One of the most anticipated autobiographies of this generation, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall is the candid story of one of the world's most remarkable actors, businessmen, and world leaders.

Born in the small city of Thal, Austria, in 1947, Arnold Schwarzenegger moved to Los Angeles at the age of 21. Within 10 years, he was a millionaire businessman. After 20 years, he was the world's biggest movie star. In 2003, he was elected governor of California and became a household name around the world.

Chronicling his embodiment of the American Dream, Total Recall covers Schwarzenegger's high-stakes journey to the United States, from creating the international bodybuilding industry out of the sands of Venice Beach, to breathing life into cinema's most iconic characters, and becoming one of the leading political figures of our time. Proud of his accomplishments and honest about his regrets, Schwarzenegger spares nothing in sharing his amazing story.

Listening Length

23 hours and 21 minutes
Author

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Narrator

Stephen Lang, see all
Audible release date

1 October 2012
Language

English
Publisher

Simon & Schuster Audio
ASIN

B00NX9S5YI
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	23 hours and 21 minutes
Author	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Narrator	Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stephen Lang
Audible.com.au Release Date	01 October 2012
Publisher	Simon & Schuster Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B00NX9S5YI
Best Sellers Rank	640 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 5 in Biographies of Politicians 5 in Sports Biographies (Audible Books & Originals) 8 in Biographies of Political Leaders

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4 star		15%
3 star		6%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from Australia

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Robert D. Crane

Understand the man

Reviewed in Australia on 4 June 2019

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I think that many people under estimate Arnie. I know I sure did. This book provides real insight into Arnie as a person and as an especially driven individual. There is a lesson in how he focuses on hos goals and goes about achieving them.

I really enjoyed his body building and movie career but found a lot of the political story and bit dreary I will admit. Still impressive in what he has been able to achieve but not really an area I care much about I will admit.

Importantly, I feel the book brings out the reality of being Arnold and I applaud his willingness to be open about his many mistakes and failures. The impressive part again is how he not only owns up to these but sets out to use them as ways to improve. He never sees them as learning experiences, which I feel many could themselves learn from.

Overall, I found the book very enjoyable and easy to read. I learnt much about the true Arnold from the story and gained better insight on how he has achieved his successes through hard work or constant 'reps' as he says. Arnold doesn't shy away from investing the work to achieve his goal and likewise he owns his mistakes, both of which is very improvisational and surprisingly down to earth.

If you are fan and looking to understand more about the true man behind the image then this is a recommended read. If you are looking to be inspired about focusing on goals, achieving by learning and a willingness to overcome, then you'll also enjoy this book.

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I like Arnold as an actor

Reviewed in Australia on 6 June 2018

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I like Arnold as an actor; escapist films with a solid, identifiable hero. Having now read his fine autobiography I have even more respect for him as a person and a leader. Very much a fellow I'd enjoy chatting to over a beer, I think (or Scotch, if Arnie is buying).

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Joshua Stega

The power of focus

Reviewed in Australia on 4 June 2015

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You have to sit back and give it to Arnie, what an amazing guy. This is the power of focus in action. Have a dream and then make it happen. I have a new found respect for the terminator, well done!

One person found this helpful

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Thomas Rogers

Great book

Reviewed in Australia on 14 May 2021

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Awesome book, he has led a very interesting life.

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Dan

What an outstanding life

Reviewed in Australia on 18 October 2015

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Love him or hate him no one can deny that this guy has had an amazing life built on hard work. This story traces the journey. A long read but an interesting one.

One person found this helpful

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Mostyn

It turns out Arnold is quite switched on.

Reviewed in Australia on 7 December 2017

I've always thought Schwarzenegger was a bit of a meat head: all muscles, no brain. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Schwarzenegger grew up in a poor family, in a small country village in postwar Austria. As a young teenager, he decided that he wanted to be the greatest bodybuilder in the world and a hollywood actor. He worked hard - very hard - and he worked smart. Still in his teens, he ran a successful Austrian bodybuilding Gym and worked out how to mold his body into one of the best in the world. He went on to dominate the world bodybuilding scene, moving to the US in the process.

Schwarzenegger was not like most bodybuilders, who he calls lazy bastards. Far from being selfish, he went all out to help the people who had given him opportunities. He became a driving force in promoting bodybuilding, turning it into a subculture within a subculture into a mainstream sport. He went to college to improve his English, and to learn how to do business. He started a mail order business and made millions in real estate. When he finally realised his dream of acting in movies, he worked hard to mold himself into an actor, refining his body, acting skills and accent.

Sure he is self confident and arrogant, but there is an incredible depth to his character. What really impressed me is how he got so far not by taking, but making sure he was always giving his best for others. Even if like me, you aren't a fan of bodybuilding, or the terminator, there's a lot to get out of this book.

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Four Stars

Reviewed in Australia on 28 April 2017

Good read. Excellent insight into Arnie

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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. J. Conroy

Inspirational

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 January 2019

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I asked said to myself, ‘I’m half way through my life, Is it to late to change course and do more, be more, earn more, give more in the next half? Going from ducking and diving surviving to striving?’

So my hunt for inspiration began (just recently).

This is a great book. I especially like his rules in the last chapter.

He’s had to overcome many challenges whether social, financial, political or his own self.

He’s made remarkable successes, he’s done stupid things.

He sets a goal, sees it through to the end and masters it, then he looks for the next challenge, is always moving forward.

It proves Arnie is a human being with a passion to do well in life and compassion to help and encourage others to do the same.

21 people found this helpful

oto_jo

A non-fan converted - fabulous!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 September 2013

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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.

92 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Not quite a total recall at a people level.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 January 2019

Verified Purchase

This is one of those autobiographies of successful people where after the early years the book seems to enter the 'how I was so successful' , which with this guy made it disappointing. I wanted to hear more about the friends he trained with, especially Franco Columbo. His life with his wife and children gets glossed over, along with his relationship with their housekeeper and mother of his child. Just how someone in California, of all places, comes to be having unprotected sex with someone other than his wife never seems to be remarked on. This book became a procession of money making and how to succeed at whatever he felt tbe challenge was. Sadly it all became a bit boring.

7 people found this helpful

E Griffith

Pretty boring really

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 October 2021

Verified Purchase

Considering his life and fame I expected more. It’s interesting that someone coming from a modest Austrian background could make a success in the US through bodybuilding….I’ve never understood the fascination in huge oiled muscles and posing pouches….but his physique got him into the movies which made him a star. I’d hoped for more depth in his filmmaking career and co stars, but this is glossed over in favour of how big a movie star he thinks he is and how much money he made as well as marrying a member of The Kennedy Clan. His ego leads him into politics in the third stage of his career. Once again his massive ego dominates but his problems as Governor of California is of little interest to those not bothered about US politics. It could have been so much better but his obsession with wealth and stardom just made it boring and I was glad to finish it.

One person found this helpful

@Timothy_Hughes

It Could be a Business Book in Disguise!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 November 2017

Verified Purchase

Not quite what you would call a Management Book, but I was recommended it by my co-founder, Adam Gray. Arnold's life has been extraordinary from Austria, to Film Star to Governor of California. But there are two things that Arnold has, drive and the fact he is continuously setting goals for himself. Not just writing them down, but visualising himself in that role or that position. You have to admire him for those two qualities. If you are starting a business, thinking about starting a business or just want to progress your career and want something different from "In Search of Excellence" then maybe start here.

10 people found this helpful

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