Flowers for Algernon
CBC Books | | Posted: June 7, 2017 1:59 PM | Last Updated: February 24, 2020
Daniel Keyes
Hailed as classic American sci-fi, Flowers for Algernon is about intellectually disabled man whose IQ shoots from 68 to 185 after an experimental surgery. The story was originally written as a novella published by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, for which Keyes won the Hugo Award for best short fiction in 1960. Keyes published the book six years later, tying with Samuel R. Delany's Babel-17 for the Nebula Award for best novel of the year. Actor Cliff Robertson won the Academy Award for best actor in the film adaptation of the book.
From the book
progris riport 1 martch 3
Dr. Strauss says I shoud rite down what I think and remembir and evrey thing that happins to me from now on. I dont no why but he says its importint so they will see if they can use me. I hope they use me becaus Miss Kinnian says mabye they can make me smart. I want to be smart. My name is Charlie Gordon I werk in Donners bakery where Mr Donner gives me 11 dollers a week and bred or cake if I want. I am 32 yeres old and next munth is my brithday. I tolld dr Strauss and perfesser Nemur I cant rite good but he says it dont matter he says I shud rite just like I talk and like I rite compushishens in Miss Kinnians class at the beekmin collidge center for retarted adults where I go to lern 3 times a week on my time off. Dr. Strauss says to rite a lot evrything I think and evrything that happins to me but I cant think anymor because I have nothing to rite so I will close for today...yrs truly Charlie Gordon.
From Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes ©1966. Published by Harcourt Brace.