William P. Young

William Paul Young had what he calls an “unusual” upbringing—although he also likes to point out that each person’s life story is unusual in its own way. In his case, Young spent the first ten years of his life in the highlands of New Guinea, where his parents were missionaries. There, he became close with the Dani people, an ethnic group from the region. The Dani became a second family to Young, teaching him their language and welcoming him into their homes. Though Young was sent to boarding school at the age of six and moved around schools in Western Canada for the rest of his education, his early days in New Guinea were formative. From there, Young attended Bible College and received an undergraduate degree in religion. Though Young held down a number of jobs—working in churches, construction companies, insurance, food processing, and more—he never imagined himself as a professional author. One year, he wrote The Shack as a Christmas gift for his six children. Friends saw potential in the book and encouraged him to self-publish it. Just a few years later, the book had rocketed to the top of The New York Times’ bestseller list, catching on largely thanks to word-of-mouth and church groups who shared the book. Young has gone on to write other Christian-themed novels.