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Breaking the Surface
In this unflinchingly honest autobiography, four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis, the greatest diver the sport has ever known, offers a tough story that will break hearts and inspire readers with its powerful story of courage and perseverance. 32 pages of photos.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
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December 4, 2013
Beyond the mists of prehistory, back when the 7.5 meter platform was made of giant slabs of rock and the 10m was supplied by the pate of a cooperative apatosaur, this reviewer used to fantasize about making it to the Olympics as a diver when he should have been doing his mat exercises.
One might think that most diving training is about falling but OH NO it's actually planted drearily on the sweat-pooling surface of dense coated rubbersmelly foam where you repeat ad infinitum the broken-down-into-parts motions you hope to later do in the air with none of the human enjoyment of the gravity-free grace it conjures before the uninitiated eye. For: an instant of awareness interrupts muscle-memory such that when you stop being a robot so you can experience it as a human, you flub the grace you appreciate as a human because you turned off the robot. You have to give yourself to it and enjoy it only later on video.
Were you not in robot mode you'd be overwhelmed by the horror of being so high, wet and nearly nude in front of spectators whose noises the acoustics of an aquatic center exaggerate into a roar even if they are only a few devoted family members, your competitors, and the maintenance crew of surly work-study students. But you live for how and when and where that roar is silenced by your entry which, even if you flub it painfully with high water and the promise of blisters rising later, is exquisite in the sudden difference between the noise-riled fear and the peaceful nothing of that deepest third of the diving well where nothing is to be heard but the thruft*thruft*thruft* heartbeat of the pool's pumps and the gentle gurgles of departing bubbles from the slim shattered suit of air that escorted you down there.
Greg, honey, would it have been too much to ask for you to write about THAT?? Or what that is like when you're the best in the world?! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to read your book and still have no idea what a dive is like WHEN YOU'RE THE BEST IN THE WORLD?? Were you aware that every dive you made appeared as if it were in slow motion?
Academically accomplished yet profoundly lame-brained Dr. David Eagleman spent tons of grant money examining whether the mind actually operates faster when falling, assuming that artistic tropes and memory-into-story cognitive habits must have some factual basis in neurology, that some events (such as falling) are experienced in "slow motion" because of some brain magic whereby speeded-up processing produces a different experience of time. He had people build elaborate "controlled fall" rigging and devised a "perceptual chronometer" which flashed numbers so quickly it was just past the perceptual limits of people who are not falling, on the assumption that--I'm not making this up--people who are falling, if they experience the fall slower, should be able to see the numbers.
While it might have been cheaper to interview actual divers (or just one) or more closely examine individual accounts of the "widely reported" phenomena of time slowing down, who cares about that shit when you can build your own amusement park and let the attachment of a few devices mean it's research? The conclusion of his study was what any diver could tell you: subjective time does not slow down when you're falling.
In fact, it's the opposite. A supremely elegant dive (such as my low-definition VHS clips of Greg doing his flawless two-and-a-half reverse layout with a twist which still brings tears to my eyes) appears as if it is in slo-mo even when it is not, contrasting sharply with the whoosh-whoosh-splash instantaneous experience of the real thing. They shoulda just asked Greg.
His ghost-writer (er, "collaborator") Eric Marcus should have just asked Greg. The list of things that Marcus should have asked Greg is lengthier than it would have been if he were just a damn sports reporter, which would have been preferable to this faggy self-help author (It's ok, I'm allowed to say that. I had posters of Greg wallpapering my adolescent bedroom for reasons not solely limited to athletic aspirations). I should add that I was a terrible diver and wouldn't even have made it to regional competitions even had I known that some competition judges could be persuaded toward more generous ratings in exchange for a little after-hours company which I totally woulda jumped on. This info bit is the most interesting thing in the book.
I'm amazed at the raw nuts it took for Louganis to reveal what he did in this book, but in the hands of his co-author what Breaking the Surface actually gives us is a gossipy coach-dissing locker-room drama (mercifully leaving out the barfing and the hemorrhoids), domestic violence boyfriend knife-fights, and oh-dad-why-cant-I-please-you Lifetime Channel melodrama in lieu of, say, any details about what it is like to compete in foreign countries and meet people from around the world with whom you likely have more in common than the majority of the people in the country you are representing. There is not one thing, not one thing, in this book about the foreign cities he competed in. Seriously, this book has no Seoul.
But I still love you, Greg. I always will.
One might think that most diving training is about falling but OH NO it's actually planted drearily on the sweat-pooling surface of dense coated rubbersmelly foam where you repeat ad infinitum the broken-down-into-parts motions you hope to later do in the air with none of the human enjoyment of the gravity-free grace it conjures before the uninitiated eye. For: an instant of awareness interrupts muscle-memory such that when you stop being a robot so you can experience it as a human, you flub the grace you appreciate as a human because you turned off the robot. You have to give yourself to it and enjoy it only later on video.
Were you not in robot mode you'd be overwhelmed by the horror of being so high, wet and nearly nude in front of spectators whose noises the acoustics of an aquatic center exaggerate into a roar even if they are only a few devoted family members, your competitors, and the maintenance crew of surly work-study students. But you live for how and when and where that roar is silenced by your entry which, even if you flub it painfully with high water and the promise of blisters rising later, is exquisite in the sudden difference between the noise-riled fear and the peaceful nothing of that deepest third of the diving well where nothing is to be heard but the thruft*thruft*thruft* heartbeat of the pool's pumps and the gentle gurgles of departing bubbles from the slim shattered suit of air that escorted you down there.
Greg, honey, would it have been too much to ask for you to write about THAT?? Or what that is like when you're the best in the world?! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to read your book and still have no idea what a dive is like WHEN YOU'RE THE BEST IN THE WORLD?? Were you aware that every dive you made appeared as if it were in slow motion?
Academically accomplished yet profoundly lame-brained Dr. David Eagleman spent tons of grant money examining whether the mind actually operates faster when falling, assuming that artistic tropes and memory-into-story cognitive habits must have some factual basis in neurology, that some events (such as falling) are experienced in "slow motion" because of some brain magic whereby speeded-up processing produces a different experience of time. He had people build elaborate "controlled fall" rigging and devised a "perceptual chronometer" which flashed numbers so quickly it was just past the perceptual limits of people who are not falling, on the assumption that--I'm not making this up--people who are falling, if they experience the fall slower, should be able to see the numbers.
While it might have been cheaper to interview actual divers (or just one) or more closely examine individual accounts of the "widely reported" phenomena of time slowing down, who cares about that shit when you can build your own amusement park and let the attachment of a few devices mean it's research? The conclusion of his study was what any diver could tell you: subjective time does not slow down when you're falling.
In fact, it's the opposite. A supremely elegant dive (such as my low-definition VHS clips of Greg doing his flawless two-and-a-half reverse layout with a twist which still brings tears to my eyes) appears as if it is in slo-mo even when it is not, contrasting sharply with the whoosh-whoosh-splash instantaneous experience of the real thing. They shoulda just asked Greg.
His ghost-writer (er, "collaborator") Eric Marcus should have just asked Greg. The list of things that Marcus should have asked Greg is lengthier than it would have been if he were just a damn sports reporter, which would have been preferable to this faggy self-help author (It's ok, I'm allowed to say that. I had posters of Greg wallpapering my adolescent bedroom for reasons not solely limited to athletic aspirations). I should add that I was a terrible diver and wouldn't even have made it to regional competitions even had I known that some competition judges could be persuaded toward more generous ratings in exchange for a little after-hours company which I totally woulda jumped on. This info bit is the most interesting thing in the book.
I'm amazed at the raw nuts it took for Louganis to reveal what he did in this book, but in the hands of his co-author what Breaking the Surface actually gives us is a gossipy coach-dissing locker-room drama (mercifully leaving out the barfing and the hemorrhoids), domestic violence boyfriend knife-fights, and oh-dad-why-cant-I-please-you Lifetime Channel melodrama in lieu of, say, any details about what it is like to compete in foreign countries and meet people from around the world with whom you likely have more in common than the majority of the people in the country you are representing. There is not one thing, not one thing, in this book about the foreign cities he competed in. Seriously, this book has no Seoul.
But I still love you, Greg. I always will.
May 30, 2009
I remember watching the Olympics when Greg Louganis hit his head on the diving board. I remember feeling nauseated on his behalf, wondering what the outcome would be, and then watching him come back to triumph. It was a tremendous experience.
I read "Breaking the Surface" last night and this afternoon, wanting to know more about this athlete I remember from my childhood. It was saddening to hear about the abuse he suffered growing up, both at school and from his father, and how he never felt like he truly belonged, having been given up for adoption as a baby. These are private pains we never saw as we cheered him on for the gold - he hid it all so well, but he felt like he had to.
He has battled periods of intense depression throughout his life, wanting to commit suicide but always waking up the next morning. He was addicted to drugs and went through bouts of smoking and drinking, all to numb the pain he was feeling from his abusive childhood.
In addition to all this, he didn't know how to deal with the fact that he was gay. At the time he realized this, it wasn't spoken of much in the media and he didn't know to what extent he was not alone.
I appreciated the look into his life and the ways in which he sought to overcome his addictions and to patch up the relationship with his father. I didn't feel entirely comfortable with some of the sections which dealt with his romantic relationships, but then, I'm not the kind of person who likes hearing about someone's bedroom life, regardless of their sexuality - I think it's their business and not mine. That said, I think Greg did a lot to show us how an abusive relationship progresses, and that we should all be aware of the ways we treat our loved ones and the treatment we receive, whether we are in a homosexual or heterosexual relationship. The emotional manipulation can take place in either type of relationship and I appreciated his warning of what to watch out for and his plea to seek help.
Overall, I found this an inspiring book.
I read "Breaking the Surface" last night and this afternoon, wanting to know more about this athlete I remember from my childhood. It was saddening to hear about the abuse he suffered growing up, both at school and from his father, and how he never felt like he truly belonged, having been given up for adoption as a baby. These are private pains we never saw as we cheered him on for the gold - he hid it all so well, but he felt like he had to.
He has battled periods of intense depression throughout his life, wanting to commit suicide but always waking up the next morning. He was addicted to drugs and went through bouts of smoking and drinking, all to numb the pain he was feeling from his abusive childhood.
In addition to all this, he didn't know how to deal with the fact that he was gay. At the time he realized this, it wasn't spoken of much in the media and he didn't know to what extent he was not alone.
I appreciated the look into his life and the ways in which he sought to overcome his addictions and to patch up the relationship with his father. I didn't feel entirely comfortable with some of the sections which dealt with his romantic relationships, but then, I'm not the kind of person who likes hearing about someone's bedroom life, regardless of their sexuality - I think it's their business and not mine. That said, I think Greg did a lot to show us how an abusive relationship progresses, and that we should all be aware of the ways we treat our loved ones and the treatment we receive, whether we are in a homosexual or heterosexual relationship. The emotional manipulation can take place in either type of relationship and I appreciated his warning of what to watch out for and his plea to seek help.
Overall, I found this an inspiring book.
September 29, 2017
Oh, Greg Louganis. This sort of broke my heart. What a tough life this guy had. I remember the 88 Olympics. I remember him hitting his head. I was 15, and I remember the footage, and how awful that wound looked, and how everyone was so proud of him for diving AGAIN after that. He was smart to open this autobiography with the story of that particular dive and injury, because it would clearly have been what ever reader would be focused on throughout the whole book. He's very upfront about it - not just the dive, and the injury, but about being HIV positive at the time, and absolutely terrified that his blood in the pool would infect other people. And about how he didn't know how to TELL anyone, so he didn't say anything to the doctor who helped him after. And it comes across in the writing how fucked up he feels about that, how he feels guilty and awful even now, but back then - 1988 was a long time ago and the world was a different place - he just didn't know how to SAY anything.
He's not a good writer - that's not a hit at him, the dude is VERY good at other things - so this book didn't blow me away, but his story, and the time it takes place in, was interesting enough to keep me engaged till the end. He wrote this in 1995 - isn't that crazy? Go, Greg, for doing that. 1995 wasn't very long at all after the AIDS crisis was at its height. I worked book retail when this book came out and I remember how EVERYONE bought it, how HUGE it was.
And god, I remember how hot my mom thought he was. I'd sort of forgotten, but MAN, going through the pictures in this book: this is ONE GOOD-LOOKING MAN.
He had a sad, tough life, and it comes through in the book. I think he's happy now - I hope he is. I'm gonna go watch that vid online of him diving with Tom Daley right now, because it shows how well Greg aged, and how he seems pretty happy, and how in awe of him Tom Daley is even today.
He's not a good writer - that's not a hit at him, the dude is VERY good at other things - so this book didn't blow me away, but his story, and the time it takes place in, was interesting enough to keep me engaged till the end. He wrote this in 1995 - isn't that crazy? Go, Greg, for doing that. 1995 wasn't very long at all after the AIDS crisis was at its height. I worked book retail when this book came out and I remember how EVERYONE bought it, how HUGE it was.
And god, I remember how hot my mom thought he was. I'd sort of forgotten, but MAN, going through the pictures in this book: this is ONE GOOD-LOOKING MAN.
He had a sad, tough life, and it comes through in the book. I think he's happy now - I hope he is. I'm gonna go watch that vid online of him diving with Tom Daley right now, because it shows how well Greg aged, and how he seems pretty happy, and how in awe of him Tom Daley is even today.
November 7, 2015
Breaking the Surface is the story of one man's incredibly dysfunctional life. Greg Louganis honed a natural talent to become one of the world's best divers and Olympians. Unfortunately, until recently Greg's personal life was a serious mess. Throughout the book, Greg goes from one bad relationship to another, and seems basically incapable of taking care of himself or taking charge of his own life. He leaves most of his life decisions in the hands of others. He is incredibly naive, lacking in common sense, and he does not appear to have many life skills. Unlike other famous athletes, he did not use his fame to make any great charitable contributions. He mostly comes across as an incredibly lost individual with poor self-esteem, motivated only by the desire to feel loved. We really do not see ANY signs of personal growth until the last THREE pages of the book when Greg talks about FINALLY starting therapy, beginning to spend some time working with charitable organizations, and trying to live his own life without running from one bad relationship to another. He concludes his book by expressing the wish that he hopes he has enough time left in his life to make a difference and "Wish me luck. I'll need it." Never was a statement more true!. Good luck, Greg. You do indeed need it.
August 10, 2019
Harrowing, in the way Brian Wilson’s memoir is harrowing. I think the one note of genuine happiness in his life was on the diving board. Honest and from the gut but one feels for the darkness in this man.
April 5, 2012
I owned this book for the longest time, but for some reason or another put off reading it. Not sure why I've always admired Greg Louganis...I'm not a huge Olympic follower, and I'm not into swimming as a sport. Perhaps my admiration for him began after he hit his head on the springboard during the 1988 Olympics in Korea, and much later hearing the news of his HIV status, which I could've sworn he came forth with immediately after his diving accident, but he came out in 1994. I think in this book Greg Louganis comes off as whiney and self-pitying. At first I was surprised by it. To me he never seemed like the type in real life, or perhaps he is and hides it, which is why he suffers so much from depression. I thought it would have an affect on how I felt about Louganis, but after finishing his bio I've decided I still think he's a great person who's been through a lot. I feel sad for him that he hasn't been able to find a meaningful relationship, which seems like something he's in search of. I hope he continues to do well in life and in health.
August 17, 2012
Full disclosure--I have been in love with Greg Louganis since long before I knew one man could love another. I bought his book when it first came out, amid an insane hailstorm of publicity and forgot to read it. Last week I saw a clip from the documentary being made about his life and remembered that I had this book on a shelf somewhere. Better late than never.
It is a very good book and Louganis is shockingly honest. He doesn't appear to sugar coat anything and makes every attempt to share his sometimes very painful, sometimes very ugly story, warts and all.
I am always amazed when public people that I've been aware of forever (Louganis has loomed large in my life for as long as I can remember) share their stories and their private lives are so shockingly different from what I had imagined. The life I imagined Louganis was living couldn't have been more different from his reality.
It is a very good book and Louganis is shockingly honest. He doesn't appear to sugar coat anything and makes every attempt to share his sometimes very painful, sometimes very ugly story, warts and all.
I am always amazed when public people that I've been aware of forever (Louganis has loomed large in my life for as long as I can remember) share their stories and their private lives are so shockingly different from what I had imagined. The life I imagined Louganis was living couldn't have been more different from his reality.
February 28, 2013
Two thoughts on this book. #1 That poor Greg Louganis had a really awful life--at least up to his mid thirties when he wrote the book. I just want to give him a big hug. #2 As the mother of a young diver I can now say that I have no wish for her to be an elite diver. That's probably a good perspective to have, and probably why the coach recommended the book. It wasn't the best written biography, surprising since he had a co-author he found through the publisher. Perhaps they wanted it to sound like his own voice. But I couldn't put it down so the writing was obviously not a hindrance. I definitely recommend it with the caution that is it rather rated R. He deals with a lot of depression, suicide, sexuality, rape... Not for the kiddos.
February 4, 2009
AMAZING!!!! Also I kinda can relate a lot to his struggles with his emotions and relationships and the causes of that. It just hit a chord. And his diving is like watching an angel fly -- breathtaking!! Reading about the work behind it is both incredibly helpful and also something I can understand. :) I just adore his story!!! People who can't relate to him (either his devotion to diving and the work he put in, or the emotional journey he has taken over the course of his life) might not like the book itself as much, though, it's really subjective. :)
May 17, 2016
This was a great book....Greg Louganis is now one of my personal heroes........he had such an extraordinary life yet he suffered so much inside.......it took him years to deal with all the angst and I'm sure he is still dealing with it.......but he proved he had strength and integrity by doing what he felt was right for him and by putting forth the effort to help others who struggle as he does. What a great person he is......I am profoundly touched by him and his valiant fight for what he believes in. It was a joy to get to know him through this book.
September 30, 2008
This book is riveting, heartbreaking, inspiring! Louganis is amazing and his book is a generous personal look into his life, love, heartache and freedom! This is a must read for everyone! There is absolutely no way you could continue to be prejudice after reading this book! The sad things is those who should read it will probably never pick it up!
Thank you GREG!!!
Thank you GREG!!!
October 14, 2014
I had wanted to read this for a long time, but kept grabbing other books. It was interesting,but very sad. His life was certainly different from his public image. The only downside is that the book was written 20 years ago, so there's a lot not covered. It was easy to read and fairly entertaining, although he tended to go into minute detail about some of his dives.
January 13, 2009
I used to love him so much when I was little so I have a signed copy. Don't really remember much about the autobiography except the obvious things but it definitely holds a place in my heart.
December 9, 2025
I love reading memoirs from queer professional athletes. Especially the ones from people who were competing in less accepting times, like Greg Louganis with his career in the 70s and 80s. I didn’t know much about Greg’s life and career other than he’s considered one of the greatest divers of all time, he was closeted throughout his career, and that he was HIV+ when he competed at the Olympics where he hit his head on the diving board. I’m so glad I read this book, it felt like such a raw and honest portrayal of the ups and downs of his personal and professional life.
This was definitely a tough read at times. Greg details struggles with substance abuse, difficult familial relationships, suicidal ideation, and being a survivor of an abusive relationship. It was heartbreaking to read about all the ways that his partner mistreated and manipulated him. And of course him finding out he had HIV and having to deal with the fear and uncertainty of how long he could possibly have left was very heavy.
I’d definitely recommend this book for people who are fans of queer memoirs or are interested in the story of an Olympic gold medalist.
This was definitely a tough read at times. Greg details struggles with substance abuse, difficult familial relationships, suicidal ideation, and being a survivor of an abusive relationship. It was heartbreaking to read about all the ways that his partner mistreated and manipulated him. And of course him finding out he had HIV and having to deal with the fear and uncertainty of how long he could possibly have left was very heavy.
I’d definitely recommend this book for people who are fans of queer memoirs or are interested in the story of an Olympic gold medalist.
October 29, 2024
never knew much about this guy! really sad life, not the best writer but whattaaaaaa diver eh - skills on skills.
February 19, 2018
I remember watching Greg dive and always thought he was so handsome. I recently saw the biography he did for HBO and it sparked my interest to read the book. I feel bad that he had such low self esteem and a not so easy life. I understand how a gay person can have such mixed emotions regarding their sexual orientation and being afraid to be open about it. I am glad that it is more acceptable for most people now than when he was younger. I think it is even normal that he had girlfriends when he was younger and was trying to deny that he was gay. While I do believe everyone's sexual life is their own business, I do admire and have much respect for gay people that are open and honest with who they are. They are living and enjoying their life, as they should. As everyone should enjoy life. I have a few gay family members and many gay friends. What I do not have an ounce of respect for is a gay person that would harm another person to hide their sexuality. I unknowingly married a gay man, who I believe in hindsight he knew at a very young age he was gay, just as Greg did. He definitely knew in HS. But you do not marry someone, thinking you can make it work while you are in a relationship with another man the entire time. Probably the same man since high school. Then tell the woman you love them like a sister after one month of marriage, never tell the truth, never apologize for all the people that were hurt and money that was wasted. To this day the only reason I know is because 20 plus years later I found his mother on social media. So to Greg thank you for being the worlds greatest diver. Thank you for being so open and honest with your fans. I am so happy for you that you finally found the right man for you, I wish you both years of happiness!You are both beautiful inside and out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2014
"Diving Is Easy, Life Is a Huge Hurdle,"
This is a very straight forward story of multi Olympic gold-medal winning athlete, Greg Louganis. His growing up had many obstacles such as having a stutter, dyslexia (which was not diagnosed until he was in college), and constantly trying to prove he was not retarded. Being darker skinned in an all white school subjected him to bullying and teasing. His report cards weren't good, but his gift of gymnastics and dancing resulted in rewarding achievements. Greg, being of Polynesian descent, was not adopted until he was nine months old. His father by birth was Samoan, his mother northern European; both parents unmarried teens when he was placed into an adoption program. His adoptive mother is great, but his father of Greek descent was stern and explosive at times. His adopted sister, Despina, and he always tried to avoid upsetting their father. Reaching maturity, he was still plagued with issues that tended to keep him from doing much socializing. He tried to keep his homosexuality private as well as having been tested HIV positive. Some of his homosexual relations were devastating, sometimes threatening his successful diving career and the benefits of his success. This is a well written autobiography of Greg Louganis with help from co-author Eric Marcus. It is easy to read and it's honesty very moving. I liked this story and I found it hard to put down. Highly recommend.
This is a very straight forward story of multi Olympic gold-medal winning athlete, Greg Louganis. His growing up had many obstacles such as having a stutter, dyslexia (which was not diagnosed until he was in college), and constantly trying to prove he was not retarded. Being darker skinned in an all white school subjected him to bullying and teasing. His report cards weren't good, but his gift of gymnastics and dancing resulted in rewarding achievements. Greg, being of Polynesian descent, was not adopted until he was nine months old. His father by birth was Samoan, his mother northern European; both parents unmarried teens when he was placed into an adoption program. His adoptive mother is great, but his father of Greek descent was stern and explosive at times. His adopted sister, Despina, and he always tried to avoid upsetting their father. Reaching maturity, he was still plagued with issues that tended to keep him from doing much socializing. He tried to keep his homosexuality private as well as having been tested HIV positive. Some of his homosexual relations were devastating, sometimes threatening his successful diving career and the benefits of his success. This is a well written autobiography of Greg Louganis with help from co-author Eric Marcus. It is easy to read and it's honesty very moving. I liked this story and I found it hard to put down. Highly recommend.
February 3, 2015
It is often the case we look at athletes and have a vague idea of the issues, sacrifices and challenges they have to endure in order to reach stardom level. Of course we only have some idea, but no first hand knowledge. I felt Greg's book breached the gap because he opened his heart and shared his life's challenges in ways I have seen few people do. I felt he did an excellent job dealing with so many complex issues while offering insights into his state of mind as he navigated through different situations. He made his life an open book for us to read, which means we need to extract the key learning and thus help others who might be facing similar issues. Hopefully our society will do a better job at including all people, so no one is treated as an outsider or otherwise has to suffer in silence.
May 23, 2011
I imagine writing this book must have been a cathartic experience for Greg Louganis. I heard Greg speak in person last week during an LGBT event and he likened his secret of being gay and HIV+ to someone isolated in a remote island cut off from communications with the rest of the world. His story of depression, insecurity, equating performance with acceptance, and a deep hunger for unconditional love is the universal story of the human condition; gay or straight. But, struggling with one's sexuality on top of all of that, while the rest of the world viewed him as the virile, hetero, good-looking male athlete must have been a pressure like no other. Overall, a candid and good memoir.
August 24, 2015
An astounding dive into a good mans soul
This book was well written but the primary reason for anyone to read it is because Greg Louganis allowed every reader entry into the essence of the man he is and more importantly the vulnerable person he has been. Most of us are still keeping the reality of who we are hidden but Greg shows us that is not the thing that we are meant to do. He continues to evolve into a better man and in the process into a much better soul. I love him for that special gift he has given to all of us.
This book was well written but the primary reason for anyone to read it is because Greg Louganis allowed every reader entry into the essence of the man he is and more importantly the vulnerable person he has been. Most of us are still keeping the reality of who we are hidden but Greg shows us that is not the thing that we are meant to do. He continues to evolve into a better man and in the process into a much better soul. I love him for that special gift he has given to all of us.
August 12, 2010
This is the novel that helped me stop demonizing my own sexuality. It took this man's life and tribulations to help me see that he is in fact, human, as am I. This is a powerful book and delivered with a heavy hand. Rape and abuse tormented one of his more high=profile relationships and his struggle with being HIV positive was both heartbreaking and uplifting. He proved to me that you can be a man and gay at the same time, something that was not quite meshing with public thinking at that time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2011
I re-read Louganis' biography after having done so right after its itinitial publication. I was so young when it was first published, I didn't fully understand the trials and tribulations of this star athlete. I discounted his lack of self-esteem and his fear of living with HIV. Reading this book now (at age 37)has had a much more profound effect on me. Greg is truly one of my heroes and I am glad he is still with us today.
June 11, 2013
This book birthed my love of autobiographical literature. I read this book as a middle school child for an English project. What I remember is being overwhelmed with sadness for what Greg went through as a child. I remember feeling the fear of him living with the secret of his HIV status. Then as any great book does it turns the corner and you celebrate his victories. To this day he is still one of my favorite Olympians.
July 27, 2014
Greg Louganis began diving at age nine, and at sixteen won a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. But despite his astonishing athletic skill, Greg struggled with late-detected dyslexia, prejudice toward his dark skin coloring and anguish over his homosexuality, which he felt compelled to hide. However, Louganis went on to win double gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. His triumph at the 1988 Olympics came several months after he tested positive for HIV. Inspiring book.
September 16, 2007
This book was really interesting. I like it because I was interested in the story of Greg Louganis. (I also read it cuz it was one of the books Allyson could find quickly for me to read just after we'd moved and I was bored.) But, I found the book kind of simple - it's all told in first person and there wasn't much I don't know...depth? to it.
August 12, 2011
Greg Louganis was truly an amazing athlete. His story of his struggles with an abusive childhood, depression, HIV, and his sexuality was very saddening but humbling. His ability to overcome all of these things along with hitting his head and battling back to win an Olympic gold medal is something that only a few people in the world could manage.
August 23, 2012
Always liked Greg Louganis, but had never read his book, but knew a little about his life. Picked up the book last month, and finally read it. The book is very honest. Looking in people probably thought Greg had a charmed life, but that is not true. He was very honest talking about his depression, his insecurities, his relationships. Very insightful read.
September 14, 2012
I read this in HS before I fully understood what it means to live an open gay life. I was out sailing with my Dad and I was reading the book....he asked- and it opened a good, honest conversation about me being gay. It was good with my Dad then, and it is still good today. Louganis is a well of inspiration. I just love him- -and stalk him on Facebook.
August 21, 2007
Great book...the life story of Olympic diver Greg Louganis. It broke my heart to read what he went through growing up and how it affected his adult life, but also refreshing to know how he found his true self. This is so well written and a book that I had a hard time putting down.
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