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Sports Great Shaquille O'Neal
Traces the personal life and basketball career of the center who began his NBA career with the Orlando Magic in 1992.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1995
14 people want to read
About the author
Michael John Sullivan
41 books138 followersMichael John Sullivan Michael John Sullivan graduated with a communications degree and a promising future in the field of journalism after working for the official school paper the previous two years. Six months later, he found himself washing his hair in a toilet at the same university as he prepared for a job interview.
Sullivan was homeless at the age of 23 after first watching his mother -- his protector in a dysfunctional family -- die from cancer. A year later his father asked him to leave. Riding a New York City subway train at night, his only companion was a green plastic bag of belongings. During these bleak days he began writing his most reflective and emotional childhood and adult memories now featured in two of his novels.
On a bitterly cold New Year's Eve that year, Sullivan intentionally hid under a pew in the back of a church to stay warm for the night. After the doors were locked, he lay near a makeshift manger, writing and talking to the baby Jesus. It was a cathartic experience, one that would continue to resonate with him years later.
He was rescued off the train by an aunt and uncle.
After spending much of the past two decades raising their daughters while working at home, Sullivan returned to his notes in 2007 and began writing Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness. It was published by Simon & Schuster's Gallery Books imprint in April 2010. The Library Journal named Necessary Heartbreak as one of the year's best in Christian fiction for 2010. He recently finished the sequel, Everybody's Daughter, featuring more memories from his young adult life, including the day he walked to Forest Park as he contemplated taking his own life. Only the strains of a song prevented him from doing the unthinkable.
Sullivan lives with his family in New York. He is a board member for the Long Island Coalition of the Homeless.
Published works
Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness.
Sullivan was homeless at the age of 23 after first watching his mother -- his protector in a dysfunctional family -- die from cancer. A year later his father asked him to leave. Riding a New York City subway train at night, his only companion was a green plastic bag of belongings. During these bleak days he began writing his most reflective and emotional childhood and adult memories now featured in two of his novels.
On a bitterly cold New Year's Eve that year, Sullivan intentionally hid under a pew in the back of a church to stay warm for the night. After the doors were locked, he lay near a makeshift manger, writing and talking to the baby Jesus. It was a cathartic experience, one that would continue to resonate with him years later.
He was rescued off the train by an aunt and uncle.
After spending much of the past two decades raising their daughters while working at home, Sullivan returned to his notes in 2007 and began writing Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness. It was published by Simon & Schuster's Gallery Books imprint in April 2010. The Library Journal named Necessary Heartbreak as one of the year's best in Christian fiction for 2010. He recently finished the sequel, Everybody's Daughter, featuring more memories from his young adult life, including the day he walked to Forest Park as he contemplated taking his own life. Only the strains of a song prevented him from doing the unthinkable.
Sullivan lives with his family in New York. He is a board member for the Long Island Coalition of the Homeless.
Published works
Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness.
Trivia
So You Think You're a New Yorker (ISBN 978-1557700513)
Children's Sports Bibliographies
The New York Rangers Hockey Team (Great Sports Teams) (ISBN 978-0766010239)
Top 10 Baseball Pitchers (ISBN 0894905201)
Sports Great Shaquille O'Neal (Sports Great Books) (ISBN 978-0766010031)
Mark Messier: Star Center (Sports Reports) (ISBN 978-0894908019)
Sports Great Barry Bonds (Sports Great Books) (ISBN 978-0894905957)
Chris Mullin: Star Forward (Sport Reports) (ISBN 978-0894904868)
Sports Great Darryl Strawberry (Sports Great Books) (ISBN 978-0894902918)
Children's Action Series
Ultimate Adventures New Digidestined, Vol. 2 (ISBN 978-0061072062)
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 14, 2018
I love this book .IT was all about shaquille o'neal.
February 15, 2018
learned alot about shaq
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews