Woody Brown, a 28-year-old non-speaking autistic novelist, is making waves with his acclaimed debut novel. From a childhood marked by underestimation, infantilisation, and dismissal from specialists and teachers, Brown has transformed into a compelling storyteller. He possesses a formidable ability to penetrate the minds of his characters, expressing their deepest thoughts and their perceptions of how others view them.
Communicating through a word board, Brown presents himself as formal, witty, and remarkably eloquent. His first novel, “Upward Bound,” offers an intimate portrayal of daily life at an adult day care centre in Southern California. The title itself is ironic, as the young adults, referred to as “clients,” often find themselves far from “upward bound”—instead, they are frequently stifled, patronised, unheard, and unseen by society. Despite their various shortcomings, the staff members of the centre are depicted with an unexpected tenderness, adding layers of complexity to the narrative.