Upward Bound: A Read with Jenna Pick

A Novel

De: Woody Brown

Narrado por: T.R. Knight, Pete Holmes, Midori Francis, Carlos Miranda, Brandon Flynn, Nikki M. James, Alex Edelman, Daphne Rubin-Vega

A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • A wondrous, deeply affecting portrait of the interlocking lives at an adult day care center in Southern California, depicting an often overlooked community with extraordinary wit and grace—“an explosive novel” (Ron Charles) by a major new literary voice hailed as a “groundbreaking debut novelist” (Publishers Weekly)

“[A] singular debut novel.”—The New York Times
“Implosive and wonderfully inspirational.”—Paul Beatty
“Great characters, great pace, great story—reading Upward Bound is a complicated joy.”—Roddy Doyle
“It will change the way you look at the world.”—Angie Kim
“A moving, illuminating glimpse into a world we rarely have access to.”—Good Housekeeping
“Woody Brown accomplishes the seemingly impossible.”—Mona Simpson
“This captivating work illuminates a world too often ignored.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A Most Anticipated Book: The New York Times, Time, Harper’s Bazaar, Good Housekeeping, Alta Journal, Publishers Weekly, Literary Hub, Publishers Lunch

Upward Bound is not a place anyone dreams of spending their days. The dreary adult daycare center for Los Angeles’s disabled community is, for many of its clients and staff, a place of last resort. This includes Carlos, a young aide who lost his mother as a boy and now works there alongside his beloved sister, Mariana; Jorge, the gentle nonspeaking giant whom Carlos seeks to befriend (and prevent from escaping); Tom, a beautiful young man with cerebral palsy who pines for Ann, the summer lifeguard at the center’s pool who feels out of her depth. Then there’s Dave, Upward Bound’s director, who came to L.A. to pursue an acting career but now channels his passion into staging an overly ambitious holiday show starring the center’s irrepressible clients. Framing these intertwined narratives—and connecting them in surprising, shattering ways—is the riveting and sometimes ironic testimony of Walter, a recent community college graduate who, after a family tragedy, must return to the company of his disabled peers.

In Upward Bound, Woody Brown has created an indelible, authentic, and profoundly moving group portrait of autism and other disabilities, all illuminated by his empathy, sly sense of humor, and enormous gifts as a novelist. With remarkable sophistication, insight, and creativity, Brown depicts a community too-often invisible in literature and society. Filled with characters you won’t soon forget, Upward Bound will inspire and touch you, teaching you as much about yourself as the tender, miraculous world behind the center’s doors.

Insight into a rarely seen world

This book came together in the end in a way I definitely did not expect. I enjoyed the writing, which was simple and fluid, and loved the humor and insights into this adult daycare world. It was a bit of a jarring reading experience at times due to the jumps between characters, a lack of straightforward timeline, and while we see Walter’s POV multiple times, there was no indication when we’re back in his viewpoint. Some characters also had such short chapters, I was left wanting more. I also wished to read more from the POV of the daycare clients rather than others in the periphery. However the ending did manage to bring everything full circle and I’m left in awe. This book isn’t perfect but is certainly a worthwhile read.

We need to appreciate what we are and respect all less fortunate and admire those who have “over come”!

Like…. We all need to be aware! We need to be understanding and respectful and attentive.

Spoken depth by a non-speaker

I appreciated the viewpoint and education I received from listening to this book by Woody Brown. Thank you Woody!

I couldn't put it down

I enjoyed it so much that I felt I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to to read more from this author.

PHENOMENAL

This truly was an incredible story!!! The narration was phenomenal, and I really can’t recommend this enough. A heartfelt story about a group of non speaking people who all attend an adult daycare, upward bound. I loved this story so much and will be thinking about it for awhile