This book provides is a comprehensive, in-depth examination one of modern cinema's biggest and most ideologically defined screen presences. Tracing Arnold Schwarzenegger's entire film career and life from teenage bodybuilder in post-war Austria to Governor of California, Saunders blends observations of his major films, including "Pumping Iron," "Conan the Barbarian," "The Terminator" series, "Twins" and "True Lies," with historical context and biographical detail, demonstrating continually the importance of broader social and political factors in defining Arnold's unique significance.
This work argues that Schwarzenegger represents far more than just a muscular spectacle; he embodies the powerful ideological and spiritual relevance of the age by embarking on a quest to restore collective faith in his adopted nation

Dave Saunders is a film writer and lecturer. His research interests include documentary film, mainstream America cinema, and US cultural and political history. His books include 'Direct Cinema: Observational Documentary and the Politics of the Sixties' (2007).