Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story

This was a book club choice. Never, ever would I have picked this book up left to my own devices. I groaned when we agreed to do it and thought it was going to be 600 odd pages of tough going which would need some skim-reading to survive. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I found the book completely engrossing. I sat reading it all day one weekend and spent the rest of the week racing to bed to carry on. Pre-reading the book, I was utterly dismissive of this man. Post-reading it, I am uplifted and inspired and a total admirer. It is an inspirational book on all levels. I always looked at body-building as rather pointless and body-builders as having very ugly bodies. I was not interested. His description of that world and his part in it was fascinating and I have now bought 'Pumping Iron' to learn more. I dismissed out of hand, Conan the Barbarian as a joke. Under no circumstances would I have considered seeing it back in the 80s or now. Reading the chapter about its making changed my mind. I have just bought the DVD because the film sounds fascinating and ground-breaking - (maybe not his acting though!). I am also considering getting some more of his films to view as well. (I have seen very few of them.) What a turn-around! This man is a salesman par excellance! I think what I found so appealing about this book is that to my mind Arnie presents a very honest (al beit sanitized) view of himself. Ok it is, as one reviewer here says, short on salacious detail but I kind of think that is because Arnie as a personality does not dwell on things. He is very clear that he is a very optimistic, positive thinker. He makes mistakes and he moves on. Because of this trait, in his acknowledgements, he also is very clear that he had forgotten lots and needed the help of many people to remember again. I believed him. I also think that he avoided salacious detail because he did not want to hurt other people and wanted to respect their right to privacy too and I can respect that. Arnie is quite clear about being machine-like in pursuing his goals. He will also do whatever it takes to win. And yet while he is clearly ruthless, he also comes across as a man of high intelligence, a man of principles, and of clear vision. He is very clear about how he became successful: what attributes he had and what mechanisms he put in place to achieve what he achieved. The overriding message was, set a goal, learn everything you need to learn to achieve what you want to do and then work hard to do it ('reps reps reps'). No magic formulae, or luck. This man worked for what he got and he does not pretend otherwise. The other thing that surprised me about this book was just how important family was to Arnie. For someone so grounded in himself, and without dwelling on it, one got the sense of a man who really loves his family. For me, I would also call this book a love story. He clearly loves Maria, and I finished the book feeling very, very sad and let down that they broke up. I am with Arnie in very much hoping they get back together again, because the way Arnie writes about their relationship, they were a wonderful team and for me, it felt like a tragic end to a very special relationship. Of course that is his view, maybe Maria would say her years with him were terrible, and she was often alone, and resented the affairs. But I looked at the family photos and they all seemed so very happy together. I could not understand how she could walk away from such an extraordinary man with so much vision and so many worthwhile principles that he was willing to work for. Another reviewer on this site said this book was overlong and needed editing particularly the political bits. I cannot disagree more. I found Arnie's period as governor to be fascinating. I had no idea about the problems of the political system in the US. It was fascinating to read about his courage in fighting for the things he believed in and his determination against all odds to bring change to California in every sphere of public need. Gosh! His energy was infectious, his ability to choose great people to work with him said much for his perceptiveness and wisdom about people, his lack of respect for partisan politics was inspiring and the only responsible way to be. If I were an American I would beg him to run for presidency and I would vote for him! Fabulous, fabulous read. I will be telling anyone I know that they need to read this book. I wish some of our polis would also pick it up. I wonder now what is left for Arnie. I can imagine fixing on the next goal after achieving so much must be a huge question in his mind.

I was weaned on the giants of the `80s action movies: Stallone, Seagal, Van Damme, Lundgren and of course, Schwarzenegger. I can in fact remember the first time I saw an Arnie film, when my babysitter decided to put on The Terminator and at a pre-school age, I was confronted with the sight of this behemoth of a man, carving a path of carnage through LA. From then on in, I was a fan. When Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story the autobiography of Arnold Schwarzenegger landed on my doormat, I felt like a kid at Christmas! The life story of Arnold Schwarzenegger is truly remarkable. In his own words, "...what are the odds... for an Austrian farm boy to come to America and become the greatest bodybuilding champion of all time, to get in the movie business, marry a Kennedy, and then get elected governor of the biggest state of the United States..." From that brief quotation, the reader can see there is certainly plenty of material for him to cover and this is demonstrated by the fact that you're halfway through the book before any real discussion of The Terminator: a movie that was made almost 30 years ago. At times, I was laughing uncontrollably at some of the stories in this book and most of the time, I couldn't help but read it and hear his voice in your head! Although much of what is narrated in the book is already well-known, getting Schwarzenegger's version of events is compelling, hearing about his childhood in Austria, his will to succeed in bodybuilding, how Conan the Barbarian brought him international stardom, how he was determined to succeed as Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; and many other tales that leave you wondering how one man at the age of 65 years old could fit so much into one lifetime. Arnold comes across as incredibly driven, highly competitive and quite calculating, sometimes to the point where I found myself losing a bit of respect for him. His psychological toying with other athletes on and off the stage were not what I would expect from a modern athlete but then again, Schwarzenegger really was a game-changer as far as the bodybuilding world was concerned. As the book progressed, I was worried that he would simply ignore the subject of his lovechild but in fact, my fears were allayed late on in the book. Despite this, he skirts over his own failings and misdemeanours such as affairs, alleged sexual harassment, drug use and steroid abuse. This may be understandable, given that Arnold is still a high profile individual, a role model to many and a man who still hopes that he can save his marriage to Maria Shriver. The section on Arnie's time in politics will not be to everyone's taste, especially those who are more interested in his bodybuilding and/or movie career. At times, it can be very dry and overly-descriptive about political processes; but it is also not without its highpoints and is peppered with references and anecdotes about famous politicians and celebrities alike. Schwarzenegger freely admits many of the mistakes he made while in office as the Governor of California but is keen to point out that he gave it his absolute all, just like every other career decision he has made. For me, as a fan, I don't regret reading this book. Much of the information contained therein is already common knowledge but the facts and circumstances that are already known are brought to life with Schwarzenegger's own stories and thoughts on events. The title of the book however, is only partly true; the latter half being correct in that yes, it is indeed an "unbelievably true life story"; but the title "Total Recall" is quite the misnomer, since I cannot help but feel much has been omitted deliberately from this book. Ultimately, this book is much like the man himself: entertaining, larger than life, charismatic and unforgettable; but not without its flaws.

This book is a riveting memoir that deserves a place in every bibliophile's collection. Ranking it among the top 150 books that everyone should read, I found this autobiography to be a compelling and inspiring journey. Schwarzenegger's candid storytelling is a standout feature of this book. His life is laid bare in a narrative that's as gripping as it is enlightening. From his early years in Austria to his ascent in the bodybuilding world, his remarkable journey in Hollywood, and his tenure as the Governor of California, Schwarzenegger reveals the tenacity and determination that propelled him to the top in every field he ventured into. The motivational aspect of Schwarzenegger's tale left a lasting impression on me. This book is an autobiography and a testament to the power of persistence and hard work. Schwarzenegger's life story serves as a beacon of inspiration, instilling the belief that no dream is too ambitious if one is willing to do the job. As I read the "Total Recall" pages, my perspective on Schwarzenegger underwent a significant shift. He is not just a successful actor or politician but a person who continually challenges the boundaries of what's possible, breaking free from the constraints of societal expectations. His resilience in the face of challenges is a lesson worth taking to heart. However, like any book, "Total Recall" has flaws. But the minor issues I encountered did not substantially detract from the overall experience. Schwarzenegger's story is worth telling and, most importantly, worth reading. I wholeheartedly recommend "Total Recall" to anyone looking for motivation, an appreciation for the human spirit's resilience, or simply an intriguing and well-written autobiography. It is a testament to Schwarzenegger's mantra that with hard work and determination, "you can achieve anything."

Great book.

Arnie at his best. I just love his books and cd's. You can here his voice as you're reading and he is funny as well as poignant.

From such humble beginnings, and with a lot of help along the way, it is amazing to see what one man can achieve. This book explains how Arnie managed to become the greatest body-builder of all time, a box-office topping mega-star and Governor of one of the largest economies in the world. Along the way he helped to elevate body-building to the world stage and changed the face of Hollywood action films, perhaps forever. It is an incredible story, written in a down-to-earth style and containing numerous inspiring stories and philosophies. Arnold is clearly a hugely intelligent person and it is amazing to see just how clever his approach has been towards all of the goals in his life. This could almost be a self help book, with a simple philosophy behind it: work hard (put in the reps), surround yourself with experts, always be prepared to learn and be a person that others want to be around. The autobiography itself starts with a brief intro his childhood but gets into the swing of things when we get to his body-building days. This is by far the best part of the book, you really get a sense of the excitement that he had during those early days, his boundless energy and his openness to meeting new people and taking on new opportunities. It is beyond inspiring, when you read those chapters it makes you want to leap up and start building something. As the book goes on though, and moves into the movie phase of his career, it becomes more diffuse, and it becomes apparent that the latter part of the book is tackling events that are perhaps too recent in history to allow Arnold to give the full story. Or perhaps it is the case that they involve people who may still be useful to Arnold and he doesn't want to annoy them! At the very end, it becomes increasing clear that this book, just like other parts of Arnold's life, is being carefully managed to dodge the issues that he doesn't want to talk about (steroid abuse and womanising have but fleeting mentions in these pages). That is of course fine, it is his autobiography as all, but don't come into this book expecting a warts and all tale. This is a heavily edited life story, written by someone who doubtlessly still has major life goals to achieve and an agenda to push. The body building section covers a period in his life that is perhaps far enough away that he can talk about people who are long gone, be more candid, and blame the younger, more silly Arnold, but the later we get into his life the more careful the autobiography becomes. The political section reads as a run-down of every measure passed, with credit given to every single person who helped and as a result the last 1/8 of the book becomes very dull very quickly. I understand that Arnold is probably talking about people who still have a large bearing on his current life and future aims, but it doesn't make for a good read. Similarly his affairs and the situation with his secret son are mentioned, but they are written so delicately, as if the whole section is written with the knowledge that his ex-wife may be reading. Again this is totally understandable as Arnold clearly wanted to get back together with her at the time of the book being written, however just be aware that the further you get into this book, the less it is an autobiography and the more it becomes a tool for Arnold. All of this said though, these are issues which blight any auto-biography and the first half of the book more than makes up for the eventual descent into self-service. The important thing here is whether it is any good as a whole and whether it is worth a read. To both of those questions I can give an emphatic yes, the first half of this book is perhaps the most engaging and inspiring autobiography I have ever read and the second half is entertaining enough!

A look at the life of a man who's pushed himself harder and strove to achieve more than most of us ever even imagine. A fantastic & gripping read as Arnold Schwarzenegger tells of his life, from his beginnings as a young boy in post-war Austria, to his monumental achievements in bodybuilding which not only turned him into the greatest bodybuilder ever known, but propelled the sport to never before imagined heights. From there he tells of his work getting into movies, meeting Maria Kennedy, and eventually getting into government; all along detailing what happened along the way, such as how he drove himself ever harder, starting his own businesses and studying for various things at college. Was held by this book the moment I started reading, & have to say it gives a fantastic look into the lives of what has to be one of the most incredible men of the century. If you have any interests in anything the man's done with his life (& that would be a lot!) then I definitely recommend this to you ... Overall, an absolutely fantastic read!

I have to agree with some of the other reviews here, Arnie's story is truely an amazing one but I feel that obviously he had final say on what was included and how the information was laid out and this has been to the detriment of what the reader would probably like. The book starts off well with his very basic childhood in 1950's Austria and tells how he got into weightlifting and against huge odds turned his ambitious dreams of emulating his idols like Steve Reeves into reality by becoming a champion bodybuilder and leaving Austria and national service to seek fame and fortune in the west. There is some good coverage of his bodybuilding career but I felt it lacked the details about his training regime that many would be interested in. The issue of steriods is admitted but its also quickly brushed over. However you do get to realise just how much he put into his life and how little credit he has probably got for his success. Far from being just a musclebound meathead with a career in action movies you discover he's also a highly intelligent businessman and his success has been carefully planned rather than just happening by chance. Reading about the extent of his endeavours when he first arrived in the U.S you have to wonder how he could fit so much into the day. For instance as well as being the worlds #1 bodybuilder he was also a student and working in construction whilst dabbling in the property business and trying to start his acting career. Infact it was through property rather than acting or bodybuilding that he made his first million. However its the 2nd half of the book that seems to drag, going too deeply into politics it seems that Arnie felt the need to justify and give his view on seemingly every single policy he ever made. There is also alot about his marriage and the Shriver/Kennedy family. And that little issue of fathering a child by the nanny is like the steroids admitted but quickly brushed over. In summary I have to say that the story itself is fascinating enough to warrant buying the book and there plenty of good photos also. But it could have been edited to make it a more enjoyable read.

I had loads of different emotions while reading this book, I laughed too hard at some stories, learned from some others and learned a lot from Arnold's force of will and strategies to reach his goals. As a brazilian, who doesn't usually read many things about his personal life (at least not as much as someone from California), I got really impressed and could finally understand how he became the governor of such an important estate and felt how hard politics can be in any country. I recommend this!

A good read, even for those not particularly interested in Arnie. He's an incredibly inspiring individual and I feel that, at 33, I can lean a lot from this book that I can apply to my life to help me achieve my goals.

En bra biografi och Arnolds liv från början. Ett litet minus när han kom in på sin bodybuildnings karriär. Blev lite för mycket sidor om detta. Jag är ingen fan av just denna sport. Men hans liv från början och sen in i filmvärlden var intressant.

A decently written book, though written by someone else. Too simple at times. Amazing stories . Though at times a bit promotional,but you realise that's just Arnold doing what he does best, sell! A must read for any Arnold fan. Can also be classified as a motivational book. I certainly got motivated. Would love the opportunity to meet and learn from the great man some day.

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