Weakness Is a Crime: The Life of Bernarr Macfadden

Rating:
Summary: Barney MacFadden First Son of Physical Culture
Review: A very good book which gets only three stars because it glosses over MacFadden's career as a wrestler, and his days with wrestling's "Three Musketeers" of Missouri: John C. Meyer, George Baptiste, and himself. MacFadden did jump out of an airplane over the age of 80 though, which is pretty cool.

Incidentally, MacFadden inaccurately labels himself as america's "Father of Physical Culture," when that title actually went to William Muldoon, former graeco-roman champion wrestler, who died in 1933, and reigned as champion thru the 1880s.

Rating:
Summary: Best Macfadden Biography
Review: If you're looking for a book about the life of Bernarr Macfadden, this one is my recommendation. It is extremely well-researched, comprehensive, and exceptionally well written. It is enjoyable to read. Ernst covers virtually all aspects of Macfadden's life from his birth to his death. Perhaps the author could be faulted because he did not focus on one area of his subject's multifaceted life, but I feel that as a biographer, the author gives just the right amount of attention to the various areas.