First published 2012
Arnold Schwarzenegger tells his life story with unflinching honesty. Born in Thal, Austria in 1947, he arrived in Los Angeles at twenty-one with big dreams and little else. Within a decade, he had built a million-dollar business empire. Twenty years later, he dominated Hollywood as the planet's biggest movie star. In 2003, California voters elected him governor. Schwarzenegger reveals how he transformed the bodybuilding world from Venice Beach, created cinema's most memorable characters, and navigated the treacherous waters of politics. He celebrates his victories while confronting his failures head-on. This autobiography captures an immigrant's relentless pursuit of success across three distinct careers, showing how ambition and determination can reshape both an individual life and American culture itself.
Genres: biography, business, politics, autobiography, memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: ambition, determination, immigrant-story, rags-to-riches
Setting: Austria, California, Los Angeles, Thal
Period: 1947, 1960s, 1980s, 2003
656 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster