Explore The Depth of Faith

“The Set Up,” is a powerful and unflinching memoir by Carl Edward Jackson about survival, redemption, and the grace of God in the face of systemic failure and deeply personal trauma. Born and raised in the Granite Mountain housing project of Little Rock, Arkansas, Carl was marked early by adversity, childhood abuse, a condemning church community and the social stigma of being both African American and Gay. Despite this, he rose to become a student leader, earned academic accolades and eventually held management positions at major Fortune 500 companies. But a descent into severe mental illness derailed what once seemed like a triumphant path. His life spiraled into addiction, incarceration and institutionalization. A turning point came when a psychotic episode led to his arrest and subsequent acquittal by reason of mental illness. The legal ordeal underscores the urgent need for reform in how the justice system handles the mentally ill. Yet through all of this, Carl never lost his faith. His belief in a just God, and a vision that he received one night about the End Times, gave him hope for a better future. “The Set Up,” is his account, written with urgency, clarity and deep introspection, of a life marked by pain but transformed by belief. From trauma to testimony, it is a deeply human story that is certain to magnetize the reader as you live each moment with him.