Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t say good-bye. Since 1984, when he starred in The Terminator, he has memorably said, “I’ll be back.” It’s a signature catchphrase and, acting aside, Schwarzenegger has indeed come “back” as a successful businessman, film producer, and politician. This time, he returns to the spotlight with a new book from Taschen that celebrates his varied career and continuing charisma as captured by the greats: Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, Sante D’Orazio, and even Andy Warhol.
The images, however, only tell half the story. Born in the small Austrian village of Thal in 1947, Schwarzenegger began lifting weights as a teenager, dreaming of a life far beyond his hometown. In 1967, at 20, he became the youngest man to win the title of Mr. Universe; he would go on to earn the title four more times, along with seven Mr. Olympia crowns.
