Book Review: Triumph! A Battle Plan for Joy by Gladys Simmons Carson

Title: Triumph! A Battle Plan for Joy
Author: Gladys Simmons Carson
Genre: Inspirational Memoir
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

When medical malpractice takes the life of her mother and the offense is dismissed as an unfortunate mistake, it rips a hole in seven-year-old Gladys’ heart and ignites fire in her anger. This act of gross negligence strips her of the joyful delight that has characterized her existence. Before she can grasp the full meaning of her loss, fate takes her on a journey through a series of harsh realities, including devastating child abuse, demeaning segregation and destructive thinking. These unsavory enemies assault her on all fronts, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. But the child warrior uses youthful wisdom to triumph over the effects of them all. Her prize is a resurgence of bountiful joy. You may laugh or cry, but you will definitely cheer for the child warrior in TRIUMPH! A BATTLE PLAN FOR JOY.

In her memoir, Triumph! A Battle Plan for Joy, author Gladys Simmons Carson tells readers about her early life, growing up, suffering through abuse, becoming a child warrior and growing up. In a clear, authentic voice she tells the readers her life story, the hardships she had to go through, and the lessons she learned along the way. Even though the subject matter isn’t always cheerful, she relates the story with a dosis of humor, which she mentioned in the book was sometimes one of her only defences.

The first part of the book focuses on the good days, when Gladys is living at home with her brothers and sisters and her Mom and Dad. All goes well in the world, and they sound like the perfect family. They go to Church, they have family dinners at set times, they love each other’s company. But then tragedy strikes and their mother passes away, leaving Gladys and her siblings in the care of their relatives. That’s when the second part of the book begins, which focuses at the abuse and negligence Gladys suffers at the hands of family members.

The third part focuses on Gladys as an adult, and at the racism she has to endure. By that point, I was amazed at how much she had to go through, and how she managed to keep on going despite all that, not giving up, not even giving up on happiness and on enjoying life. The fourth part focuses on the enemies of joy, and how to defeat them. It’s the largest part of the book, and reads like a call to action. While the first three parts are a memoir, the fourth part focuses on inspiring others to conquer their own enemies of joy. There are ten enemies mentioned, and how to handle them.

Triumph! A Battle Plan for Joy is an inspiring read about overcoming hardships, and doing so with joy. The author has a distinct writing style that is quite enjoyable. The book’s interior design looks professional, and it’s a fast read. Once I started reading, I had no trouble finishing it in one go.