Why Arnold Matters: The Rise Of A Cultural Icon

by Michael Blitz, Louise Krasniewicz

After nearly thirty years in the public eye, Arnold Schwarzenegger's rise to fame and fortune--and statesmanship--represents a celebrity the likes of which we've never seen before. As co-authors and longtime collaborators Blitz and Krasniewicz argue in this humorous but heady book, it is not just a matter of his transformation from bodybuilder to megastar to politician. Nor is his governorship of California just a matter of another actor assuming the position. Instead, at the beginning of the 21st century, "Arnoldness" has spread into every corner of our culture. More than a name, more than a spectacular career, he has become a set of ideas--an ultramodern take on the quintessential American dream.Having followed the cult of Arnold for twenty years, Blitz and Krasniewicz are uniquely qualified to illuminate his growing hold on our collective imagination. As an adjective, as a metaphor, as an easy reference point for anyone talking about things tough, forceful, and successful, they'll explain exactly why Arnold matters--and for better or worse, richer or poorer, America may never be the same.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2004

Reviews

[Grant Trevarthen]

To be honest, I',m not a fan of Arnold S, I find his polished sculpted physique false as if he is trying to be one of those Roman statues all for show and not much more.
As for his movies, they don't resonate with me and will not stay long in my memory. 'True Lies' with Jamie-Lee Curtis, was the only one of his movies I liked, and that was more fore her not him. His foray into politics as Mayor of California was to me an escapade only Hollywood could dream up. Do we need another power crazy Austrian seeking only power and glory for himself. He isn't an icon, he is just another made up Hollywood figure that history will soon forget.

[Louis Christopher]

This "book" is a literary travesty, the contents of which should have been aborted long ago. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a fascinating individual who has found success in many differnt arenas. However, Michael Blitz's attempts to bridge Arnold's political accomplishments with his cinematic roles was, to say the least, a stretch. The book also contains several pages worth of frivelous material and the mere fact that it is exactly 250 pages suggests this nonfiction tale may be a doctoral thesis (perhaps it was written for Political Science for Dummies). For civilization's sake I hope Mr. blitz did not receive a doctorate for his efforts.

[Billy]

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the personification of the American Dream. Think about it: poor Austrian boy comes to America and becomes a rich movie star governor. That's exactly what Horatio Alger's "America" is all about.

[Manny Rivera]

An interesting read and very entertaining, I think many people who want to learn about American culture should read this book.

[Benedict Reid]

slapped together. More or less the result of a google search on arnold.