By Jacob Hubbard
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh
February 24, 2025 (San Diego) - Long-time San Diego resident Jacob Hubbard has written a debut novel, Sounds of Yesterday, about a romantic relationship during COVID as experienced by an autistic man.
For five years, Rob and Ana overcome career challenges, achieve emotional stability, and survive a global pandemic. Though they each achieve successes, Ana ends their relationship.
Rob’s world is shattered. He blames himself. Traumas are reopened, and forgotten insecurities play center stage in his thoughts.
As he mourns, he comes to see that Ana worked in an abusive workplace and had a harsh, demanding mother. Unable to share about the pains in her life, she slowly falls into a depression, and becomes unable to give or receive love.
Below is an excerpt of the novel:
“Later in the evening after dinner, I put Don McLean’s American Pie on my dad’s vinyl player. I felt immersed in the song until it reminded me of the night I listened to it with Ana when she asked me why I listened to music like this.
“’The way I see it now,’ I said. ‘The reason I listen to older music is because when I take the time to listen to the sounds of yesterday, they make me remember the promises of tomorrow.’
“‘What kind of promises?’ Ana asked.
“’… the promise of a better future, and the promise that everything will be okay, no matter what …’
“I pulled out my phone and found myself looking at her photos. As the music played, snapshots of everything Ana and I have been through over the years flashed here and there in my thoughts. I saw images of us cuddling in bed, laughing and giggling, of us going to the art festival by the waterfront, riding bikes by the beach, and taking selfies at museums. I saw flashes of restaurants we explored and trips we went on, an image of us together when we saw Poets of the Fall.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the night I comforted her when she cried in my arms.”
“Today
“Last night, I dreamt Ana and I watched the sunset at Ocean Beach Pier.
“’Has work gotten better?’ I asked.
“’Kinda but not really,’ she said. ‘I’ll tough it out, hope for the best.’
“’Yeah. Have things gotten better with your mom?’
“Ana just shrugged, not saying anything as we watched the sunset.”
Sounds of Yesterday shows the everyday highs and lows in a relationship as it is experienced by an autistic man—a person who tends to berate and reject himself. This book vividly shows a couple struggle to love one another until life itself crushes one of them. We experience the intensity of loss the main character has when love is lost.
Sounds of Yesterday is Hubbard’s debut novel.
Hubbard is a neurodivergent (autistic) writer and college writing teacher living in the San Diego Metro area. With a Bachelors in English and a Masters in Rhetoric from San Diego State University, he has developed a love of writing in all its forms.
As an advocate, Hubbard has made neurodiversity an important theme in his writing and teaching to help spread awareness of neurodivergence.
When he is not writing or teaching, he loves hiking, traveling, browsing his local indie bookstore, and playing video games like Elden Ring and Dark Souls.