Chris Young rose from an emotionally chaotic, violence-infused childhood to become a speaker, a writer and an inspiration, as he details in his powerful memoir, THE WOUND IS WHERE THE LIGHT ENTERS.

Young’s early life was spent in extreme poverty as the member of a Black family that could show love but had little of it to offer. Senseless brutality and a total lack of structure made him a witness to --- and a participant in --- wounding, fighting, gangs, street crimes and, by his early 20s, sufficient drug-related entanglement to portend a life in prison. But one factor made him stand out.

"Much of [Young's] stirring memoir was written while he was in prison, and he offers a vivid, at times painful, view of a harsh childhood and the undeniably discomfiting conditions that many prisoners may face."

When facing his final sentencing after several years of incarceration, Young delivered a speech to the judge, Kevin Sharp, who never forgot his remarkable grasp of history, literature and science. Sent to a high-security federal prison, he accepted his circumstances, described in depressing detail, while refusing to relinquish his belief that “if I planted the seeds, something would grow.” 

Young began teaching, an activity that supported his sense of purpose, and maintained contact with acquaintances on the outside who sent him books and continued to encourage him in his belief that he might be free someday. He endured physical and mental anguish, battled internal anger, and relied on routine to cope with the seeming hopelessness of his situation. 

After a decade of the mental darkness that he strove to alleviate with such strategies as reading HAMLET and identifying with its eponymous character, Young’s sentence was commuted. This was based largely on the speech he had given and its influence on Judge Sharp, who had joined a legal team seeking his clemency.

Since his release, Young has earned a degree in economics, founded a consulting firm, and become a public speaker. And in THE WOUND IS WHERE THE LIGHT ENTERS, he distinguishes himself as an accomplished author. Much of his stirring memoir was written while he was in prison, and he offers a vivid, at times painful, view of a harsh childhood and the undeniably discomfiting conditions that many prisoners may face. He has said that the book is his effort “to preserve the record and to tell the truth.” 

Young’s chronicle opens with a declaration from the now-retired Judge Sharp. Recognizing that skin color was undoubtedly a factor in Young’s treatment and torment, he declares that his courtroom speech “transformed my life.” With such support, paired with Young’s undeniable skills as a stimulating and inspirational wordsmith, this dramatic saga has the potential to influence and enhearten readers across a wide spectrum.