THE GOVERNATOR From Muscle Beach to His Quest for the White House, the Improbable Rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger

Halperin’s rehashing of already covered territory, the savvy and strategically skillful life of Arnold Schwarzenegger, is tabloid-style sensationalism at its most extreme. Making matters even more intense, Greg Itzin’s reading is fraught with an over-the-top tone caused by too rapid increases and decreases in pitch. Somewhat illogical efforts to impersonate nearly every character mentioned, from Schwarzenegger to Jay Leno, too often fall flat. While the subject may indeed be a fascinating person, this work deals minimally with his two terms as California’s governor and will likely be most enjoyed by fans of the former bodybuilder and actor. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2011]