Upward Bound: A Read with Jenna Pick

“I’m reading a novel, Upward Bound, written by a young man named Woody Brown, who was diagnosed with severe autism as a child and thought to be incapable of sophisticated communication. He still struggles with speech, as our Times colleague Alexandra Alter explained in an excellent recent profile of him. But he’s an effective writer, complaining in Upward Bound about caretakers’ tendency to let their autistic charges idle ‘as if time means nothing to people who have nothing but time.’ . . . And it’s a revelation that forces you to ask: How much do we overlook in people—how many gifts do we fail to nurture—by making overly hasty judgments? Woody’s mom believed in him. Then college and graduate-school professors did. Then editors. Tapping letters on a board to spell out his answers to Alexandra’s questions, he told her: ‘I thought I would be caged my whole life, and then the door was open.’ Now he’s free—and he’s flying.”—Frank Bruni, The New York Times

“Implosive and wonderfully inspirational.”—Paul Beatty, Booker Prize–winning author of The Sellout

“Great characters, great pace, great story—reading Upward Bound is a complicated joy.”—Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize–winning author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha

“It will change the way you look at the world.”—Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls

“An explosive novel.”—Ron Charles

“A fascinating insight into the mind of an autistic person and genuinely entertaining . . . Want to know what it’s like to be autistic? Read this novel.”—The Times (London)

“[Upward Bound] is compassionate, insightful, funny—and at times quietly, righteously angry at the slights and prejudices the community faces. Just beautiful.”—Marie Claire

“[This] clever, humor-filled novel delights and surprises with its interwoven narratives and sophisticated writing.”—Parade

“An interlocking, polyphonic portrait of a community often overlooked . . . It’s a startlingly unique and fresh perspective on the world: we’re lucky to exist inside Brown’s creation, a deeply heartfelt exploration of humanity.”—Literary Hub

“Tender and compassionate, this debut explores the folds and twists of its characters’ inner lives and pushes conversations around disability to the forefront.”—Bustle

“A moving, illuminating glimpse into a world we rarely have access to.”—Good Housekeeping

“A wondrous and distinctly brilliant debut novel, Upward Bound gives us the world from the perspective of someone rarely noticed or understood, who in turn understands and notices most everyone. Generous, witty, expansive, and insightful, this novel is an unparalleled achievement and a treasure.”—Rivka Galchen

“A highly original, captivating, brilliantly observed novel about the power of human relationships and the complexities of communication.”—Caolinn Hughes, author of The Alternatives

“ Woody Brown accomplishes the seemingly impossible: He gives voice to a character with a sensibility both intelligent, ironic, and loveable, who cannot himself speak.”—Mona Simpson

“Reading Upward Bound reminded me of why stories matter. Woody Brown’s writing carries an earned wisdom that remains with us long after the final page.”—Jacqueline Crooks, author of Fire Rush

“[A] tender and important novel.”—Service95

“Stunning and eye-opening.”—Columbia Magazine

“Full of humor and charm . . . a debut novel that truly breaks new ground.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Brown’s sly sense of humor and ability to inhabit, without condescension, the experiences of those often marginalized, including the bumbling but well-intentioned caregivers, make the novel both quietly surprising and gently enlightening.”—Booklist

“Deft, wry, gorgeous, and, most important, humanist.”—August Thompson, author of Anyone’s Ghost