It is seen as an emblem of modernity, yet the gym’s origins date back 2,800 years to the beginnings of Western civilization. The Temple of Perfection explores the long history of the gym, exploring its enduring popularity in a world increasingly obsessed with plastic surgery quick fixes and pharmaceutical methods of attaining physical fitness. The history of the gym is a history of the human body: its authentic and idealized forms, artistic representation, and public and private presentation. While this book might not make us join a gym, it will change the way we think about the concept of it, our bodies and our attitudes to fitness.
