Arnold Schwarzenegger pulls no punches or leaves no rock unturned in his official biography Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story. Co-written by Peter Petre, Total Recall is actually a very interesting book about the life of one of the world's most famous men, Arnold Schwarzenegger who became noticed by the world during his early life as a body builder.

From there, Schwarzenegger became an action movie star, started a family and even done the unthinkable and became the Governor of California in the United States. Unfortunately for Schwarzenegger, he was a man of many secrets and his kingdom started to crack when the alleged (now true) rumours arose that he fathered a son with his family's housekeeper and supported them both in private.

Apart from the scandals and what some say are excuses in the book, it is actually well-written and goes into a great deal of depth about his early life in Austria and how his passion to become someone great actually panned out. Whether Schwarzenegger was corrupted by his wealth or he was an opportunist, the book never really explains the justifications of his scandals but rather he states that secrecy was part of his life.

Another highlight of the book is how it is written. As you read Total Recall, it actually sounds like Arnold Schwarzenegger and there are quite a few amusing anecdotes in the book such as Schwarzenegger  driving an army tank through the wall or how he handled his competitors in body building.

The book is also split into various segments of his life which creates this powerful chronological account of his life. Apart from his family, Schwarzenegger discloses the behind the scenes of Hollywood from his first movie Hercules Goes to New York to his greatest pop culture hit, Terminator with even a jibe at James Cameron. The last part of the book focuses on his role as the Governator of California and how he brought "change" to California and would also be the epitome of his highly diverse career.

Final Chapter

At the end of the day, Total Recall was a fascinating read that made me laugh and become drawn into Schwarzenegger's world of power, domination and megalomania... add in anecdotes and a caring father who made the ultimate betrayal to his wife makes his tale quite human.

Some may call these the memoirs truths or lies but it is all open to interpretation. Nonetheless, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a very remarkable and powerful man and whether you're a fan or foe, the book provides a very compelling and insightful read.