The Master Plan
My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose
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4.7 • 53 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
The inspiring, instructive, and ultimately triumphant memoir of a man who used hard work and a Master Plan to turn a life sentence into a second chance.
Growing up in a tough Washington, D.C., neighborhood, Chris Wilson was so afraid for his life he wouldn't leave the house without a gun. One night, defending himself, he killed a man. At eighteen, he was sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole.
But what should have been the end of his story became the beginning. Deciding to make something of his life, Chris embarked on a journey of self-improvement--reading, working out, learning languages, even starting a business. He wrote his Master Plan: a list of all he expected to accomplish or acquire. He worked his plan every day for years, and in his mid-thirties he did the impossible: he convinced a judge to reduce his sentence and became a free man. Today Chris is a successful social entrepreneur who employs returning citizens; a mentor; and a public speaker. He is the embodiment of second chances, and this is his unforgettable story.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Wilson, who owns a commercial contracting business in Baltimore, shares the uplifting story of how his life changed after he was released from prison. As a child, the book-loving Wilson lived in a violent neighborhood in a home where his mother was sexually abused by her policeman boyfriend. As Wilson got older, he began drinking, skipping school, and hanging out with drug dealers. In 1996, the 17-year-old Wilson killed another young man Wilson claimed self-defense and was sentenced to life in prison. "I was done the moment they charged me," Wilson writes. "I was young; I was black; I had a record seventeen pages long." In prison, Wilson honored his dying grandfather's wish for him to turn his life around and wrote his "Master Plan": his list of maxims and goals included getting a high school diploma, learning to write a r sum , and "no gambling, no horseplay, no sex jokes." He got his GED; quit drugs; and, after a judge reduced his sentence, he was released from prison, having served 10 years. Sticking to his plan, he writes, helped him succeed after he got out; he started a business that hires ex-convicts and became a motivational speaker who discusses his master plan with at-risk men and women. Inspiring without being preachy, Wilson's manifesto will greatly appeal to today's youth.
Customer Reviews
Wonderful story!
Hard to put down. I was rooting for Chris throughout the entire book. His approach to building a better life, while serving life - and teaching others to do the same - is remarkable. Must read!
Inspiring!
What an incredibly inspiring book!! This book was an eye opener for me in many weeks. This is a MUST READ!