In her personal memoir, Lucille O'Neal (the mother of NBA star Shaquille O'Neal) tells her story of personal hardship and growing up in a family that did not approve of her wild ways. Pregnant and abandoned by the baby's father, she draws on the strength ingrained in her to overcome not only the public battles but the personal demons of her life.
I honestly wanted to like this book but unfortunately, it left something to be desired. O'Neal is candid about her life and upbringing, but throughout the whole book, I was left with the sense that she was holding back on her audience. There were several interesting stories and antecedents, one of which includes the family's return to the USA from Germany to find the prejudice against African Americans more severe than in Germany.
While O'Neal shares of her life as an alcoholic and in a troubled marriage, she does not share with the same depth and detail of her recovery or faith. She gives the audience an inside peak into the life of an NBA star and the challenges faced living on the road. I admire her dedication to her son, not only to help him stay level-headed and out of trouble, but also in how she helped other mothers of NBA players navigate their way through that lifestyle. Shaquille's life stands as a strong example of her influence and perhaps that example speaks louder than this memoir of her true strength.
Overall, I enjoyed small parts of this book, but don't believe its one that I will read again.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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