Fiaz Rafiq - Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Life of a Legend

ARNOLD
SCHWARZENEGGER

THE LIFE OF A LEGEND

PRAISE FOR
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER: THE LIFE OF A LEGEND

Few can deliver the details and perspective that Fiaz Rafiq achieves in his exhaustive oral history covering all aspects of Schwarzeneggers epic life and career. This is the hard work of a dogged professional journalist Alex Ben Block, Hollywood showbiz historian and author

Candid and entertaining recollections from some of the figures closest to Schwarzenegger reveal the hunger and desire that drove him to realize the American Dream. Rarely heard-before anecdotes underline the self-confidence that helped shape a bodybuilding and Hollywood icon ahead of his alliance with one of Americas great political dynasties. Fascinating reading Simon Jones, Daily Mail

A fresh and illuminating look at Arnold, taking in everything from his early days in bodybuilding to his twin careers in film and politics. A fascinating look at a self-made man, as told by the people who know him best Joel Snape, Mens Fitness

This book provides an intriguing insight into the life of a truly global superstar. A truly absorbing book Kevin Francis, Daily Star

An excellent insight into all facets of Schwarzeneggers career Daryl Crowther, Impact: The Global Action Movie Magazine

An intriguing new insight into the figure who transcended bodybuilding and movies to become a seminal figure in US politics and society. A mustread for any Arniephile Gareth A. Davies, Daily Telegraph

THE LIFE OF A LEGEND

FIAZ RAFIQ

This edition first published in Great Britain in 2021 by

ARENA SPORT

An imprint of Birlinn Limited

West Newington House

10 Newington Road

Edinburgh

EH9 1QS

www.arenasportbooks.co.uk

First published in 2011 as Arnold Schwarzenegger: Conversations by HNL Publishing

Copyright Fiaz Rafiq, 2011 and 2021

ISBN: 9781909715974

eBook ISBN: 9781788853316

The right of Fiaz Rafiq to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologises for any errors or omissions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available on request from the British Library.

Designed and typeset by Polaris Publishing, Edinburgh

www.polarispublishing.com

Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY

A big thank you to the staff of M.A.I. and Impact magazines: Moira, Martin, Neal, John, Roy and especially editor Bob Sykes for giving me the opportunity and embracing me earlier on my writing career. The fifteen years working relationship was fun. To all my editors at the magazines and national newspapers whose help and support have contributed to my success in my professional writing career. Also, I would like to thank the personalities I have interviewed over the years from the sports and entertainment worlds you are an integral part of the reason behind my success.

I would like to thank my long-time friends Diana Lee Inosanto; Royce Gracie; Rasheda Ali; Ron Balicki; Bob Sykes; Ronnie Green; Lance Lewis; Seyfi Shevket and Peter Consterdine for their countless years of support and encouragement. Special thank you to Alex Ben Block of Alex Ben Block Consulting (www.blockandtackle.biz) for his support.

I would also like to thank Muhammad Alis brother, Rahaman, who gave me the opportunity to make history. I would like to thank my agent Charlie Brotherstone.

Thank you to Joel Snape for editing the manuscript. A special thank you must go to Neville Moir and my editor Pete Burns at my publishers, Arena, for believing in me and for all their hard work.

I would like to thank my friends in the industry, both in the USA and United Kingdom, who have enriched my life and supported me.

Being a private person, I never really mention my family and certain friends when it comes to acknowledgments. This doesnt mean Ive forgotten them or dont appreciate them. Work, for me, is a passion and a profession, as much as I made it an obsession in my life, family and close friends are the heart and soul, so is my religion nothing is worth living for if these three integral elements are absent.

In life we strive to elevate ourselves and reach a higher plane. Some of us take our passion to the extreme and become totally consumed by it. Of course, to succeed and realize our dreams we must endeavor to pursue our passion wholeheartedly and be dedicated. Achievements and accolades and acclaim are all great, of course, but sooner or later we may, or should, realize that the core happiness and meaning of life lies not in merely fulfilling our ambitions and achievements, but by cherishing those who are close to us and appreciating the normal things in life and be content.

There have been a couple dozen books by or about Arnold Schwarzenegger, on his life, bodybuilding, movies, politics and more. They have covered his improbable rise from obscurity in Austria to his reign as a champion bodybuilder, to his unlikely movie career and subsequent superstardom, to his political career as the Governator of California.

However, few can deliver the details and perspective that Fiaz Rafiq achieves in his exhaustive oral history covering all aspects of Schwarzeneggers epic life and career. It is presented for the most part with a gentle hand, but not without mentioning Schwarzeneggers controversies, especially the stories about his alleged sexual harassment of women and fathering a child out of wedlock with his house maid.

Mostly, however, this is a loving, warm, friendly tribute to Schwarzenegger that provides a lot of insights. It was done without any interviews with Schwarzenegger himself, although Fiaz says they did meet at least once.

My own connection to Fiaz is through our common interest in the late kung fu movie star Bruce Lee. I wrote the first serious book about Lee after his death The Legend of Bruce Lee (1974), and Fiaz has written two oral histories of Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali using his same style.

In this book, the extensive interviews are roughly in chronological order with smart narratives that set up the interviews and fill in gaps. Mostly this is the hard work of a dogged professional journalist who interviewed people who know, worked with, worked around or covered Schwarzenegger for both trade and general media.

As a contributing writer for the tabloid newspaper The Sun and other prominent newspapers, and as a former regular columnist and contributor to martial arts, action movie and fitness and lifestyle magazines, from Martial Arts Illustrated