Breaking the Surface
Encyclopedia
Breaking the Surface is a best-selling book by Greg Louganis
, co-written with Eric Marcus
published in 1996. The book spent five weeks at number one on the New York Times Best Seller list
.
Louganis chronicles his winning of back-to-back double gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics
and 1988 Summer Olympics
, and his self-doubt and lack of confidence that held him back personally and professionally because of concealing his sexual orientation
as a gay
athlete. This is about him coming out
as an HIV
-positive gay man.
As a follow-up to the success of the book, Canadian television and film director Steven Hilliard Stern
directed Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story
in 1997, starring Mario Lopez
as Louganis, with Louganis also appearing in certain scenes of the made-for-TV movie and as narrator
. Louganis also produced a video diary called "Looking To the Light," which picked up where "Breaking the Surface" left off.
Greg Louganis
Gregory "Greg" Efthimios Louganis is an American Olympic diver and author.He received the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union in 1984 as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States....
, co-written with Eric Marcus
Eric Marcus
Eric Marcus is an American non-fiction writer. His works are primarily of LGBT interest, including Breaking the Surface, the autobiography of gay Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis, which became a #1 New York Times Bestseller and Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights,...
published in 1996. The book spent five weeks at number one on the New York Times Best Seller list
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
.
Louganis chronicles his winning of back-to-back double gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, and his self-doubt and lack of confidence that held him back personally and professionally because of concealing his sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
as a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
athlete. This is about him coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as an HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-positive gay man.
As a follow-up to the success of the book, Canadian television and film director Steven Hilliard Stern
Steven Hilliard Stern
Steven Hilliard Stern is a Canadian television and documentary director, producer and writer....
directed Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story
Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story
Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story is a 1997 TV-movie about diver Greg Louganis based on the best-selling book Breaking the Surface co-written by Greg Louganis and Eric Marcus that stayed on top of the New York Times Best Seller list for 5 weeks.-Plot:In Seoul, 1988, Greg Louganis hits...
in 1997, starring Mario Lopez
Mario López
Mario Michael Lopez, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared on several television series, in films, and on Broadway. He is best known for his portrayal of the character A.C. Slater on Saved By The Bell, which he also portrayed as a regular on Saved by the Bell: The College Years...
as Louganis, with Louganis also appearing in certain scenes of the made-for-TV movie and as narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
. Louganis also produced a video diary called "Looking To the Light," which picked up where "Breaking the Surface" left off.