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Best Boy
Sent to a therapeutic community for autism at the age of eleven, Todd Aaron, now in his fifties, is the Old Fox of Payton LivingCenter. A joyous man who rereads the encyclopedia compulsively, he is unnerved by the sudden arrivals of a menacing new staffer and a disruptive, brain-injured roommate. His equilibrium is further worsened by Martine, a one-eyed new resident who has romantic intentions and convinces him to go off his meds to feel normal again. Undone by these pressures, Todd attempts an escape to return home to his younger brother and to a childhood that now inhabits only his dreams. Written astonishingly in the first-person voice of an autistic, adult man, Best Boy with its unforgettable portraits of Todd s beloved mother, whose sweet voice still sings from the grave, and a staffer named Raykene, who says that Todd reflects the beauty of His creation is a piercing, achingly funny, finally shattering novel no reader can ever forget."
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 745 reviews
August 28, 2015
As soon as you start reading you enter the mind and thoughts of fifty something Todd Aaron, an autistic man who has lived at the Payton Living Center for a good portion of his life. The wonderful and sometimes strange ways he looks at things and people. One cannot help but take this character to heart. He is trusted at the Center being the oldest resident there, and is usually quite content with things with a few exceptions. His new room=mate at the cottage who tries repeatedly to give Todd, what he calls the volts. Also the new employee of the center who he calls, "Mike the Apron" who reminds him of his abusive father and who he finds frightening. He has a wonderful caretaker called Raykene, and though employees and residents come and go, she has been with him for quite a while. A new love interest for Todd as well, and all these things together spiral out of control until Todd takes to the road.
This novel is sometimes sad, as when Todd remembers his mother, now dead, who circled him with love and created a feeling within him to which he wants to return. His relationship with his brother is difficult, he doesn't understand Todd and Todd doesn't understand him. So we also get a firsthand view of the prob;ems in a family where one is different. A novel of memories, how we cherish them, how they still have the power to heal or hurt.
A very good story, of course I don't know how realistic the portrayal of this autistic man is, not having had any personal knowledge of autism or what it entails. I did however, read in an author interview that indeed Gottlieb does, having a brother with autism who has been living in an institutionalized setting since the age of eleven. Another character I will not forget.
ARC from publisher.
This novel is sometimes sad, as when Todd remembers his mother, now dead, who circled him with love and created a feeling within him to which he wants to return. His relationship with his brother is difficult, he doesn't understand Todd and Todd doesn't understand him. So we also get a firsthand view of the prob;ems in a family where one is different. A novel of memories, how we cherish them, how they still have the power to heal or hurt.
A very good story, of course I don't know how realistic the portrayal of this autistic man is, not having had any personal knowledge of autism or what it entails. I did however, read in an author interview that indeed Gottlieb does, having a brother with autism who has been living in an institutionalized setting since the age of eleven. Another character I will not forget.
ARC from publisher.
February 5, 2022
This was unlike anything I have ever read. It is written from the perspective of a 50 year old man with severe autism. Todd has been in an institution for something like 40 years, but all he really wants is to go home. He reads the Encyclopedia Britannica, takes his meds, tries to follow the rules and maintain. What is happening on the outside of him has a lot to do with how he manages. With the advent of a new roommate and a new staff member added to the mix, any semblance of equilibrium is apt to go sideways in a hurry.
I don't think it is altogether wrong that houses absorb the essence of the people who have lived in them. It's a thought both comfortable and a tad disturbing. On the other hand, the thought of your bed pillow waking up under your head is definitely unsettling. This is a perfect gold nugget just waiting for you to uncover it. It will be difficult to keep your heart out of its clutches. Thank you to Ron, whose review led me to it.
I don't think it is altogether wrong that houses absorb the essence of the people who have lived in them. It's a thought both comfortable and a tad disturbing. On the other hand, the thought of your bed pillow waking up under your head is definitely unsettling. This is a perfect gold nugget just waiting for you to uncover it. It will be difficult to keep your heart out of its clutches. Thank you to Ron, whose review led me to it.
August 22, 2017
Most often it takes a few chapters before I can truly say, “I’m enjoying this book”. Not so with Best Boy. I liked it from page one, in the spot I met Todd Aaron. You see, Todd is easy to like. He is joyful but routine; smart but simple; inquisitive but tentative. Well who isn’t I say. Sometimes Todd gets the volts. That comes with his autism.
So what’s this story about? It’s about Todd, yes, but through Todd’s narrative, I found that it was the story about people. He has spent 41 years at Payton LivingCenter, almost all of his life. He has his music, his daily activities, his “Mr. B” (the Encyclopedia Britannica) and sometimes “Mr. C” (Computer), because he likes information. That’s all he needs. Nope, it’s really not. He may think in different terms. React in a different manner. But, the end result is the same. Like us, he needs others. He needs family. And a place that is home. Best Boy made me think about each of those things.
If you decide to read this book (and I recommend that you do), Todd’s going to take you on an adventure. The trip isn’t far in the physical sense, but it may go a long, long ways into your heart. I said that I liked it from page one. Well, by page 100 I liked it more. Page 175? Yep, more. Page 220…
Let me thank my friend Liz, who recommended this book that made me laugh (so many times), gave me the fuzzies, the tunnel eyes, introduced me to a character I’ll never forget, and taught me new words, like “crusherating”.
Also, it included one of the best lines in recent memory, seemingly spoken by a bird alongside the road, although it really came from Todd. ”Home is in your head.”
So what’s this story about? It’s about Todd, yes, but through Todd’s narrative, I found that it was the story about people. He has spent 41 years at Payton LivingCenter, almost all of his life. He has his music, his daily activities, his “Mr. B” (the Encyclopedia Britannica) and sometimes “Mr. C” (Computer), because he likes information. That’s all he needs. Nope, it’s really not. He may think in different terms. React in a different manner. But, the end result is the same. Like us, he needs others. He needs family. And a place that is home. Best Boy made me think about each of those things.
If you decide to read this book (and I recommend that you do), Todd’s going to take you on an adventure. The trip isn’t far in the physical sense, but it may go a long, long ways into your heart. I said that I liked it from page one. Well, by page 100 I liked it more. Page 175? Yep, more. Page 220…
Let me thank my friend Liz, who recommended this book that made me laugh (so many times), gave me the fuzzies, the tunnel eyes, introduced me to a character I’ll never forget, and taught me new words, like “crusherating”.
Also, it included one of the best lines in recent memory, seemingly spoken by a bird alongside the road, although it really came from Todd. ”Home is in your head.”
August 29, 2015
The first person narrative by an autistic man is as the description notes , reminiscent of the teenage narrative in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night . I don't know a lot about autism , but what I do know is that I certainly felt the tension and anxiety that Todd feels as he described when he is having "an attack of volts " and we clearly see how much he really wants to go home .
There's a sweetness here as Todd looks up the definition of love on Mr. C , a computer. There's also sadness when Todd remembers his childhood and the beatings by his father and torture by his younger brother Nate who only visits on occasion. Even now after all the years , it's clear that Nate is not looking out for his brothers best interest . The saddest thing is how much Todd misses his mother who has since died , and through his memories we know how much she loved her " best boy " and how much it broke her heart to place him in this home. There is also the joy of his mother's love that Todd has never lost .
He's been in the home for 40 years , but things begin to change when Martine arrives. It's disconcerting when he stops taking his medication, and becomes caught in a mess created by an unscrupulous employee . Thankfully there is a caring staff member named Raykene , who makes life better for Todd when he finds that you just can't go back . Thankfully , because you can't help but want there to be some semblance of happiness and a peaceful life for this man.
Gottlieb gives background info on autism at various points in the book when Todd asks Mr . C ( the computer) and Mr . B , the Encyclopedia Britanica that his mother gave him and that he still reads . In addition to a character that you care about, we learn some of what the author knows about autism through is experience with an autistic brother .
Thank you W.W. Norton and Edelweiss.
March 15, 2016
”You were a best boy who became a beautiful man and made everybody who knew you very proud.”
Imagine seeing the world through the eyes of someone who is completely defenseless against it. Someone incapable of deception, who does not distinguish laughter from contempt in people he doesn’t know. A person who experiences a completely different world than the one you and I inhabit – both scarier and more wondrous. Now imagine just how easily he could be taken advantage of, or become lost, confused, and paralyzed with fear. Wouldn’t you just want to protect him? Todd Aaron is a lovely, autistic man in his 50s who resides in a community with others like him. He’s been content there for 40+ years but what he wants most of all is to go home to where he lived as a child, and find a memory of his mother to hold.
Todd’s account is written so that the reader is presented with only what he hears and sees, nothing more. There are no nuances, undertones or inferences drawn, beyond the very simplest of which Todd is capable. In this way we’re left to fill in the blanks ourselves and I have to tell you, it was superbly done. It’s a straightforward, undiluted, first person perspective that brought me to tears more than once. I must also warn you, there were times I wanted to punch certain people in the face repeatedly (when you read it you’ll know who I mean). Do I even need to add that I loved this book? If you enjoy books that really make you feel, then please read Best Boy.
Imagine seeing the world through the eyes of someone who is completely defenseless against it. Someone incapable of deception, who does not distinguish laughter from contempt in people he doesn’t know. A person who experiences a completely different world than the one you and I inhabit – both scarier and more wondrous. Now imagine just how easily he could be taken advantage of, or become lost, confused, and paralyzed with fear. Wouldn’t you just want to protect him? Todd Aaron is a lovely, autistic man in his 50s who resides in a community with others like him. He’s been content there for 40+ years but what he wants most of all is to go home to where he lived as a child, and find a memory of his mother to hold.
Todd’s account is written so that the reader is presented with only what he hears and sees, nothing more. There are no nuances, undertones or inferences drawn, beyond the very simplest of which Todd is capable. In this way we’re left to fill in the blanks ourselves and I have to tell you, it was superbly done. It’s a straightforward, undiluted, first person perspective that brought me to tears more than once. I must also warn you, there were times I wanted to punch certain people in the face repeatedly (when you read it you’ll know who I mean). Do I even need to add that I loved this book? If you enjoy books that really make you feel, then please read Best Boy.
January 1, 2016
This story is told by Todd Aaron, a man in his 50s who is autistic. I thought the author did a great job writing from his point of view. I have always had a special place in my heart for people with special needs, and I am interested in stories like this that are told well.
I loved this book!
I loved this book!
February 3, 2023
Best Boy, a poignant story written by first-person protagonist, Todd, an intellectually disabled man, reminds me of Eric Carle.
Eric was a friend of my father’s. My father worked in advertising in the 1950s and ’60s and gave Eric his first art director job and they became fast friends. I wrote the above homage to him when I worked for a magazine and Eric was still alive.
The reason I put these two writers together (meaning fictional Todd and real Eric) is that Eric was motivated to soothe the trauma all children face when they leave home, and the essence of Todd’s trauma is just that. Sent away from home, Todd has been living in a “therapeutic community” for people with autism and brain injuries for 40 years! And all he really wants is to go home.
And since that’s all any of us wants in our most essential place, and since Todd is such an authentic character, you identify with him.
What a gorgeous book.
October 24, 2015
Eli Gottlieb, the author of BEST BOY, does have a brother with autism who has been institutionalized since the age of 11. Gottlieb’s background and family history provides a realistic backdrop to this engaging and illuminating novel about an autistic man, now in his 50’s, living in a therapeutic community. Gottlieb chose to write this story in first person, which allows the reader to understand, somewhat, the mind of an autistic person.
Realistic fiction bestows the benefits of learning about life through the characters in the novel. BEST BOY is an astounding work, presenting the inner workings and thought patterns of those on the Autism spectrum. Gottlieb does such a great job, that everything the main character does makes sense because we, the reader, get to see how he sees the world.
This novel also shows how easy it is to take advantage of the innocent. In the same fashion, the novel also shows the truly kind and devoted people who work with autistic adults.
It’s a short novel, only 245 pages. I read it in a rainy day. I highly recommend it because of the realistic fiction aspect, and the easy read of a complex situation.
Realistic fiction bestows the benefits of learning about life through the characters in the novel. BEST BOY is an astounding work, presenting the inner workings and thought patterns of those on the Autism spectrum. Gottlieb does such a great job, that everything the main character does makes sense because we, the reader, get to see how he sees the world.
This novel also shows how easy it is to take advantage of the innocent. In the same fashion, the novel also shows the truly kind and devoted people who work with autistic adults.
It’s a short novel, only 245 pages. I read it in a rainy day. I highly recommend it because of the realistic fiction aspect, and the easy read of a complex situation.
October 13, 2015
Todd, an autistic man has lived at Payton Living Center for decades. Todd was dropped off at the age of 13, when his family could no longer tolerate his occasional violent outbursts. Told by his mother when she leaves him to be the "best boy" possible, Todd has tried to live by the rules and finds happiness in the memories of his beloved mother. Now his brother is his caretaker, someone who was cruel to Todd as a boy, and now does his duty from what a appears to be a guilty conscious. Lucky for Todd, he has Rakene, a compassionate and caring women, for his daily care. But his world is shaken by his new brain damaged roommate and the arrival of a new staff member who Todd is wary of from the moment they meet. Todd wants to go home, and visit his childhood residence, with no concept of how to get there. His thoughts on the Living Center:
"This wasn't home. It pretended to be. It pretended with all its might that it was filled with people who were my family and also that it was the right place for me. But none of these things were true and they never would be. I wanted to take my hand and shatter the window and the pretendingness into little bits. My real life was still going on somehow in the spaces of the house where I was born and the woods behind it. What I was seeing now out the window was a fake projection of a family like a movie on a sheet that they showed us once at a special needs summer camp."
Though intuitive, Todd lacks the skills to navigate the world outside the Living Center. But Todd is so much more than what he displays to others. To quote Todd:
"...they talked around me. They talked at me. They threw words at me like I was the wall of the barn. They thought I didn't understand but sometimes I did."
Todd is a good reminder that all people, especially those that are disabled, are so much more than what we see on the outside. A final quote:
"I can't stop remembering what happened to me long ago, but that's all right. I don't mind. I was a Best Boy and a good little camper and now I'm a lucky man. Somebody always loved me."
Really 4.5 stars
"This wasn't home. It pretended to be. It pretended with all its might that it was filled with people who were my family and also that it was the right place for me. But none of these things were true and they never would be. I wanted to take my hand and shatter the window and the pretendingness into little bits. My real life was still going on somehow in the spaces of the house where I was born and the woods behind it. What I was seeing now out the window was a fake projection of a family like a movie on a sheet that they showed us once at a special needs summer camp."
Though intuitive, Todd lacks the skills to navigate the world outside the Living Center. But Todd is so much more than what he displays to others. To quote Todd:
"...they talked around me. They talked at me. They threw words at me like I was the wall of the barn. They thought I didn't understand but sometimes I did."
Todd is a good reminder that all people, especially those that are disabled, are so much more than what we see on the outside. A final quote:
"I can't stop remembering what happened to me long ago, but that's all right. I don't mind. I was a Best Boy and a good little camper and now I'm a lucky man. Somebody always loved me."
Really 4.5 stars
September 10, 2015
I absolutely loved this book. I know that a large part of my enjoyment of it, is because my son is on the autism spectrum. I saw a lot of him in Todd. It also was a good look into what might go through my son's mind at times, why he struggles in certain situations.
My own personal experiences aside, this book was beautifully written. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry. It was a great read.
My own personal experiences aside, this book was beautifully written. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry. It was a great read.
February 28, 2017
When his mother brought Todd Aaron to the Payton Living Center, she gave her autistic son words to live by: "Life has a song of happiness at the heart of it, but you can only hear that song if you work hard and are always a Best Boy and do exactly what you are told." Forty years later, Todd has a childlike innocence, enjoys music, and has an excellent memory for information in the Encyclopedia Britannica (Mr B) and on the computer (Mr C). He's a good worker on the lawn crew or cafeteria line. When he gets upset, Todd feels the "volts" coming on, but can chase the feeling away by biting his hand. His most supportive staff member, a warm woman named Raykene, helps provide stability and affection.
Things change when a perfect storm of events converge. The institution hires an untrustworthy man who resembles Todd's abusive father. Todd's new housemate is a bad match for him. A new resident, the beautiful Martine, tells him how to fake taking his pills to get off the mind-numbing Risperdal which keeps him tranquil. Todd gets the idea of going home to live, forgetting that his parents are long dead and his complicated relationship with his brother. Todd just wants to go back to that place where he felt enveloped in his mother's love.
The author, Eli Gottlieb, has a brother with autism who is the inspiration for this novel and his first book, The Boy Who Went Away. Gottlieb wrote Best Boy with Todd as the narrator showing how he experiences his surroundings, life in an institutional setting, and family dynamics. I'm glad I spent some time in Todd's company.
Things change when a perfect storm of events converge. The institution hires an untrustworthy man who resembles Todd's abusive father. Todd's new housemate is a bad match for him. A new resident, the beautiful Martine, tells him how to fake taking his pills to get off the mind-numbing Risperdal which keeps him tranquil. Todd gets the idea of going home to live, forgetting that his parents are long dead and his complicated relationship with his brother. Todd just wants to go back to that place where he felt enveloped in his mother's love.
The author, Eli Gottlieb, has a brother with autism who is the inspiration for this novel and his first book, The Boy Who Went Away. Gottlieb wrote Best Boy with Todd as the narrator showing how he experiences his surroundings, life in an institutional setting, and family dynamics. I'm glad I spent some time in Todd's company.
March 31, 2020
Aslında kitap sipariş verirken yazarına dikkat etmediğim için bu kitap elime geçti. Abigail Tarttelin'in Altın Çocuk romanının gelmesini beklerken yeni bir yazarla tanışmış oldum. Otizmle mücadele eden Todd Aaron'un Payton Yaşam Merkezi'nde yaşadıkları anlatılıyor. O yıllarda otizmin geçerli bir tanımı ve tedavisi yok. Otizmin neden olduğu konusunda kadınların geç yaşta doğum yapmaları, yapılan aşılar bu gün de hala tartışma konusu. Todd'un Annesi Netta Aaron'a hayran oldum. Mücadele etmiş ve oğluna değerli olduğunu ve onu sevdiğini her fırsatta hissettirmiş. Kardeşi Nate ve ailesi de romanın önemli parçası. Çok keyifli bir okuma oldu.
August 21, 2018
This book reminds me of two specific people in my life.
When I was growing up, my parents brought foster kids into our home, many of whom had severe mental challenges/disabilities. There was one a physically and mentally handicapped boy named Johnny Wells that we took care of. He was extremely loving, but couldn't take care of himself at all; we had to dress him and feed him, holding his hand wherever we went. I wrote several science fiction short stories with him as the main character, a brilliant captain of a starship exploring the galaxy. I still think of him fairly often, and wonder what he would have been like as an adult.
The other person this book reminds me of is the son of friends we were stationed with in Alaska. Kiefer is autistic in the most severe sense of the word, and he was scared to death of thunder. We were at their house during a thunderstorm once, and he was panicking because of the thunder, and I put my arms around him and asked if he liked bowling, knowing that he did because we went bowling with his family often. I told him that he didn't have to be scared of the thunder, because it was the angels bowling strikes in their heavenly bowling alley. Every time the thunder clapped after that, he would say, "Another strike!" His mom says he still says it, over 20 years later.
Keifer is now a grown man living in a facility similar to the one in this book, and I pictured the main character looking like my young friend.
I don't normally listen to books at work, but this one was so heart-wrenchingly good, I didn't want to stop listening. Bronson Pinchot was simply an outstanding narrator, too.
Highly recommended!
January 6, 2016
This wasn't my home. It pretended to be. It pretended with all its might that it was filled with people who were my family and also that it was the right place for me. But none of these things were true and they never would be.
3.5 stars
For me this is a story about love - the beautiful kind (his mom and Raykene) and the more complicated kind (his brother and sister-in-law). There are many novels about kids with autism but this is the first one I've read about an adult, which gives you a very different perspective. Todd's descriptions about the medicines effect on him and how he sees other people are very powerful. Do not expect another Curious incident of the dog at night-time, this is very different - quiet and thoughtful.
My only criticism is that I thought the "villain" could have been toned down a bit.
A quick but touching read.
September 26, 2015
Best Boy, by Eli Gottlieb, is told from the perspective of Todd Aaron, an autistic fifty-something-year old man and long-time resident of Payton Living Center, a therapeutic community for people with developmental disorders. Though Todd demonstrates certain levels of higher functioning, in that he reads (the Encyclopedia Britannica is his favorite), uses a computer, pines for a girlfriend, enjoys travel, etc., he still has only limited understanding of what is going on around him--which means the reader does, too. The story centers on Todd’s relationships with numerous sleazy people in his life, including his dishonest brother, his dead (but ever-present) abusive father, and a shady new counselor at Payton who immediately gives Todd a bad feeling.
This book is beautifully written, but it is sad, sad, sad. Todd is so simple, innocent, and vulnerable; it’s hard to watch him be mistreated. And it’s downright heartbreaking to see him blame himself for the abuse and then respond by trying to be “better,” by trying to be the “best boy.” It’s just a deeply unsatisfying storyline.
On the other hand, it’s also an emotionally powerful one, too. Gottlieb captures Todd’s voice so convincingly, and I was completely invested in the well-being of this character. Best Boy is unique and wonderfully written. But it is also HEAVY, with not one shred of hope, optimism, or redemption. Ultimately, I’d say it’s worth a read--just know what you’re getting into.
Please see more of my reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com!
This book is beautifully written, but it is sad, sad, sad. Todd is so simple, innocent, and vulnerable; it’s hard to watch him be mistreated. And it’s downright heartbreaking to see him blame himself for the abuse and then respond by trying to be “better,” by trying to be the “best boy.” It’s just a deeply unsatisfying storyline.
On the other hand, it’s also an emotionally powerful one, too. Gottlieb captures Todd’s voice so convincingly, and I was completely invested in the well-being of this character. Best Boy is unique and wonderfully written. But it is also HEAVY, with not one shred of hope, optimism, or redemption. Ultimately, I’d say it’s worth a read--just know what you’re getting into.
Please see more of my reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com!
November 12, 2016
Unfortunately I don't have time to do full reviews for any books right now but this was a magnificent and unique read. This is not another "he's fascinating because he has asperger's syndrome" book (although I love those). The character in this book deals with some undefined autism spectrum disorder and being developmentally delayed. Both the main character and the supporting characters are very believable. To me, a great novel is all about deep, complex, believable characters. When you finish a great book, you should know the characters as though they were real people. I'm going to leave it at that because, as I said, I don't have time to write a full review. But how excited I was to have randomly found this hidden gem!
March 9, 2015
Exceptional and powerful. Reminds me more of Temple Grandin's The Way I See It than Curious Incident as the narrator is a grown man who has lived in care for years and years. There is so much here to think about. Some of the passages are honest, affecting, and deeply poetic. I know I will continue to reflect on this book for a very long time.
December 23, 2015
I was really disappointed with this book because I liked it so much, and then it was suddenly just over. The whole book they seemed to be building up to something that never happened. Characters were introduced and things were coming together into a climax, and then suddenly they weren't and the characters were gone, no exit, no goodbyes, nothing -- the pace of the book came to a grinding halt and it was suddenly, "the end."
Best Boy has a sort of unique charm and an original tone that I found to be really gripping. I was very engrossed in the world that was created, loved and hated the characters respectfully, got attached to Todd, and that all built up inside of me to contribute to the inevitable result of the book simply ending.
It feels like the author lost interest and chopped off the entire second half of the story, then just threw together a few random sentences in a final chapter to get it done and over with. Up until the final few pages, I really loved it. It was just... so... abrupt.
I feel slighted for the conclusion that never came. It's a shame too, because it was really climbing the ladder into my "must own" list. Now I don't want it, if just to spare someone else the dissatisfaction of the lack-of-ending.
Sigh.
Best Boy has a sort of unique charm and an original tone that I found to be really gripping. I was very engrossed in the world that was created, loved and hated the characters respectfully, got attached to Todd, and that all built up inside of me to contribute to the inevitable result of the book simply ending.
It feels like the author lost interest and chopped off the entire second half of the story, then just threw together a few random sentences in a final chapter to get it done and over with. Up until the final few pages, I really loved it. It was just... so... abrupt.
I feel slighted for the conclusion that never came. It's a shame too, because it was really climbing the ladder into my "must own" list. Now I don't want it, if just to spare someone else the dissatisfaction of the lack-of-ending.
Sigh.
July 28, 2016
4.5 Stars
Brilliant, just brilliant. This novel is written in the first-person of an autistic, adult man named Todd who lives in a center and is just trying to get by everyday with who he is. I had tears in my eyes a lot while listening to it. This story was almost a 5-star read, but there were a few storylines that I wished had tighter finishes. But overall, just incredible. I loved it.
Brilliant, just brilliant. This novel is written in the first-person of an autistic, adult man named Todd who lives in a center and is just trying to get by everyday with who he is. I had tears in my eyes a lot while listening to it. This story was almost a 5-star read, but there were a few storylines that I wished had tighter finishes. But overall, just incredible. I loved it.
March 13, 2020
Výborná kniha, ktorá prináša tému autizmu trochu z iného pohľadu. Kniha i o tom, že o tejto diagnóze ani zďaleka nevieme všetko.
"Nikdo pořád tak docela neví, co mi je, a to i přesto, že ustavičně přicházejí další a další slova, která to popisujú. Pan Bé o mně míval jasnou, konkrétní představu, ale zkuste dnes napsat do počítače slovo "autismus" a sami uvidíte, co se stane."
"Nikdo pořád tak docela neví, co mi je, a to i přesto, že ustavičně přicházejí další a další slova, která to popisujú. Pan Bé o mně míval jasnou, konkrétní představu, ale zkuste dnes napsat do počítače slovo "autismus" a sami uvidíte, co se stane."
July 9, 2015
“What happens when someone on the autism spectrum grows up, and they aren’t a cute little boy anymore? Gottlieb’s novel follows the story of Todd Aaron, a man in his fifties who has spent most of his life a resident of the Payton Living Center. Todd begins to wonder what lies beyond the gates of his institution. A funny and deeply affecting work.”
Elizabeth Olesh, Baldwin Public Library, Baldwin, NY
Elizabeth Olesh, Baldwin Public Library, Baldwin, NY
November 20, 2016
A brilliantly imagined and insightful story narrated by Todd, an autistic man in his 50s who has spent most of his life in institutions. But Todd's very orderly world is thrown into chaos when a new resident and a malevolent new staff member arrive at Payton Living Center. This remarkable book will remain with readers long after they have turned the last page. Highly recommended.
March 4, 2016
I really enjoyed the authenticity of this book. It was well researched and it was well written. I thought it was a perfect idea to write this from the perspective of an adult male with autism who lives in a home. He has a brother who visits occasionally and his parents are deceased. The author tapped into the many relationships in a way that felt honest and true. I loved the layers of description. I just wanted to climb in and help Todd out especially when people expected him to understand their problems. I loved his relationship with his mother. How sweet was that!!!! I really did enjoy this...so 4 stars.
May 17, 2016
BEST BOY
Eli Gottlieb
A candid and terribly interesting book concerning care for the handicapped and how their lives develop. Todd Arron was sent to a therapeutic community for the care of autism when he was eleven. Todd is now fifty years old and the oldest resident in the community who obsessively reads the Encyclopedia Britannica and is quite content. That is until a new roommate, a menacing new staffer, and a fascinating and dangerous unusual young girl arrives, Todd is thrown and has some new Ideas and dreams to deal with.
Told with real conviction concerning the disease and is up front on all issues which make for a very interesting read.
Eli Gottlieb
A candid and terribly interesting book concerning care for the handicapped and how their lives develop. Todd Arron was sent to a therapeutic community for the care of autism when he was eleven. Todd is now fifty years old and the oldest resident in the community who obsessively reads the Encyclopedia Britannica and is quite content. That is until a new roommate, a menacing new staffer, and a fascinating and dangerous unusual young girl arrives, Todd is thrown and has some new Ideas and dreams to deal with.
Told with real conviction concerning the disease and is up front on all issues which make for a very interesting read.
May 30, 2015
What a great read!! Do yourself a favor and check it out when published - I don't think you will regret it.
December 28, 2017
A beautiful and redemptive tale of family, autism, and love. Fresh telling of adult autism makes this story even more compelling. Bravo Mr. Gottlieb, bravo! Much much love.
May 29, 2016
What a beautiful story, I loved it.
September 4, 2022
Krasna knizka o autizme z pohladu toho, kto ho naozaj preziva. A oslava matky, ktora svojho dokonaleho syna milovala az do konca.
October 28, 2016
"What was once thought to be a rare, severe ailment is now recognized to be a common neurobehavioral disorder that occurs along a broad spectrum."
'Best Boy' is a "special" book about a "special" life in words that are just that....SPECIAL!
I mean it. The story is beautiful. Not like any of your usual high adrenaline mystery-thrillers or psychological puzzles. (I did wonder for a while though, if I would have to be sweating over our clueless autistic protagonist being taken advantage of by "Mike the Apron", a new arrival at Payton LivingCentre. )
I cannot summarize the story because the wonder lies in the magical arrangement of words, executed beautifully by Eli Gottlieb. The story from the point of view of an autistic individual demonstrates the confusion that occurs in the mind of such individuals as the brain has difficulty differentiating normal neuronal signals with "noise" (that is caused, quite possibly, due to excess chemical regulator release. Signals like vision/smell may be confused with touch and so on.)
Never in my life, had I imagined that a simple word like, say the tool "saw", could be described as "...a special jigsaw with the skinny blade and high humped back like a man praying.."
A few more examples:
"Most people think the Encyclopedia is there to make me happy like a piece of blanket from childhood but I actually read it lots because the Encyclopedia has a voice that belongs to a man sitting in a room at a table who wants to calmly talk about every single thing in the world and it calms me to hear that.... It calms me that he only waits patiently for you to turn the page so he can start talking again."
Makes one think about the impatience that some may have show towards him in the past.
"He was sure Valium was designed by somebody pale and quiet, who lived near the ocean and turned the calming noise of the sea into a pill that made the same thing happen to a living person."
I'm a med student and Damn!!!!! How did anyone picture something so accurately? I could never have imagined it like this!!! HOW?
The parts about his memories of his mother and his longing to be with her are heart wrenching and there are so many of them, I probably can't pick one. Just SO Pure and Beautiful!
The strain in the relationship with his brother Nate and his family, the constant reminders by his brother that he needed to be "a little more grateful, his conversations with Raykene and his feelings towards Martine, everything just adds up to make the story multidimensional, for lack of a better term...
The author has very wisely dropped pieces of information about the autism spectrum without making it sound forced in anyway by ingeniously using "Mr.B"(The Britannica Encyclopedia) and "Mr.C"(The Computer).
I did not use graphics in the review because none would do justice to the words that leave you with all the right pictures in your head! Though it is a book, this one is a visual treat! (Am I making any sense? You know what I mean?!!)
This one will leave you smiling, marvelling, crying, laughing, all at once.
A glimpse into what seems like an unadulterated mind!
A MUST READ!
'Best Boy' is a "special" book about a "special" life in words that are just that....SPECIAL!
I mean it. The story is beautiful. Not like any of your usual high adrenaline mystery-thrillers or psychological puzzles. (I did wonder for a while though, if I would have to be sweating over our clueless autistic protagonist being taken advantage of by "Mike the Apron", a new arrival at Payton LivingCentre. )
I cannot summarize the story because the wonder lies in the magical arrangement of words, executed beautifully by Eli Gottlieb. The story from the point of view of an autistic individual demonstrates the confusion that occurs in the mind of such individuals as the brain has difficulty differentiating normal neuronal signals with "noise" (that is caused, quite possibly, due to excess chemical regulator release. Signals like vision/smell may be confused with touch and so on.)
Never in my life, had I imagined that a simple word like, say the tool "saw", could be described as "...a special jigsaw with the skinny blade and high humped back like a man praying.."
A few more examples:
"Most people think the Encyclopedia is there to make me happy like a piece of blanket from childhood but I actually read it lots because the Encyclopedia has a voice that belongs to a man sitting in a room at a table who wants to calmly talk about every single thing in the world and it calms me to hear that.... It calms me that he only waits patiently for you to turn the page so he can start talking again."
Makes one think about the impatience that some may have show towards him in the past.
"He was sure Valium was designed by somebody pale and quiet, who lived near the ocean and turned the calming noise of the sea into a pill that made the same thing happen to a living person."
I'm a med student and Damn!!!!! How did anyone picture something so accurately? I could never have imagined it like this!!! HOW?
The parts about his memories of his mother and his longing to be with her are heart wrenching and there are so many of them, I probably can't pick one. Just SO Pure and Beautiful!
The strain in the relationship with his brother Nate and his family, the constant reminders by his brother that he needed to be "a little more grateful, his conversations with Raykene and his feelings towards Martine, everything just adds up to make the story multidimensional, for lack of a better term...
The author has very wisely dropped pieces of information about the autism spectrum without making it sound forced in anyway by ingeniously using "Mr.B"(The Britannica Encyclopedia) and "Mr.C"(The Computer).
I did not use graphics in the review because none would do justice to the words that leave you with all the right pictures in your head! Though it is a book, this one is a visual treat! (Am I making any sense? You know what I mean?!!)
This one will leave you smiling, marvelling, crying, laughing, all at once.
A glimpse into what seems like an unadulterated mind!
A MUST READ!
November 27, 2017
This story is about an autistic man named Todd Aaron. Todd narrates the story and we learn about his life as a villager at Payton Living Center where he is an elder. He has been at this home for many years. Todd reminisces about his life before coming to Payton and now he wants to go home. I really enjoyed the story and the way the author wrote it in Todd’s voice. I don’t have experience with anyone with autism but Todd’s autism felt authentic.
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