Governor Arnold

by Andy Borowitz

First published 2004

Arnold Schwarzenegger sits in the governor's office in Sacramento, flexing his way through the early days of his historic term. New Yorker humorist Andy Borowitz captures the bodybuilder turned politician's first one hundred days in office through vivid two-color photographs paired with completely made-up captions. The book follows Schwarzenegger as he attempts to remake California according to his own muscular vision. Borowitz presents dramatic and sometimes alarming images of the new governor, including shirtless moments that blur the line between political theater and physical intimidation. The tension builds as readers witness a man determined to reshape an entire state in his own bulging-veined image. At its heart, this is a satirical portrait of power, celebrity, and the absurdity of American politics wrapped in the unlikely package of the world's most muscular governor.

Genres: satire, american-fiction, humor, political-science

Vibes: fast-paced, satirical, thought-provoking

Tropes: fish-out-of-water, satire

Setting: California, Sacramento

Period: 21st-century

120 pages · Paperback · Simon & Schuster

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