Mixed reviews for Arnie's memoir

Arnold Schwarzenegger's autobiography 'Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story' has received mixed reviews on its release in the US.

Most critics appear to have picked up the former governor of California on his 'selective memory'.

[Related story: Arnie admits 'hot affair' with Nielsen]
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“For the record, Total Recall is about as far from a 'tell-all' memoir as it gets,” writes Mary McNamara for the LA Times.

“Although an exhaustive and at times exhausting documentation of Schwarzenegger's unique and amazing career, it is a book almost completely devoid of self-examination.

“Given the author, that is not nearly as surprising as is its resolute PG rating - for all the salacious behavior that has been attributed to and admitted by Schwarzenegger over the years, he portrays himself as a reasonable, earnest kind of guy who has merely made a few high-spirited mistakes, none of which he cares to discuss here.”

Meanwhile, Vernon Loeb of the Washington Post adds: “Schwarzenegger’s tale falls far short of total recall and fails to achieve either the depth or the emotional impact that would make us care more deeply about this fascinating public figure.”

His skirting around the issue of his love child with housekeeper Mildred Baena has also been criticised for its vagueness, while his hubris appears to be more evident instead.

“Those who mistake 'Total Recall' for a salacious tell-all may not be that interested in how many Mr. Olympia contests he won (seven) or who he beat for a Golden Globe in 1977 (Truman Capote and the kid who played Damien in 'The Omen'),” writes Janet Maslin in the New York Post. “Let’s get the scandalous stuff out of the way, because Mr. Schwarzenegger certainly wants to.”

It's also out now in the UK.