• Flowers for Algernon is a fictional story about Charlie Gordon, a developmentally disabled man who undergoes experimental treatment to improve his intelligence.

• Fast Facts

  1. Author: Daniel Keyes
  2. Genre: Science Fiction
  3. Publication: 1959 (short story) and 1966 (novel)
  4. Publisher: Harcourt
  5. Pages: 216
  6. ISBN 0-15-131510-8
  7. • Short story won the Hugo Award for Best Short Fiction
  8. • Novel won 1966 Nebula Award
  9. • Adapted into numerous plays, films, radio programs and television shows
  10. • Actor Cliff Robertson won an Academy Award and NBR Best Actor Award for his portrayal of Charly in the film adaption of the same name
  11. Novel banned in some schools due to sexual content

• Plot Synopsis

  The story follows Charlie, a slo-witted janitor and delivery boy who undergoes an experimental surgery to become more intelligent. The same type of surgery had recently been successfully performed on a lab mouse, Algernon. At the peak of his growth, Algernon begins to exhibit behavioral problems and eventually reverts to his former state just before dying. Charlie, now capable of understanding the theory and scientific consequences of the original experiment, realizes that the same thing will soon happen to him.

• Critical Reception

  • "A tale that is convincing, suspectful and touching..." - New York Times

  • "This novel should be on your 'must read' list." - Palm Beach Post-Times

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Daniel Keyes | Charly | Fragile X Syndrome | Science | Science Fiction | Cliff Robertson | Banned Books | [[]]

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