Publisher's Synopsis
brother. do. you. love. me. is the story of two brothers and their extraordinary journey of resilience and repair.
Reuben who has down syndrome, aged 38, had been living in a home providing specialised care for adults with learning disabilities. For months he had been non-verbal, cut off from everyone he loved. In despair, he sent his older brother a text message: ‘brother. do. you. love. me.’
Immediately, Manni left his home in Spain and took Reuben out of care and moved them to a cottage in the countryside. In the stillness of winter, they began a simple routine of walking, inching a little further each day, from the front drive to the village then into the woods and fields. In the evening, Reuben would take out his felt-tip pens and draw, pouring colourful images of his favourite characters from films and books onto the page. And as the slow months turned towards spring, on a journey full of frustration and pain, joy and revelation, Reuben and Manni discovered that it is never too late to rebuild the bonds of brotherhood.
brother. do. you. love. me. is a dazzling story of hope, resilience and repair for our troubled times. It explores just how far we’re capable of going to help the ones we love, and asks how – as individuals and a community – we can all take better care of each other.
