Total Recall

Title of the Book: Total Recall Author: Arnold Schwarzenegger Number of Pages: 618Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆  Review:

Not everyone can say they have accomplished their lifelong dream, let alone building off of it to be so much more. This is what Arnold Schwarzenegger was able to with years of hard work and dedication. In his rags to riches autobiography Total Recall, named after one of his top-grossing movies, he tells the story of his life. He begins during his childhood, growing up in Thal, Austria post World War II. He knew one day he would make it to America and become a movie star. Schwarzenegger realizes that his passion for lifting weights will take him to fulfill his dream of glory. He eventually joins the military to drive tanks, moved to Munich to run a gym, and found a way to America through Joe Weider, a fitness enthusiast. Arnold achieves his dream of becoming a champion bodybuilder and eventually finds himself starring in top box office films. He meets the love of his life, Maria Schriver and ends up marrying her and having five children. This marriage brings him into the world of politics; where he became the Chairman of Sports and Physical Fitness and Governor of California. Throughout his life, he has willed success into existence. From bodybuilding, acting, business, politics, and philanthropy, Arnold demonstrates that it is possible to live a life with a mosaic of careers.
This book is one of a kind in a way that Schwarzenegger puts his mentality onto the reader. He is able to pump up the reader with his many stories and how his life came to be. He started his life with nothing and turned it into something one can only dream of. The book is very inspirational and shows that the power of persistence is real. Schwarzenegger’s writing style is very casual, but also uses some vulgar and German words. He does this to bring the reader into the story by learning some German words, like Hauptschule, which means general school. The tone that Arnold uses is generally positive and somewhat comedic. He throws in jokes here or there and makes the best out of bad situations he's experienced.
One of the most memorable moments of the book is when Arnold has to defeat his bodybuilding rival, Sergio Oliva. For years Oliva had been at the top of the food chain when it came to bodybuilding. Arnold had lost to him once before and was afraid he couldn’t beat Oliva. But in 1970 Arnold was finally able to beat him. He had trained harder than he ever had and was able to get into Sergio’s head. The day of the competition Schwarzenegger prevailed and won the competition. He felt bad for Oliva because he knew once he was knocked off the top he could never regain it. But Arnold knew it had to be done; he said “I felt bad he had to lose to make way for me” (Schwarzenegger 131). This is a memorable moment because Arnold knows he is a force to be reckoned with. If you want glory, you need to defeat the people above you.
Another memorable story Schwarzenegger tells is how he began a bricklaying company with his friend and fellow bodybuilder Franco Columbu. They advertised their business as if they were professionals and also advertising their ethnicities. Schwarzenegger, being Austrian and Columbu, being Italian were able to say, “‘European bricklayers. Experts in marble and stone’” (Schwarzenegger 119). I thought this was funny because they had absolutely no qualifications to be working on people’s homes. They were only bodybuilders trying to make a living and have a good time.
I would 10 out of 10 recommend this book. It doesn’t matter if you’re not interested in bodybuilding or acting or politics. Schwarzenegger’s life is a motivational story that could inspire everyone across the world. His rags to riches story is truly inspirational and I know it has changed my life for the better. The book shows you what it means to work hard and have a good time at the same time. If you are seeking a better purpose for your life and inspiration, I recommend that you read Total Recall.