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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
3.75 stars.
I was honestly a little disappointed that he didn't read his entire audiobook and just read the first and last hour of it. That being said, the narrator did have a very commanding voice. I would have given this book 4 stars if a good third of the book wasn't every single detail of his political career. It got a little boring for me. The most interesting parts of this book were... Everything else. Between how his bodybuilding career formed and getting into the movie business was very interesting. His move to America and trying to learn about the culture was fascinating because he clearly has the savvy and the smarts. He worked hard to get where he is and I am impressed with that. He doesn't shy away from talking about his family and even includes talking about his brief affair. It's a very detailed book that kept me mostly hooked. Personally had to wait over 5 months on Libby to get this book and I think it was definitely worth the wait!
I was honestly a little disappointed that he didn't read his entire audiobook and just read the first and last hour of it. That being said, the narrator did have a very commanding voice. I would have given this book 4 stars if a good third of the book wasn't every single detail of his political career. It got a little boring for me. The most interesting parts of this book were... Everything else. Between how his bodybuilding career formed and getting into the movie business was very interesting. His move to America and trying to learn about the culture was fascinating because he clearly has the savvy and the smarts. He worked hard to get where he is and I am impressed with that. He doesn't shy away from talking about his family and even includes talking about his brief affair. It's a very detailed book that kept me mostly hooked. Personally had to wait over 5 months on Libby to get this book and I think it was definitely worth the wait!
“It's not what you get out of life that counts. Break your mirrors! In our society that is so self-absorbed, begin to look less at yourself and more at each other. you'll get more satisfaction from having improved your neighborhood, your town, your state, your country, and your fellow human beings than you'll ever get from your muscles, your figure, your automobile, your house, or your credit rating”
Although I am only passingly interested in Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bits I have heard about his life journey did sound interesting and unique. However, while his life story is undeniably interesting, the book itself failed to keep me engaged and this book does not do justice to his ambitious journey from a small town Austrian to a Hollywood A-lister and governor.
The narrative starts strong, with engaging anecdotes about his early years and his passion for bodybuilding. These sections are filled with drive and humor. However, as the book progresses into his movie career and political life, it loses its charm and becomes a tedious recounting of events.
The writing feels mechanical and uninspired, lacking the depth and insight that a life as extraordinary as Arnold's deserves. The book often reads like a list of achievements and name-dropping, making it difficult to connect with Schwarzenegger on a personal level. His personality, which is larger-than-life on screen, comes across as flat and unengaging in the book.
Moreover, the latter parts of the autobiography, particularly those detailing his time as the Governor of California, are bogged down with mundane details and political jargon. These sections drag on and detract from the overall narrative, making the book feel overly long and repetitive.
While Arnold's honesty about his mistakes and regrets is commendable, the book often feels self-serving and lacks the introspection that makes for a compelling autobiography. His explanations for his actions, particularly his infidelities, come off as superficial and fail to provide meaningful insight into his character.
In conclusion, while Total Recall offers a glimpse into the life of a truly remarkable individual, it is marred by uninspired writing and a lack of depth.If you're a fan of his, you might find some enjoyment in the anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories, but be prepared for a book that ultimately fails to endear or interest the reader.
I enjoyed the pacing of the memoir and the items included. Seemed like a pretty honest reflection of his life to that point. I enjoyed the behind the scenes of his movies more than the other portions.
Everything you would hope it would be. Outrageous, ridiculous and inspiring.
I enjoyed this read: it was well-written and engaging. I take memoirs with a grain of salt and don’t always take the autobiographer at their word. No exception here, and I was disappointed and the cavalier attitude of womanizing, but otherwise an enjoyable story.
Very interesting read for those who'd like to know more about Arnold Schwarzenegger. The book is full of facts and events that are not widely known about Arnold.
I liked it. A bit of self-praise (as one would expect from any autobiography) but otherwise a good read.
I'm not gonna say that this book was some amazing piece of writing, because it wasn't. Every line i read, i read in Arnold's voice. Which is pretty hilarious in itself. However,I did feel that even though it's clear he had helpers to write the book, most of what was said seemed to be in his own words and insightful. I enjoyed reading about his bodybuilding career and how he worked to transition into movies with that ridiculous accent of his. And i never knew that Arnold was already a self made millionare (a freakin' real estate mogul boys and girls) before he even starred in the Terminator. So pretty much no matter what he did, he was going to be amazing at it. And even though I'm not that into politics, i felt that he genuinely cared about what he was trying to do in California and truely believed in effecting change as a governor. The only thing I didn't like was that he sort of just glossed over the baby mom dram with the housekeeper. The whole book he gushes over his wife Maria and how wonderful she is, so when I got to the chapter about the affair, it felt random and out of place and he just chalks it up to a horrible mistake. Now, anyone who knows me, KNOWS that i am a huge fan of Arnold. But, I am 1000% sure that the housekeeper was not the only time this man cheated on his wife, and the only reason we know about this particular hiccup is because he knocked that lady up! Arnold is a 'ho, fo sho.
Anywho, all that aside, it was a good read and I would have loved Arnold no matter what he said. He's the freakin' Terminator for cryin' out loud.
Anywho, all that aside, it was a good read and I would have loved Arnold no matter what he said. He's the freakin' Terminator for cryin' out loud.
Okay read. Lots of info I didn't know but at every stage of life, you felt like Arnold was holding back a lot & glossing over more. Would love to read a companion Maria Shriver Autobiography!
I don't think there could be any more 'me, me, me, I, I, I' in this story. Way overboard, diminished his relationship failure/infidelity as an error and glossed over the impact (in the last chapter, mind you). The whole 'I visualize it, so it happens' was inspiring to hear as a young man coming to America, however that whole schtick got old very quick. His use of 'love to say outrageous things' and 'fantastic' were almost comical midway through the book. What I thought was going to be a tell-all ended up being just a name-dropping, self-praising book with little substance. I'm glad it was a freebie audible book. Don't buy, just a bunch of masculinity and self-praise.