People like William Paul Young

William Paul Young (born May 11, 1955), referred to styled as Wm. Paul Young or simply Paul Young, is a Canadian author. He wrote the novels The Shack, Cross Roads and Eve, and the non-fiction book Lies We Believe About God.

Young is the oldest of four, born May 11, 1955, in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, but the majority of his first decade was lived with his missionary parents in the highlands of Netherlands New Guinea (West Papua), among the Dani, a technologically stone age tribal people. These became his family and as the first white child and outsider who ever spoke their language, he was granted unusual access into their culture and community. When he was six he was sent to a boarding school.