A remarkable debut

(Upward bound by Woody Brown, Penguin Random House, N.Y. 2026)

This short novel of 146 pages is about life for a few months in an adult day care centre for differently abled people. Members of the centre have each a different level of competence to deal with the world. They feel, they sense and they perceive but lack the ability to articulate verbally.

The centre is naturally strapped for funds and is under-staffed. Dave, its director, is well- meaning but has limited sensitivity. He is more focused on managing governing body members, fund raising and publicity. The centre has a routine of continuous games and activities including swimming for inmates and a weekly visit to a nearby superstore. A strict adherence to routine is Dave’s way of running the show and he is unaware that members are irritated by the infantile activities which he has designed for them.

Life story of each member unfolds briefly in the novel. Things start looking up for Walter when Anne walks in for her summer internship. Inability to communicate and lack of understanding by others lead to a lot of internal tension for members, particularly Jorge and it unfortunately leads to the shooting of Carlos- the ablest of the staff – by the police.

This deeply felt drama is enacted in a superb narrative that is shorn of literary style but is simple and incisive and articulates each and every nuance of human interaction. The author is himself autistic. Reading the novel is an enriching experience.

He is supposed to be working on his second novel. It will be interesting to read it as the present one is more or less, autobiographical.