Arnold Schwarzenegger

Children's Literature

As a young man in Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger told his friends that he wanted to be the best body builder ever, to be a big movie star, to marry a beautiful and intelligent woman and to be rich and powerful. Amazingly, he accomplished it all. Born in Austria, Arnold was a small and sickly child. Interested in sports, he tried swimming, boxing, gymnastics and soccer, but none of these seemed right. It was not until Arnold visited a gym and saw a weight lifter that he "found the answer he had been seeking"—body building. His success as a body builder earned Arnold movie and television roles and his growing celebrity status earned him invitations to star-studded events. At one such event he met Maria Shriver, a member of the legendary Kennedy family, whom he eventually married. Over time his interest in politics grew and in 2003 Arnold announced that he would run for governor of California. Amazingly, this man who had never before held public office won the election. A straightforward and timely account of an out-of-the-ordinary life. At the end of the book, reader will find a filmography, a list of sources, a selected bibliography, suggestions for further reading and an index. 2005, Lerner Publications Company, Ages 12 up.
—Anita Barnes Lowen