Book Review: Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go by Lucille O’Neal

This book is a brief summary of Lucille O’Neal’s life. She is the mother of the infamous NBA basketball superstar, Shaquille O’Neal. She is very honest about her life and her feelings, but I felt there were a lot of things she left unsaid. She tells about her parent’s divorce when she was only three and how her father took her and her two siblings to live with him at his parent's home in New Jersey. She talks about her grandparent's strict Christian upbringing and her desire for a little space and freedom.

Lucille became an unwed mother at the age of eighteen in 1972. She met and married Phillip Harrison two years later. He raised Shaquille as his own and they had three more children together. My heart broke along with hers when she retold an incident of Phil verbally berating her one day. Phil did a head count when he came home from work and the youngest was missing. She had snuck out the door while Lucille was trying to prepare dinner. She was found a short time later, but unfortunately, I believe that instance was the beginning of the end of their 28 year marriage.

In all, I enjoyed this book. It was a fast, easy read and it held my attention. It was written in dialog as if you were sitting next to Lucille listening to her telling her story personally. It was interesting enough that I wanted to know more. I wanted to hear some “words of wisdom” spoken to her by her grandparents. I wanted some actual dialog between her and her children, husband, and parents. I think Lucille will write a second book because I feel she has so much more to share!

As a side note: I found a typo on page 137.

It reads: "For those of who you haven’t experienced this, there’s nothing more numbing than your first child leaving home for college.”

It should read: " For those of you who haven’t experienced this, there’s nothing more numbing than your first child leaving home for college."

I like to proof-read, I read every word, and I could use a little side income! *wink, wink*

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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