The Wound Is Where the Light Enters

“Chris Young’s incredible story will change lives—and has the potential to change laws, too. If we are going to heal this country’s addiction to mass incarceration, we need visionaries like Chris to show us the way. This is an urgent and necessary book in a distinct, new voice.”—Van Jones, CNN Contributor and author of Beyond the Messy Truth, Rebuild the Dream, and The Green Collar Economy

“When Chris Young finally walked out of prison after serving more than a decade of a life sentence, I knew the world was about to witness something extraordinary. Even inside prison, his brilliance, discipline, and potential were undeniable. His story opened my eyes even more to how deeply unjust our system can be—and how powerful redemption truly is. The world needs to hear Chris’s voice—and I’m so proud to know him and to have played a part in his journey to freedom.”—Kim Kardashian

“Chris Young’s story is a mirror held up to our justice system and to our collective conscience. I had to sentence Chris to life in prison, but that was not justice. His story is proof that talent, intelligence, and potential are everywhere—but access and opportunity are not. Chris’s presence in my courtroom transformed my life. I am so grateful that, with the gift of this book, he now has the chance to transform yours.”—Kevin Sharp, Partner, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP; and former judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee

"With remarkable grit and an eye for unnerving detail, Young breathes life into this account of a child caught between love and survival and an adult who overcame near-impossible odds through steadfast belief in himself. It’s a stunner."

"Readers are presented with a memorable and convincing account of how an exceptional individual contested an unjust sentence and formed an emancipating understanding of his own plight . . . An astute reflection on the status of American freedom for the racially and economically marginalized. A poignant, inspirational, and timely account of personal survival and reinvention."