FANTASTIC - Softcover

He has been known as the Austrian Oak, Mr. Universe, and the Terminator. Now he answers to “Governor.” From humble beginnings in a small Austrian village, Arnold Schwarzenegger pumped himself into the greatest bodybuilder in history, the biggest movie star in the world, and a political force to be reckoned with—all with raw ambition and driving self-confidence. In Fantastic, esteemed biographer Laurence Leamer captures Arnold’s amazing story as no one else could. Drawing on unprecedented interviews with Arnold, his wife Maria Shriver, and Arnold’s friends, family, lovers, competitors, business partners, and political adversaries, Leamer offers a brilliant, uniquely detailed portrait of this self-made man who married a Kennedy princess and scaled the heights of America’s elite. Readers will discover:

· A troubled youth: growing up the son of a strict former Nazi and overcoming adversity by discovering the potential of weight training
· The superhuman: the arrogant showman who revolutionized bodybuilding—and his astounding string of Mr. Olympia titles
· Blockbuster stardom: why a heavy accent and wooden acting style couldn’t keep Arnold and his publicist from marketing him into the world’s largest grossing film icon
· The unlikeliest Kennedy: his marriage to Maria Shriver and her role in Arnold’s rise to governor of the Golden State
...and more!

LAURENCE LEAMER has written many bestsellers, including The Kennedy Women, The Kennedy Men, and Sons of Camelot. He lives in Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach.