Autism gets a lot of news coverage these days. Woody Brown’s debut novel Upward Bound gives us a personal insight into autism and how the world appears to people like himself.

Upward Bound is a fictional daycare center for dysfunctional adults. One of them, named Walter, was able to complete high school with a lot of help from his mother. But his inability to speak prevents him from advancing further. Jorge, a giant of a man, has an inexplicable obsession with a Mr. Potato Head doll. Tom’s cerebral palsy prevents him from moving or speaking, though he has feelings he yearns to express. In contrast to Tom is Drew, who cannot stop talking and calls people by their birth dates, rather than their names.

Walter tells us that his ADHD condition is “like sitting in front of a bank of monitors that are all showing different events, and all are playing at top volume.” He therefore must struggle to concentrate. Walter and Tom realize that they are different from other people. How they adapt is key to understanding their behavior. 

Woody Brown does more than tug at our heartstrings. He is equally interested in the Upward Bound staff members and others who come in contact with its clients. Carlos, an aide whose sister Melanie helped raise him, has a troubled past. Yet he is surprised to find himself drawn to Jorge, whom no one else is able to reach. A summer intern and a store clerk experience similar stirrings. They recognize that there are souls inside the clients and take an active interest in them.

Though flawed, the caregivers act with good intentions. Walter and Tom recognize this and do their best in situations they often find frustrating or terrifying. Empathy is a key factor in building bridges between the typical and the atypical characters.

Despite scatterings of profanity and vulgar language, Upward Bound is a promising beginning for Mr. Brown. I hope he will avoid such offensiveness in his future writings.

Chevron Ross's novels include Weapons of Remorse, The Seven-Day Resurrection, and The Samaritan's Patient. Click here for more information.