Arnold Schwarzenegger is a living legend of our time. You have seen actors become political figures. You have witnessed wrestlers become Hollywood stars, and you have watched bodybuilders become actors. Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger kind of did all that. Well, almost. He was a bodybuilder, then an actor, before becoming the Governor of California. Not bad for someone who started life in a small Austrian village.
Now, if you fancy having Arnold’s incredible journey sitting on your coffee table, TASCHEN has just the thing. Simply titled ARNOLD (ISBN: 978-3-8365-9958-0), this hefty 528-page hardcover chronicles more than 70 years of Schwarzenegger’s remarkable life, from his humble childhood in Thal, Austria, to bodybuilding dominance, Hollywood superstardom, and eventually the governor’s mansion.
Originally released as a signed Collector’s Edition, the book is now available as an unlimited edition, making it far easier—and much kinder on the wallet—to own. That does not mean it skimps on content. Quite the opposite.
Weighing in at a bicep-worthy 4.73 kg (10.4 lbs), the book packs portraits by legendary photographers including Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, Sante D’Orazio, Francesco Scavullo, and Andy Warhol.
It also features vintage bodybuilding photographs, behind-the-scenes film stills, personal archive images, and exclusive interviews with Arnold himself, alongside filmmakers Ivan Reitman and Bob Rafelson, as well as bodybuilding icons Franco Columbu, Dave Draper, and Frank Zane.
At US$150, ARNOLD is probably the closest most of us will ever get to having Arnold Schwarzenegger personally tell us, “I’ll be back.” Granted, in this case, he’ll be back every time you pull this 4.73-kilogram beast off the shelf. That’s a workout and a biography all in one.
ARNOLD is also available in German (ISBN 978-3-8365-9986-3).
Images: TASCHEN.
