game of life - trauma & drama

A child’s voice. A city’s chaos. A journey through trauma, truth, and transformation.

What happens when survival becomes second nature before you’ve even learned to ride a bike? Game of Life: Trauma and Drama is a raw, unfiltered memoir that invites readers to walk through the streets of 1980s Washington, D.C., through the eyes of a child trying to make sense of a broken world.

Join the journey. Be part of the story.

Join the journey. Be part of the story.

Open book with a photo of a smiling young man in a striped shirt on the left page, and the cover of a book titled "Game of Life" with a photograph of a couple in formal attire on the right page.

game of life: Trauma and drama

Book Description

In Game of Life: Trauma and Drama, Victor L. Gardner Jr. reopens the doors of memory to tell the story of a boy shaped by hardship, silence, and survival. Written from the perspective of his younger self, this memoir doesn’t sanitize or rewrite the past—it honors the unfiltered voice of a child navigating abandonment, abuse, and a fractured family. The stakes are more than emotional—they’re existential, as Victor revisits the very moments that nearly broke him in order to heal. This book isn’t just about trauma; it’s about truth-telling, resilience, and the power of reclaiming your story. Honest, poetic, and deeply human, it stands at the intersection of memoir, testimony, and transformation.

What it’s about:

It’s the true story of a boy growing up in a chaotic household and city, surviving trauma while searching for meaning, identity, and healing.

Why it matters:

Because it gives voice to the silenced, sheds light on generational wounds, and shows that healing is possible, no matter how broken the beginning.

Who it’s for:

For survivors of trauma, readers of memoir, and anyone seeking deeper empathy and understanding of what childhood pain really looks and feels like.

    • Memoir

    • Nonfiction

    • Urban Coming-Of-Age

    • Childhood Trauma

    • Resilience and Healing

    • Family Dysfunction

    • Mental Health

    • Truth-Telling and Survival

    • 64,000 words

    • eBook

    • Paperback

    • Audiobook (Coming Soon)

    • Fans of raw, emotional memoirs

    • Book clubs exploring personal stories and resilience

    • Readers interested in urban history, mental health, and healing

    • Therapists, social workers, and educators looking for firsthand accounts of trauma

"I didn’t write this book to be brave. I wrote it because silence was killing me. This is the story I needed when I was a kid—proof that your past doesn’t have to own your future." – Victor L. Gardner Jr

  • “Powerful. This is the kind of story that doesn’t just stay with you — it changes how you see the world. Victor's voice is unapologetically authentic.” — 4.5/5

    Chloe Bennett, Stay-at-home mom and book club organizer

  • “This book was a moving experience. The storytelling is vibrant and emotional. The last chapter felt a bit hurried, but overall, it’s unique and heartfelt.” — 4.5/5

    Brittany Collins, Middle school counselor and poetry enthusiast

  • “Victor’s journey is one of those stories that needed to be told. The pacing dipped just a bit in the middle, but for me, the message and impact made up for it. Recommended!” — 5/5

    Jessica Langford, Aspiring Author

  • “The author captured the beauty and pain of growing up Black in America with such clarity. His mix of humor, grit, and vulnerability made this a five-star read for me. I laughed, I got mad, and I even teared up when her sister showed up for him. That was wholesome.” —5/5

    Rachel SP., Librarian

  • “Reading The Game of Life was like sitting down with someone who's lived a thousand lives before adulthood. The way the author tells his story is deeply reflective. It made me think about how many kids are still living versions of this same struggle. I appreciated how he tied personal trauma into a larger critique of policy, media, and broken systems. I’m sure American people who grew up during the 90s would definitely relate to this book. Easily one of the most authentic books I’ve read so far this year.” — 5/5

    Caitlin White, Editor and Freelance Writer