Sandow the Magnificent: Eugen Sandow and the Beginnings of Bodybuilding

A wonderful book about a most interesting man. I'm so inspired by Eugen Sandow, because of this book, that I named my Giant Schnauzer show dog, SANDOW!

David L. Chapman does an amazing job at piecing together the life story of Eugen Sandow, who was part workaholic, part legit, and part hype. What makes Chapman's coverage of Sandow so impressive his near disclaimer in the preface: that despite there being plenty of print on Sandow from his heyday, how much of it is reliable is questionable. Chapman sounds almost dismissive of his end result, but by piecing together multiple sources of Sandow's history, he has done an excellent job portraying which aspects of Sandow's works were impressive, which aspects were marketing hype. Sandow is neither deified nor demonized; this is a biography written the way biographies should be written. Eugen Sandow had both incredible talent as well as sly business savvy. With a chiseled physical in a day when massive muscles were few and far between, he is the first man to successfully market such a wild physical fitness mania, an industry that seems to be at an all time high in the 21st Century. This book serves as a tour of Sandow's evolution from theatrical strongman to a pioneer in mail order fitness courses and health clubs (Sandow's Institute of Physical Culture). While it is easy to fill this book with Sandow's many legitimate achievements, Chapman never shies away from showing his embarrassing flops, like Sandow's continuous reinvention of his biography, his joke-of-a-fight with a circus lion, and the "Sandow's Health & Strength Cocoa" debacle. We also see the rare instances where Sandow realizes a challenge from a rival strongman or wrestler is out of his league, and his wise and sometimes clever ways he bowed out of the competition. It should be noted, however, that Chapman shows us more instances of Sandow being the man making the challenge, resulting in showboaters and "Sandow impostors" trying to duck the challenge. This book also reveals the balance of Sandow's personal and professional life, from his rocky but lasting marriage to Blanche Brookes Sandow, the multitude of women (including some female celebrities of the day) who hit on him, to his professional and personal friendship with Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. If you are a fan of bodybuilding or pop-culture, this book is an essential addition to your library. This is one of the most underrated biographies I have read in quite some time. David Chapman's notes and bibliography are impressive alone (and there are SO MANY books on pop-culture history that penny-pinch in this department). This book will reel you in at the beginning, and hold your attention until the last page.

At a time when the chemically-enhanced monsters of today are putting professional bodybuilding back in the freakshow arena and ensuring it remains the minority sport it has always been, it is interesting to read about its 19th century music hall/variety show beginnings in the strong man act. Sandow was the most famous and celebrated strongman of them all and his story in this book is a fascinating and entertaining read. The depth of research and wealth of interesting characters and anecdotes make this book a must have for anyone interested in physical culture and the history of bodybuilding. The petty politics, scams, and dubious business deals among the strong men and health club owners of the late 19th/early 20th century have never left the sport. Sandow, while seemingly being a genuine advocate of bodybuilding for health reasons, comes across as the master of self-promotion.His position as the father of the sport is assured, not least by the fact that the Weider Organisation/IFBB call their Mr Olympia trophy (the highest honour in todays bodybuilding world) a Sandow. The irony is not lost on this reader.

Sandow The Magnificent is an excellent biography of an enigmatic showman who came to the forefront of physical culture at the turn of the century. Growing up during the fifties in a household of amateur bodybuilders I was subjected to back issues of Strength and Health magazine and often saw old photos of Sandow. Familiar with the image, but not the person, my interest was piqued when I came upon David Chapman's book. Chapman's approach in telling the story of Sandow sheds light on almost every facet of the strongman's life-the good, bad and kinky. Though some of Sandow's life is apparently somewhat shrouded in mystery, and much is left to conjecture and interpretation, the book is both illuminating and interesting. Sandow The Magnificent is well written, enjoyable reading and gets quickly into the depths of Sandow. Unlike many biographies that extensively probe the lineage and childhood of the subject, something I personally find tedious, Chapman gets right to the man behind the fascinating black & white images. Now when I see a photo of Sandow there is more understanding of what was behind the rugged facade of muscle and strength.

David Chapman's biogaphy of the "Great Sandow" is more than just the story of the first muscle and physique star of modern times. As a boy, Sandow visited Italy and became impressed with the marble statues of the muscular heros of Ancient Rome. His logic dictated that he would become a living work of art and later, as a mature muscle man, displayed his physique as the sculptures were viewed in art museums.Chapman is the first author I have read who strips away the prejudice of those who would say he was a simple sideshow performer who displayed himself as an egotist. Chapman clearly dispells myth, both good and negative to draw us near to the man and his thoughts, his fears and ultimately, his triumph in defining who and what he was...the father of modern bodybuilding.