Birds of a Feather

“Richard is our son. He is mentally retarded. On the first day of his life, his mother and I were told he was a mongoloid.” So begins Birds of a Feather, Alan Balter’s strong and sensitive story of a young man with Down syndrome. As his 20th birthday nears, Richard remains illiterate, unemployed, and dependent upon his parents. We meet two people who are influential in Richard’s life: Penny, his beautiful and autistic classmate, and Max Eberhart, a morbidly obese and brilliant public accountant. This improbable trio — one with excessive chromosomes, one with excessive beauty, and one with excessive appetites — dip into each other’s lives and form a unique and powerful bond. The results are memorable, a realistic yet hopeful portrayal of people with disabilities and their friendships.