Franz Josef Strauss is among the great figures of German politics, alongside Adenauer, Brandt, and Wehner. Few other German politicians were as hated as he was, but equally few were as revered. The story of Franz Josef Strauss is the fascinating tale of his rise from the son of a butcher to the uncrowned king of Bavaria. Werner Biermann was able to speak with friends, companions, and members of the Strauss family, painting a precise and multifaceted picture. He recounts Strauss's childhood in the Schwabing district among the common people, his father, who sold sausages to Himmler and despised the Nazis. He describes a political career that endured the unprecedented downfall during the "Spiegel" affair and nearly culminated in the chancellorship. Werner Biermann outlines the numerous political scandals associated with the name Strauss.