A debut fictional novel that can only have the heart of the Author within the pages because it is incredibly compelling, emotive and powerful.
Woody Brown said, last year, that he wanted to show readers what it’s like to be constantly underestimated and misunderstood, and he has absolutely done just that with Upward Bound. For those unfamiliar with the place that Woody takes us too, and the challenges that people like him face, this will be a massive wake up call and an incredible insight into the lives of both care-givers and those using the facilities of Upward Bound.
It has emotion & humour and perhaps a vivid and realistic portrait of what daily life can be like for someone with a disability. Everyone, should read this book.
About the Book
Woody Brown’s vibrant and profoundly moving debut novel takes us to sun-bleached California, to a daycare centre for Los Angeles’s disabled community.
Among the clients and staff are Carlos, a charismatic aide who lost his mother as a boy, and Jorge, who is gentle, nonspeaking and prone to escape despite Carlos’s best efforts. Tom, a beautiful young man with cerebral palsy, pines for Ann, the lifeguard for the summer who feels out of her depth. Then there’s Dave, the centre’s director. He wanted to be an actor, but finds himself on a very different path.
At the heart of Upward Bound is Walter, a recent college student returning to the company of his peers after a family tragedy. Around him, a story unfolds of friendships forged, connections missed and the dreams – some new, others almost forgotten – that shape us. With his wit, empathy and astonishing gifts as a storyteller, Woody Brown immerses us in life as we have never experienced it before.
About The Author
In 2022, Woody Brown became the first nonspeaking autistic graduate of UCLA, where he received the English department’s top writing honours. Brown completed his MFA in creative writing at Columbia University in 2024. He lives in Los Angeles.
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