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True Myths of Arnold Schwarzenegger : The Life and Times of Arnold Schwarzenegger, from Pumping Iron to Governor of California

True Myths of Arnold Schwarzenegger : The Life and Times of Arnold Schwarzenegger, from Pumping Iron to Governor of California

List Price: $9.95
Your Price: $9.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not very easy to read but has alot of information.
Review: 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.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: No that Interesting
Review: Andrews has no access to Arnold, and minimal time with the A-man's associates. So he does what he can, showing an Arnold with the midas touch who sets a goal, goes for it, and gets it. (Like in his pre-success 70's, saying he would marry into a powerful American family, and later "sweeping Maria Shriver off her feet"). Andrews is rarely negative, and praises Arnold's films more than most critics, for sure. The only "criticism" is a very minimal handful of he said he/she said comments from former co-workers... and Andrews' frustrations with his lack of access. With so little input, Andrews espouses cultural meaning to Arnold's work that may not, or may, exist. For example, Andrews may read more political ambition into Arnold's work than is really there... or, he is amazingly prescient. The book was published in 1995, yet Andrews projects - seriously - Arnold as Governor and U.S. President (post new Ammendment that would allow foreign borns to serve). In my humble opinion... Andrews gives too much cultural/political weight to Arnold's art. (Maybe my bias -- I buy into a lot of political interpretation to Warren Beatty's work... see book recommendation below). On page 195, Andrews describes Arnold's expansion from his 80's Reaganesque tough guy films:

Kindergarten Cop hints at the healing age of peacemaking with Russia and at President Bush's 'new world order'. The sentimental subplots about children reaching entente with divorced parents adumbrate both the messianic geo-political accords that had taken place under Reagan and the family values mandates that had issued from his and Bush's White House.

Uhhhhhh?

Ultimately, despite the potentially great material that is Arnold, I didn't find the book that interesting. Maybe there is something incongruous about a British intellectual like Andrews writing about a man of action like Arnold. The writing style lacks a certain muscle and speed (or even controversy :-)... to reflect Arnold's style.

Books I like more:
"Warren Beatty and Desert Eyes: A Life and a Story."
"Muscle: Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder."

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: No that Interesting
Review: Andrews has no access to Arnold, and minimal time with the A-man's associates. So he does what he can, showing an Arnold with the midas touch who sets a goal, goes for it, and gets it. (Like in his pre-success 70's, saying he would marry into a powerful American family, and later "sweeping Maria Shriver off her feet"). Andrews is rarely negative, and praises Arnold's films more than most critics, for sure. The only "criticism" is a very minimal handful of he said he/she said comments from former co-workers... and Andrews' frustrations with his lack of access. With so little input, Andrews espouses cultural meaning to Arnold's work that may not, or may, exist. For example, Andrews may read more political ambition into Arnold's work than is really there... or, he is amazingly prescient. The book was published in 1995, yet Andrews projects - seriously - Arnold as Governor and U.S. President (post new Ammendment that would allow foreign borns to serve). In my humble opinion... Andrews gives too much cultural/political weight to Arnold's art. (Maybe my bias -- I buy into a lot of political interpretation to Warren Beatty's work... see book recommendation below). On page 195, Andrews describes Arnold's expansion from his 80's Reaganesque tough guy films:

Kindergarten Cop hints at the healing age of peacemaking with Russia and at President Bush's 'new world order'. The sentimental subplots about children reaching entente with divorced parents adumbrate both the messianic geo-political accords that had taken place under Reagan and the family values mandates that had issued from his and Bush's White House.

Uhhhhhh?

Ultimately, despite the potentially great material that is Arnold, I didn't find the book that interesting. Maybe there is something incongruous about a British intellectual like Andrews writing about a man of action like Arnold. The writing style lacks a certain muscle and speed (or even controversy :-)... to reflect Arnold's style.

Books I like more:
"Warren Beatty and Desert Eyes: A Life and a Story."
"Muscle: Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Book.
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Book.
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I wish I never read this book...
Review: I used to think Schwarzenegger was great... now I'm not so sure!!

This book makes you realise that he is just one big marketing ploy. You also get to see that he is not a nice person - he tramples over people to get what he wants, and makes you realise that most of the charity work he does is only to make him look like a good person...

I think this quote from the book sums him up, "I admire people like hitler..."

EEK. Will change the way you see him drastically. I preferred my blind opinion of him before!!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Bunch of bull
Review: 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...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: One version of the truth
Review: This book is crippled by a couple of factors, including the author's fetish for mocking Arnold's accent about twice a page. More seriously, no one close to Arnold cooperated in its writing (a fact that the author acknowledges and laments.)

That understood, however, the books does offer a compelling version of Arnold's rise to prominence first as a bodybuilder and then as an actor. Written from a reasonably neutral standpoint -- the author comes across as more gadfly than antagonist, while certainly not a sycophant -- it seems fair in its criticisms and appropriate in its praise.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Really Good!
Review: This is the best comedy i've ever seen, the part where the bunny finds arnold and kicks him in the nuts is THE funniest thing!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Arnold's UNauthorized biography
Review: 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.


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