Born into slavery in 1836 on a plantation outside Charlotte, North Carolina, Henry has a remarkable gift. Though his mother warned him to keep it a secret, one day he inadvertently reveals his talent. His owner, Dr. Robert Parker, wants to study the boy and takes him to town to live at his home. Only six years old, Henry must learn to live without his mother and the only world he has ever known.

As the nation moves inexorably toward war, Dr. Parker's son enlists to fight for the Confederacy and Henry, now a young man, is forced to accompany him. Drawn ever deeper into the bloody conflict, Henry must use all his strength and skills to find a way to survive. In the end, the decisions he makes will determine the course of the rest of his life, and the lives of those he loves.

For many years, Dr. Douglas Young has had an interest in American history, particularly the "peculiar institution" of slavery and the Civil War. In addition to always being a history buff, Douglas studied biology in college and graduate school. He combined his love for both history and science into the writing of this book.

Douglas spent his professional career in medical research and as a business executive. Though he is the author of more than thirty-five scientific publications, this is his first novel. He currently lives in Cornelius, North Carolina with his wife Pam.

"Rarely does a piece of historical fiction so powerfully pierce the modern sensibility as Doug Young's 'Unbound Gifts,' a coming-of-age story of a slave boy in Charlotte who must navigate horrors of the Civil War and an inexplicable cognitive superpower. In his debut novel, Young's meticulous attention to historical research and his gift for story-telling present us with a tale of turbulent times and resilient souls" -- Mark Washburn, Charlotte Observer