Freedom Behind Bars: Mentors from Prison

Freedom Behind Bars is an inspirational work for those who are imprisoned, either literally or in “mind-forged manacles.” In this work, author Donald L. Wright, PhD, has compiled the stories and wisdom of sixteen men and women, who have spent time in prison and miraculously found a way to use it as a positive experience, including successfully transitioning back into the public arena. Among them are notable figures Nelson Mandela, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Dr. Wright builds on the stories with ten valuable lessons he believes we can learn from these prison “mentors." He then goes on to reveal, openly and authentically, how these ten principles have positively impacted his own life.

Whether you’re currently incarcerated, close to someone who is, or feel imprisoned in your own life situation, this book will inspire you to free yourself of the chains you have control over—those of the mind.

Donald L. Wright, PhD, is a writer, philanthropist, and public school system retiree. He has traveled the world, from Hawaii, to Italy, to Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong, but it was one night spent in a Mexican jail cell that had the most influence on the rest of his life. He went on to serve five years at the Utah State Prison, this time as a volunteer.

While teaching courses in prison and facilitating college classes, he grew to know hundreds of inmates, as well as their personal stories and many of their concerns.

Wright then established the PrisonEd Foundation to fill the critical need for educational opportunities for the incarcerated.

Freedom Behind Bars is his second book, following Beside Still Waters: 52 Reflections of the Divine Within. He lives in Sandy, Utah, with his wife. Together, they have five children and eleven grandchildren.