Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The uplifting story of a convict who beat a life prison sentence through education and dedication.Entrepreneur Wilson was just a teenager when he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Though a passion for books buoyed his early adolescence in 1990s Washington, D.C., they remained dark days suffused with random thefts and the violent deaths of young friends. When his hardworking mother became embroiled in a severely abusive relationship with a corrupt policeman, the situation forced an angry, embittered Wilson to arm himself and plummet deeper into a life of crime. During an altercation, the author fired a series of panicked shots, killing a man; he was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in Maryland at age 17, hopeless and shunned by his family. "I was young; I was black; I had a record seventeen pages long," he writes. Wilson candidly shares the eye-opening details of his time in prison with a prose style that moves with directness and refreshingly unfettered honesty. Wilson seamlessly moves from his most downtrodden moments sealed away in prison to the motivational moments when he connected and shared ideas with a fellow lifer, earned his GED and college degrees, and learned multiple languages. Despite years devoted to his education and self-improvement initiatives, numerous courtroom appeals for leniency were denied until, finally, his chance at a new life was granted with a sentence reduction and parole. All of these events, both promising and discouraging, fueled Wilson's lofty "master plan" and an entrepreneurial spirit that inspired him to cultivate a socially responsible business venture, Barclay Investment Corporation, which matches unemployed Baltimore area residents with clients who have service needs. The author's passionately written memoir, infused with all the frustrations of making mistakes and seeking atonement, will give hope to readers who find themselves involved, to any degree, with the long road from incarceration to freedom.A smoothly written memoir steeped in positive reinforcement and hope for the future. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Wilson's truly inspiring memoir is also a handbook for creating a life of meaning. Wilson's Washington, D.C., youth was filled with chaos, violence, and fear. During an altercation, he panicked and killed a man with the gun he carried for protection. At 17, he was sentenced to life in prison. Instead of letting this be the end of him, Wilson decided to better himself in prison, regardless of his sentence. With the help of mentors (mostly other prisoners), he not only got his GED but learned Italian and Spanish, helped tutor other prisoners, and created his Master Plan ; a road map for what he wants to achieve. He ultimately reaches his biggest goals, getting out of prison and starting a business that helps others. With coauthor Witter, Wilson engagingly tells his riveting story while also exposing corrupt justice practices and the ways that society consistently works against former convicts, especially black men. Highly recommended for fans of The Sun Does Shine (2018), by Anthony Ray Hinton, as well as anyone who loves an uplifting life story.--Kathy Sexton Copyright 2019 Booklist

Library Journal
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By 18, Wilson was sentenced to life in prison without parole for shooting and killing a man. This memoir, written with best-selling author Witter reveals he could have given up but didn't, pushing himself to be better, no matter his current condition. That's when what he calls the Master Plan, a checklist to remind him of his dreams and ways to realize them, came into the picture. While behind bars, Wilson started a business, earned a GED and an associate's degree. Wilson wasn't a natural student, but he was determined. To pass a qualifying exam, he took and failed one math problem 67 times, eventually passing on his 68th try. With his sentence commuted to a fixed term, he was eventually released back into society, though he quickly found that society didn't always want him to succeed. He became an entrepreneur and employed others who were formerly incarcerated. In 2016, he was invited to the White House to receive a presidential commendation, but as he was considered a security risk, it took a call from the Oval Office to approve his admittance. VERDICT Wilson's voice comes through loud and clear in this memoir that should have wide appeal.-David Keymer, Cleveland © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly
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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 bookloving 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 17yearold Wilson killed another young man—Wilson claimed selfdefense—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 résumé, 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 exconvicts and became a motivational speaker who discusses his master plan with atrisk men and women. Inspiring without being preachy, Wilson’s manifesto will greatly appeal to today’s youth. Agent: Peter McGuigan, Foundry Literary + Media. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.