. It's a fair look into his life. The problem is that there's nothing especially new.

We read about the subjects womanizing, his ambition, his inclination to be a self-promoter. But these are all things we've read so many times before. We get a glimpse into his personal life --- but only a glimpse.

The author uses information directly out of other books rather than come up with fresh, first-hand information. An extensive search on the Internet would produce pretty much the same thing.

Having paid twice what the book is selling for in the Amazon Marketplace currently, I'm frankly disappointed.

While I find the writing good and the logical progression compelling, the lack of new information makes this an especially unneeded biography.

-- Susanna K. Hutcheson ... Read more

Product Description
He arrived in California with $20 in his pocket; now he's governor of the state. But who is Arnold Schwarzenegger? A superachiever, rising from a steroid-enhanced bodybuilder into a global star and the highest-paid actor in Hollywood? Or a Teutonic terminator, sent from Austria to America to kick Democratic butt? Nigel Andrews unearths Arnold's riveting story from his strict Germanic upbringing through the worlds of bodybuilding and movies to his metamorphosis from muscle-bound star to political powerhouse. Andrews illuminates the myth-making power of Arnold's own ambitions and follows his strange career all the way up through the stage-managed but scandal-assailed campaign and dramatic recall election to his eventual triumph. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

What I expected but still a litlle let down
I needed a book to read on my fligh back from Hawaii and found this one in a used book shop in Maui. It seemed interesting to me,I always found Arnold and his career interesting. It gives good background on his early life, his body building career and early film career. The thing is the writer gets, simply, annoying. The way the book is written at points is really cheesey. I mean, getting all philsophical about Arnold and the roles and movies he chose really turned me off.

The bottom line is I learned about Arnold's life and that is what I paid for. However, I thing the book could have been much better written and had more substance.

Arnold's UNauthorized biography
This my may not be the best book you will ever read, but if you're interested in information about Arnold, this is not a bad choice.The author mentions all the obstacles he had in writing this book and does not try to make it seem like it is an authorized biography in any way.He does give you a look at Arnold without the childish self-promoting efforts that Arnold's autobiography seems to try.This is a fun book, with a slight edge to it like you're reading something that might have been printed in a tabloid were it not printed in a book.You can almost feel like you are sneeking around with the author trying to find out information about Arnold that is not some sort of publicity stunt.It might not be the most fair look at Arnold, but then again neither is Arnold's autobiography.I think the real story might be found somewhere in between the two books.

Not very easy to read but has alot of information.
Although the book is not that flattering for Arnold its not that bad either.I stopped following his career in the early 90's and it has alot of information about him since then. Most of the information about his career early on and into the 80's I already knew but had more detail than in previous material I had read.

Bunch of bull
This author is out to make Arnold look bad, not to sure about this book...I think its a bunch of BS myself.Arnold is a true Idol, a star, a person someone wants to be.This guy makes Arnold out to be a pure bonified *%*$*@*...I do not believe the bullcrap from this book at all...

Great Book.
Great Book. Takes an honest look at the real life "Arnold Schwarzenegger". It may take the magic out of the man for some , but it puts a human face on one of the greatest personalities of our times. The book points out that, like all of us, Arnold has his imperfections, but through sheer will and a fanatical determination to succeed, he pulled himself up by his boot straps and propelled himself to success. An absolute "MUST READ" for all true Arnold fans. ... Read more

Product Description
An intimate biography of the seven times Mr Olympia and major film star. ... Read more

Product Description
Arnold is the long awaited book by Arnold Schwarzenegger, his bestselling autobiography and fitness plan. In its pages the superstar of PUMPING IRON tells you how he became the most successful bodybuilder of our time. With the aid of vivid photographs and a step by step programme, the man who became Mr Olympia and Mr Universe lets you into the secrets of his astonishing success - what to eat, what to wear, how to expand your normal exercise routine into a championship-level workout. A special four-day gym programme includes specific exercises to develop specific muscle-groups, with each exercise illustrated with photographs of Arnold in action. Fascinating and inspiring both as an autobiography and as a fitness guide, ARNOLD: THE EDUCATION OF A BODYBUILDER, will show you how to enjoy better health and increasion relaxation through the disciplines and rewards of bodybuilding. ... Read more

Product Description
The superstar discusses the basics of health and exercise for children, ages eleven to fourteen, and offers easy-to-do exercises and photographs and line drawings. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo. Tour. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Boring
I love Arnold and what he has accomplished so it suprised me to suggest that women should start out using 3 lb weights. Sorry, you won't get results like that. This book my be good for seniors or those with limited physical ability.

This book is great!
If you can get your hands on this book its great on so many different levels.First it is an older book some of the references are out of date, which makes it comical to read, but the techniques and general concepts are tried and true.It's good for "housewives"that plan on exercising at home, many of the workouts include household objects that are in most homes.I would definitely get a second book, but this is a good start and an amusing but good read.

Good bodybuilding book for women
I came across this book at a used book store and love it. It is one of the best pure women bodybuilding books for females available.

And who is more qualified than the greatest bodybuilder of all time?

I understand that Arnold used to run a gym in Germany back in the 60's and he was one of the first to promote bodybuilding for women to develop a shapely figure.

Some people think you will build big bulgy muscles like a man, as Arnold explains, that is not possible since women have different hormones than men and are not likely to train with the intensity of a male competitive bodybuilder; 6-7 days a week, twice a day plus three to four days of running 3 miles per day and a spartan diet.

For me, I found Arnold was right. I developed a more shapely figure. Better tone and looked more feminine.

Arnold has another winner her. I think other women avoid it because they don't understand it.

I also recommend Arnold's Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding to help break plateaus and get more exercise variations.

The ultimate for women
My wife has several workout books but as she states, "not one matches Arnold's".This book not only covers subjects like what to eat, it also goes into great detail on what workouts work what muscles.Great book!

Good, but old
If you keep your perspective in check, this is an excellent resource.Good, basic advice.I was struggling training my girlfriend (I am advanced, she a beginner), and this book made it much easier to convince her that I wasn't crazy with my training advice.It is a simple and clear book, pretty basic, but I am a big believer that 90% of the results come from the basic stuff, and the last 10% is for when you hit sticking points, or reach an advanced level.But the book is getting on in age these days; still, don't let that disuade you if you can pick up a copy. ... Read more

Product Description
The superstar discusses the basics of health and exercise for children, ages six to ten, and offers easy-to-do exercises and photographs and line drawings. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo. Tour. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

From his role in The Terminator to his more recent work as Governator of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has played a major role in American popular culture. This accessible and entertaining biography traces the trajectory of Arnold's career-sports figure turned movie star turned entrepreneur turned politician. Elected as governor of California in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger now dramatically and vividly represents the determination and, to a great extent, the relentlessness necessary for achieving great fame, political power, and iconic status. While many readers will have read about his benchmark achievements, this biography will reveal the surprising complexities behind the public scenes and put them into a larger cultural context. Photos and a timeline of significant events round out this insightful biography.

From his role in The Terminator to his more recent work as Governator of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has played a major role in American popular culture. This biography traces the fascinating trajectory of Arnold's career-sports figure turned movie star turned entrepreneur turned politician. Elected as governor of California in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger now dramatically and vividly represents the determination and, to a great extent, the relentlessness necessary for achieving great fame, political power, and iconic status.

Arnold's life has been characterized by public notoriety. While many readers will have heard or read about his benchmark achievements, this biography will reveal the surprising complexities behind the public scenes and put them into a larger cultural context. Photos and a timeline of significant events round out this entertaining and insightful biography.

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Piece of work by Wendy Leigh
I wrote a short review of this book many years ago, though Amazon did not let me have my say since some of my impressions, between the lines, were of my own, were debatable.I do agree that I mentioned some events that I felt Wendy Leigh may have not mentioned, though for me, I do believe he did some things that I will not mention.

I was not being negative.Arnold influenced me a great amount through my life, and I upload him, he is a great man.

I feel that Wendy Leigh's book is a must for information on his early life.She researched her information well, if not great.She also should be given much credit for this book, since for me it is the best account of again his aforementioned early life, what motivated him and why.I can not believe that there is a better account of Arnold out there.I could be wrong.I have lent this volume to many people who were not impressed by it as much as myself, that may be a point for you to consider!

So you may not like it.There are some funny accounts here about a monkey, and the salt story, spoilers, though what I deam funny most people do not.A great read for me.

Read what others have said.I do not want to coerce people to read this, of coarse you can tell I liked it!

gossip, cheap gossip.
This is a cheap work from Wendy Leigh, considering her career at BBC Televison, one would think is will be a good book, but no, is just a show of cheap attacks on Arnold, no true facts, just cheap gossip. Trough the book it feelsas the writerhad a crush on Arnoldbut it did not work out , now she tries to satle some scores. All it comes to mind is : junk. After reading it , one will loose it's ability use common sense from the book's bad influence.

Arnold, America, Ambition
I was intrigued to read this book when I learned the biographer was prevented from appearing on ABC's Good Morning America by Arnold's publicist, the all powerful Pat Kingsley.It is a well researched and written book with no agenda.I held back a star because his journey to America was fascinating and the hunt is more exciting than the kill.It made me respect him more what sacrifices he made to come to this country and I pass no judgement about being a "boy toy" to a septegerian Spanish prince as a means to get out of Austria.Even it was only posing, and no touching.He used whatever he had to get to America.He has nothing to be ashamed of and his children will know if he did not do what he did they would not be here to judge him.It was a big mistake to kill this book it will one day idemnify him as a dreamer who took action.

the real arnold
there is a reason why you can't find this book when you type in arnolds name on amazon.com. this book is an unauthorized, unpublicized invesitigative report at the real arnold, the one that does not want to have his million dollar image and governorship ruined by sexual scandal, steroid use and various other elements that make him HUMAN. this book is the real deal about arnold, the one he does not want you to read, the one that is not being published, the one you had trouble finding.

Flaws and Triumphs
I've been reading about Arnold since I was 18 in 1972.His bodybuilding accomplishments are legendary and now he is a famous movie star.Leigh didn't necessarily dig for negative stuff on Arnold; she wrote what appears to be are the facts of his life.No one is perfect and each of us has comments and experiences we'd rather the world did not hear about.It's all part of Arnold's life good and bad but interesting and fascinating as well. ... Read more

Product Description
How Arnold Schwarzenegger has shifted the entire American cultural and political landscape, how he--and we--got there, and why we all should care.

After nearly thirty years in the public eye, Arnold Schwarzenegger's rise to fame and fortune--and statesmanship--represents a celebrity the likes of which we've never seen before. As co-authors and longtime collaborators Blitz and Krasniewicz argue in this humorous but heady book, it is not just a matter of his transformation from bodybuilder to megastar to politician. Nor is his governorship of California just a matter of another actor assuming the position. Instead, at the beginning of the 21st century, "Arnoldness" has spread into every corner of our culture. More than a name, more than a spectacular career, he has become a set of ideas--an ultramodern take on the quintessential American dream.

Having followed the cult of Arnold for twenty years, Blitz and Krasniewicz are uniquely qualified to illuminate his growing hold on our collective imagination. As an adjective, as a metaphor, as an easy reference point for anyone talking about things tough, forceful, and successful, they'll explain exactly why Arnold matters--and for better or worse, richer or poorer, America may never be the same. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Weird book but hard to put down
No question this is a weird book. It's not a bio and it's not a fan book. There are sections you could never expect to find in a book about a famous person. For example, there is an entire chapter on the hundreds of dreams the authors had about Schwarzenegger. Believe me, the dreams are VERY worth reading. They are the weirdest part of this book, in fact. But there is a ton of interesting stuff about Arnold S., including chapters about his movies and about his getting elected to governor. I laughed out loud at a couple of parts, and I was really surprised to learn how powerful Arnold is in terms of his influence on language and culture. I cannot understand the bad reviews of this book. It may not meet your expectations if you want a regular biography, but it's a totally fun book to read.

Fun to read, like an Arnold garage sale!
I loved this book! If readers cannot find a mountain of absolutely fascinating material in this book, they must be looking for a very particular experience and won't open their minds at all. It's unbelievable how many ways Schwarzenegger has crept into our minds and vocabulary. The headlines following his election to governor are wild and sometimes scary! The chapter on the dreams the authors have had about Schwarzenegger are too too funny and weird. I felt like a voyeur, and I candidly admit that I enjoyed that sensation! The little bits on the movies actually made me want to go and see a few more than I've seen of Arnold's movies. AFter I read the one-star review on this website, I was amazed that someone could be so shallow! This book makes for great bedtime reading, bathroom reading (my husband has it in there these days!), bus reading, or any place. But if you want a plain old biography, then DON'T buy this book. It's not plain and it's too clever for you, then!

Can I give it ZERO stars?
This book sucks. Plain and simple. Don't get me wrong, I like Arnold, and I was hoping to find out some good facts about him and his political career. Instead I get a run-down of any vague reference to Arnold, the Terminator, or any of his other characters known to the free world. Like the fact that there are a lot of references out there proves anything about Arnold himself. It's all filler, no substance. It reminds me of a high school student trying to bluff their way through a book report they know little about; they prattle on endlessly about a few obscure facts they have dug up and miss the main issue. Fortunately, I got this book as a gift, so it was not my money wasted. This bad boy is going straight into the Goodwill donations bag.. although I hesitate to inflict this reading on the less fortunate. One thing it is very good for; if you are having trouble getting to sleep, I challenge you to try to get through more than 10 pages while lying in bed. It can't be done, I have tried.

So much fun!
This is not an intellectual review. I just want to say how much fun this book is to read! Maybe some of the other readers were hoping for a stuffier biography, but I found this book a real pleasure. So many quirky facts and weird cultural things related to Arnold. I had no idea! Probably one of the best airplane-reads I've had in years!

Perplexed by the negative reviews!
What gives with these one-star reviews??? Have these people actually read this book? I read it in two sittings, and every page has at least one surprising thing on it. I had no idea how far inside the "mind" of American life "Ahnold" had gotten. The authors show example after example of truly bizarre ways that Schwarzenegger has become THE quintessential example of almost everything in the culture! I thought I knew the basics about the guy, but it turns out he is connected to a lot more than movies and bodybuilding. The ways that people have used his name, his image, just the idea of him, amazing. The authors have done VERY thorough research on this guy, and this book goes in a totally different direction than the recent biography (which I read and would rate maybe 3 stars). There is even a chapter about the authors' dreams and the meaning of the fact that they had hundreds of dreams about Arnold while they were learning about him. Besides the fact that the dreams are weird and interesting, the authors connect the dreams to the ways that Arnold has been creeping into our lives. Bottom line: read this book! If you find it boring, it's time to worry about how narrow your imagination has gotten! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Disappointing
The book offers a comprehensive factual recounting of Schwarzenneger's films through 1996, including synopses and summaries of each one's critical reception. But it offers no analysis, no discussion of Schwarzenegger's development as an actor and no insight into how various roles relate to one another, which is what I was hoping for. Bare facts such as the plot of a film or its cast list are readily available for free on the Internet.

There are a few historical tidbits, but the lack of anything resembling analysis, coupled with bad writing, lazy editing and repetition (including some passages appaearing word-for-word in multiple places) make this one to pass on.

A MUST FOR EVERY ARNOLD FAN!!!
Do you have the entire "Predator" screenplay memorized?Do movies like "The Running Man" and "Kindergarten Cop" hold a special place in your heart?Then this is the book for you.John Flynn gives every Arnold film (up to 1996's "Eraser") focused attention, complete with plot synopsis, critical reviews and behind the scenes production details which I found extremely interesting and entertaining.The book suffers, through no fault of its own, from being slightly outdated.Example:In the final pages, Flynn gives his forecasts for "Jingle All The Way" and "Batman & Robin", both movies not yet released at the time of publication.(And I am I alone wishing that they never were?)On the topic of Arnold playing the villan Mr. Freeze opposite George Clooney's Batman, the author seculates, "How can it miss?"Oh, if only he knew.Both of these flicks turned out to be the two biggest cowpies in Arnold's otherwise distinguished career.But that's in the past.Here's to the future.Buy this book!No true Arnold fan should be without it.

Super star, the big guy Arnold Schwarzenegger
The book is simply about the movies of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The thing is this, this is the most interesting book that I' ve ever read. That was because of Arnold becuse he really inspires me.

A great read for Arnold fans, or just fans of movie making!
After reading several biographies of Arnold, including his informative but dated autobiography, this book provided insight and many details of Arnold's life that those biographies do not include, especially, of course,his life while making all his movies. The reader will learn of the planningand politics that go into making a movie years and sometimes decades beforethe cameras start rolling. Hence, the great interest and value this bookwill be to anyone interested in recent movie making and history, even ifthey are not fans of Arnold. For those of us who want to know more aboutArnold, though, the book contains a thorough description of what Arnold wasdoing at the time each of his movies were made, why he was chosen for therole over other actors and why he wanted to be in it, what efforts Arnoldmade to get each role, and what transpired during the making of each movie.The problems and obstacles that had to be overcome to complete some of hismovies, and Arnold's strategy to enhance and further his movie career showhis determination and strong will to be a success that worked so well inhis bodybuiding career. The information in this book is not found in any ofArnold's biographies. In addition, this book also serves as an excellentrecord of Arnold's movie making, including as a Director. This revisedversion, includes his more recent movies, as well as plans for the future.In summary, this book is both informative and thoroughly enjoyable - agreat read. The only criticism is with the author's foreward. In it theauthor explains that since this is a book that is based on facts, it doesnot contain inaccurate information or unsupportive opinions about Arnold.However, in several places in the book, the facts about a movie or Arnoldare a little off. For example, everyone knows Dirty Harry's "mostpowerful handgun in the world" was the .44 magnum, NOT a .357 magnum.And its the Arnold Classic competition that Arnold has every year inColumbus, Ohio, NOT the Mr. Universe or Mr. Olympia. There are othermistakes in the book, but all are on this level of minor detail that neverdetract from the enjoyment of reading it. In fact, these very minor errorswould not have bothered me at all if the author had not made that statementin the foreward about the book being so very factual. ... Read more

Product Description
Examines the career of the Austrian-born bodybuilder who became an enormous box-office success in a second career as a movie star. ... Read more