From The Shadow Book

From the Shadow - Hardcover Edition

Disclaimer: this may be more than what you bargained for.

Do you want to read a story about bodybuilders living their best life? A well-polished, sugarcoated tale showing how they indulge in the lavish lifestyle of the stars, striking their best pose in front of the camera while enjoying every bit of attention? Then you might want to consider searching elsewhere.

You come across hundreds of success stories every day, so you think you know what to expect from this book. This time you’re wrong. Far from being your average light reading, it will shake you to the core. So buckle up and prepare for the ride. It will be an emotional rollercoaster.

In this book, Dorian Yates revisits the most important moments of his life, telling his readers all about the way they impacted him, the lessons he’s learned and how he got out of all of this stronger, wiser and more determined.

From his modest origins to his pretty eventful childhood, the restless teenage years and the time spent in the spotlight, Dorian lays everything bare. By opening up about the hardships he faced and the challenges of the bodybuilding industry, he tells a poignant story about rock-solid ambition and how it can shape your destiny.

Unashamed of what makes us human (namely, our emotions), he digs deep into his past, uncovering hidden motivations and sharing with us a deeply personal outlook on acceptance, coming to terms with the changes in life and the power of consistency.

You won’t have time to get bored as he takes you back to that time when he was growing weed on his window sill, while he was living right above a police section. Or when he was arrested and detained for 3 months in a youth detention center. You’ll perhaps be tempted to put things into perspective once he starts discussing how he won his first show and how he dealt with his new life once he retired from bodybuilding.

And you’ll most certainly resonate with him after you learn about the ups and downs of his transition from a bodybuilding superstar back to a regular person. Finding out who he really is in his thirties, reshaping his personality, getting divorced and starting all over again. The eye-opening trip in Rwanda or the two-day adventure in the Brazilian rainforest with his then-girlfriend, Gal Ferreira. It’s all in there. And he spares no detail.

Yes, he’s a 6-time Mr. Olympia winner. But there’s so much more to Dorian Yates than just that. This is not a success story. It’s as honest and personal as it gets. Like an intimate talk with an old friend, in your favorite pub. Take it or leave it (and miss out on one of the greatest life stories there is).