Best Boy, by Eli Gottlieb

Todd is a fifty-something resident of a living community for people with brain injuries. His parents are deceased and his younger brother isn't able to care for him at home. Todd has autism that is managed with medication and a routine that makes him feel comfortable. His world is upended when some changes take place in his community, the Payton Living Center. A new staff member has been hired who reminds Todd of his abusive father. Martine is a new resident who encourages Todd to stop taking some of his medication. Finally, Todd has a new roommate whose behavior is aggressive and frightening to Todd. All of these disturbances lead Todd to begin a journey home to be with his brother.

Best Boy has been marketed to people who enjoyed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, and I agree that those who like The Curious Incident would like Best Boy. However, I think this book will have broader appeal. The issues that Best Boy raises go beyond an exploration of an autistic mind and how someone with autism thinks. It addresses the institutionalization of people with disabilities, their vulnerability, the abandonment by family members, the frustration that people have when they're powerless to help another, and the difficulty of communicating with each other. The characters are well-drawn, including the scary new staff member, Mike, and Todd's brother and sister-in-law. I really enjoyed this book; it deserves a wide audience.

Eli Gottlieb. Best Boy. New York: Liveright Publishing Corporation/W.W. Norton, 2015. Advance reading copy. 246 pages. ISBN 9781631490477.