Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Note:
I originally wrote this blog post in 2011,
but I wanted to update it because we're releasing
the Legacy of Iron series on Kindle.
The first book, Legacy of Iron, is already up
and available for immediate download on
Kindle. Go here to grab the little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron01_kindle.html
And now, here's the original post:
Several years ago I began doing something new
and different – something that no one had ever
done before. I began writing a series of books
about weightlifting and bodybuilding in the
1930’s and 1940’s.
The books focus on the York Barbell Company and
the York champions of the 1930’s and 1940’s.
They combine fictional characters with real people,
such as Jihn Grimek, Steve Stanko, John Davis,
Harry Paschall, Bob Hoffman, Sig Klein, Warren
Lincoln Travis, John Terpak, Gord Venables and
Gracie Bard. The characters attend actual lifting
meets, bodybuilding competitions and exhibitions,
so the books give you all of the history, color
and drama of the era. So far, I’ve written and
published five books in the series.
The first five books in the Legacy of Iron series
are titled:
1. Legacy of Iron
2. Legacy of Iron 2 – Clouds of War
3. Legacy of Iron 3 -- The 1,000 Pound Total
4. Legacy of Iron 4 – York Goes to War!
5. Legacy of Iron 5 -- Barbells in the Pacific
“Legacy of Iron” is set in 1938 – 1940, and tells
the story of Jim Miller, a young man who desperately
needs to build some strength and muscle. A lifter
named Jack Ryan takes him under his wing, trains
him, and takes him to York where he meets all of
the great champs of the era – Bob Hoffman, John
Grimek, Steve Stanko, Gord Venables, Tony Terlazzo,
John Davis, Harry Paschall, Gracie Bard and others.
It’s a fast-paced, exciting story, and covers a
number of actual lifting contests and exhibitions.
“Legacy of Iron 2 – Clouds of War” takes the action
into the spring of 1940. It covers the six-week
period from the 1940 Junior Nationals to the 1940
Senior Nationals and the Mr. America contest (won
by John Grimek, who also lifted in the Senior
Nationals and placed third in the Heavyweight
class).
“Legacy of Iron 3 – The 1,000 Pound Total” continues
the story. It covers the 1940 – 1941 period, and
details the battle between Steve Stanko and John
Davis to be the first man in history to total 1,000
or more pounds in official competition. It’s one of
the great stories in the history of the Iron Game,
and I feel honored and humbled to be able to present
it in dramatic narrative form.
“Legacy of Iron 4 – York Goes to War!” opens on a
secluded beach in Hawaii on the morning of
December 7, 1941 (the day of the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor). From there it blazes into action
from York to Washington to Pearl Harbor to San
Diego – covers the 1942 Senior Nationals and
Mr. America contest -- and culminates in a life
and death struggle on a remote island in the
South Pacific. It’s fast-paced, exciting, non-stop
action – and like all of the books in the series,
it gives you a vivid sense of being there, right
in the thick of the action.
“Legacy of Iron 5 – Barbells in the Pacific” continues
to cover the War years, and the life and death struggle
to preserve the Free World against the ruthless military
dictatorships allied against it. It also covers the 1943
Senior Nationals and Mr. America contest -- and it brings
you what may have been harry Paschall's greatest moment
(and Gord Venables' worst moment).
In the Legacy of Iron series, I try to convey a sense
of what the York Barbell Company, Strength and Health,
and the York champions meant to young men and boys
(and many girls and women) around the world in the
1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. They cover a time period
when “the greatest generation” had some of the
greatest bodybuilders and lifters we’ve ever seen.
It’s a generation of men and women who deserve to
be remembered forever.
I know that many readers are only interested in books
and courses about “how to train” – and that’s fine –
but even if you “don’t read novels,” you might want to
give these very unique and very special books a chance.
They’ll teach you plenty about Iron Game history – and
about how the Golden Age champions trained, what they
ate, how they thought and what they believed. They’re
the closest thing to a time machine that can take you
right back to 1939 and let you sit down and talk
training with John Grimek and Steve Stanko – and
that’s pretty hard to beat!
But more than that, these are novels that will motivate
and inspire you – just the same as your favorite sports
movies motivate and inspire you. Do you remember how you
felt after watching Rocky, Chariots of Fire, The Natural,
Rudy, or Cinderella Man? If you’re like me, you probably
felt like hitting the iron and setting half a dozen
personal records. That’s how you’ll feel after you
read each book in the Legacy of Iron series.
As I’ve said before, I can’t make movies for you – but
I can write books that are going to give you the very
same sort of motivation and inspiration. And remember –
once you learn how to train and get into the training
habit, the most important thing to do is to stay
motivated and inspired. It’s what keeps you going
for the long haul.
Thanks for reading, and have a great day – and if
you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. To learn more about the Legacy of Iron series –
or to order one or more of the books in the series –
go to these special pages:
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacy_of_iron.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/clouds_of_war.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/1000pound_total.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacy_of_iron4.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/barbells_pacific.html
NOTE: Some of you already have one or two books
in the series -- others don't have any. If you order
all 5, you get a discount and save some clams on
shipping. See the bottom of the special page for
Legacy of Iron 5 for more info.
For info on ordering 3 or 4 books at a time (with
a discount), shoot me an email. I want everyone to
have all 5 in the series -- they're that good!
P.S. 2. Yes, there are more Legacy of Iron books
to come. We have a lot more Iron Game history to
cover!
P.S. 3. And don't forget -- Legacy of Iron is now
available on Kindle:
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron01_kindle.html
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