Pumping Iron: The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding Paperback – 1 Jan. 1988

Arrived on time, was as stated.

More a history than a how to. Was old fashioned when it was first published.

Great book, lots of history about the sport.Not in mint condition but I didn't expect anything else.Highly recommend it if you are a bodybuilding enthusiast!

Mon neveu, passionné de body-building, voulait ce livre dans son édition originale. Il y a eu un retard à la livraison (bloqué en douane) mais le colis est bien arrivé et l'article est conforme en tous points.

It is no overstatement to attribute to the publication of this book much of the fitness revolution that first began in the 1970s. It lionized the then relatively obscure sport of bodybuilding, and in particular made much notice of the then only marginally known figure of a relatively young Austrian muscle freak with the unlikely name of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The book proved such a trenchant and penetrating look into the shadowy subculture of fitness freaks and muscle-heads that it created a boom in the gym business, which previously existed only in a few locations where the numbers of bodybuilders reached enough of a critical mass to allow such a commercial venture. In fact, as Gaines points out in the narrative, most of the gyms were owned by guys like Joe Gold, who weren't in the gym business to make a profit, and who merely managed to eke out a living, and who rarely made much of a return on their original investment.Of course, this affectionate and knowing look at the life and lifestyles of several serious competitive bodybuilders was so successful that it encouraged the photographer, George Butler, to try to find backing for a film version of the book. And it was a difficult sell, for the movie mavens had little appreciation for the degree of public interest in muscles and muscle men then. Indeed, the movie was never released for wide commercial viewing, but was rather relegated to showings at art cinemas and other venues. Yet the book was a resounding success, and was on the best-selling trade books for months and months.The book can still be found in used bookstores, and is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the history of bodybuilding or the lifestyles of the most famous musclemen of the late 1960s and 1970s. I have several copies, although I lost one in a fire last year. It is a shame it is now out of print, for the book (and the subsequent movie) capture the essence of the exotic little world of competitive bodybuilding as it existed in the days when the sport was marginalized, before it became big business, and before eager young men who want fame and riches got involved for that reason rather than because they just wanted to be bodybuilders. Ah, the good old days! Enjoy!

Great condition, and will be on my coffee table for others to enjoy also

Had the original. This is a great replacement. Strolling down memory lane :). Product was better than described, shipped very promptly, and packaging was exceptional. Would definitely buy again from this seller.