100 Years: A Journey to End a Vicious Cycle

by Mark L. Baynard

100 Years, A Journey to End a Vicious Cycle is a true story of how one man realizes that his family wasted more than one hundred years in prison. This is more than another street and drugs tale. This story is made up of courage, determination and even love. Mark is now taking responsibility for the mistakes that he made in his life. During his teenage years, he started using and selling drugs. Due to this behavoir he ended up serving a decade and a half in prison. Once he was released from prison in 2004, he has been on a mission to make the best of the rest of his life. He now works with troubled teenagers in order to deter them from experiencing some of the mistakes that he made. Mark shares his journey of how he attempts to end the cycle of drugs, crime, and prison that exist within his family as well as society. Mark's shares his journey as well as themany challenges that he faced along the way.

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2015

About the author

Mark L Baynard is an author, youth advocate, and a true success story. He overcame a past of crime, drugs, and prison by now making a difference in his community. Marks was raised in a Housing Project in Wilmington, Delaware, along with his siblings, by his single Mother. He also visited his dad and other siblings in Montgomery, Alabama each year. His mother was a very hard worker who worked two low-paying jobs to raise her five children. His mother raised him to be respectful to others. During his teenage years, Mark began searching for meaning in his life. Having low self-esteem, he started experimenting with marijuana, alcohol and other drugs. This was just the beginning of more problems to come. Mark eventually started selling drugs and living the lifestyle that goes along with it. Due to the choices that he made, Mark ended up going to prison for drugs. Mark was released from prison after serving a two-year sentence. He returned to selling drugs and making unwise choices. Within a year, Mark was back in prison for drugs. He ended up serving thirteen years before being released. While serving time, Mark started accepting responsibility for his actions and began addressing his personal issues. Once he was released in 2004, he moved to Montgomery, Alabama with family. He eventually met a young lady whom he married. They now share a ten-year-old daughter together. Mark also has a twenty-four-year-old daughter prior to his marriage. Mark decided to further his education by enrolling in Ashford University where he earned his Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education in 2012. He then went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama in 2014. In 2015, Mark released his first book titled “100 Years: A Journey to End a Vicious Cycle.” In his book, Mark shares the true story of how his family “collectively” wasted more than one hundred years in prison. He also shares some of the many challenges that he has overcome after being released from prison. Mark encourages others to join in the journey to end the cycle of crime and prison in the community. Later that year, Mark released his second book “These Are Your Flowers.” This book highlights the importance of letting our loved ones know how much they mean to us while they are alive. Mark went on to pursue a Master's Degree in Public Administration at Troy University. He has since transferred to Auburn University at Montgomery in 2015. In August of 2016, Mark released the book “100 Years II: Truth Be Told.” In his book, Mark addresses issues such as black-on-black crime, police brutality, as well as the identity crisis of African Americans. All of Mark’s books are available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00TLXK5L6 In 2017, Mark earned a Master’s Degree in Justice and Public Safety from Auburn University at Montgomery.
Mark plans to use his education accompanied with his personal experiences to help others. Mark is a living example that anything is possible. Mark founded “U Can” (Universal Community Advocacy Network) Community Organization, where he works with at-risk youth and has plans to work with adults in the future. Mark’s purpose is to make a difference in the lives of the individuals he serves. His goal is to decrease the high recidivism rate among both juvenile and adult offenders. Mark may be contacted by email at ucan.community@yahoo.com

Reviews

[Tanya (Tee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.


When I subscribe to this giveaway, I didn't notice it was a memoir.
So when I received the book I was not sure about it.
Then I've started it. At first I wasn't really interested. But then, the more I read the more I liked it. It turn out to be really interesting.
Sometime life isn't easy, but we made it more difficult by our own choices.
Mark tried to make us understand that in life we must be responsible for our actions and that we must suffer the consequences. This is very true. He successfully demonstrated that what we do affects not only our lives but the lives of people around us.
I think the most important part is to believe in yourself, in our capacity and our intelligence. Nothing happens for no reasons in life. We must work hard to get what we deserve.
I'm glad I read this book.

The reason I didn't put 5 stars its because sometimes there were sentences with missing words, and misspelled words. Early in the book its a bit difficult to feel compassion for Mark, but I managed to identify with him in some point.

Thanks for sharing this with the world.

[R.W. Lang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memoir of an inner city youth who grew up in the projects and on the street. As a preteen drug user, Mark's ambition was to be a hustler, and he made it happen. After he was busted and sent to prison the first time, he returned to the streets as a hustler, but not a user. During his second stint in prison, Mark realized the men in his family spent a combined 100 years in prison, had a baby daughter, and decided to move in a different direction. He started reading, got his high school diploma, and found a higher power to help. After thirteen years in prison, he went to work in his father's rim and tire shop, and eventually opened his own business. Married with another daughter, Mark went to college and now reaches out to troubled youth in hopes his story will help them to a productive path.

[Anne Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Difficult not to feel sorry for Mark, but difficult to feel much empathy for him either. He decided to do what he liked as a young man, and if prison was a consequence, why not? He describes his awakening in his book, how he decided o get out of he vicious circle and get his GED, go to college, get a job. The writing felt very flat for me though I expected to feel sympathy for his courage. I did not, I remained outside, wondering how such a kid could end up hustling and not caring for years.

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book free from the good-reads first-reads program. I really enjoyed the story and I thought that Marks honesty was incredible. Anyone looking for a book that is a non-fiction and is looking for an an honest, inspiring story should read this book.

[Talea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing could have been better, but it kept my interest and helped give a little insight into the lives of some loved ones that have similar struggles.