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Dan Schwent's Reviews > Flowers for Algernon
Flowers for Algernon
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When Charlie Gordon, a mentally disabled man, undergoes an experiment to increase his intelligence, his life changes in ways he never imagined. But will the intelligence increase be permanent.
I first became aware of Flowers for Algernon when it was mentioned in an episode of Newsradio. I forgot about it until that episode of The Simpsons inspired by it, when it was discovered Homer had a crayon lodged in his brain. I'd mostly forgotten about it again until it popped up for ninety-nine cents in one of my BookGorilla emails.
Flowers for Algernon is one of those stories I wish I would have read years earlier. It's simply marvelous. It's about the nature of intelligence and how intelligence can be divisive. It's a very emotional book.
Personally, this was a very powerful book for me. For a lot of my time in school, I was way ahead of the curve and didn't really click with other kids. As Charlie's intelligence grew, eventually surpassing even the scientists that experimented on him, his feelings of isolation increased and I felt a lot of kinship toward Charlie. His difficulties fitting in were the cherry on top of the loneliness sundae.
As Charlie's intelligence grew and he comprehended things from his past, it was hard not to feel sorry for him. Once he starts sliding backward, the book keeps getting more and more sad. Keyes doesn't mind kicking you in the emotional junk, that's for sure.
I love the way the book is written in periodic progress reports from Charlie. It's perfect vehicle to show his increase in intelligence and eventual decline. There were man-tears shed over the course of the book. I had to set the book down a few times to keep from sobbing in my cube.
Flowers for Algernon is one of those rare science fiction novels that transcends the genre. Five out of five stars.
I first became aware of Flowers for Algernon when it was mentioned in an episode of Newsradio. I forgot about it until that episode of The Simpsons inspired by it, when it was discovered Homer had a crayon lodged in his brain. I'd mostly forgotten about it again until it popped up for ninety-nine cents in one of my BookGorilla emails.
Flowers for Algernon is one of those stories I wish I would have read years earlier. It's simply marvelous. It's about the nature of intelligence and how intelligence can be divisive. It's a very emotional book.
Personally, this was a very powerful book for me. For a lot of my time in school, I was way ahead of the curve and didn't really click with other kids. As Charlie's intelligence grew, eventually surpassing even the scientists that experimented on him, his feelings of isolation increased and I felt a lot of kinship toward Charlie. His difficulties fitting in were the cherry on top of the loneliness sundae.
As Charlie's intelligence grew and he comprehended things from his past, it was hard not to feel sorry for him. Once he starts sliding backward, the book keeps getting more and more sad. Keyes doesn't mind kicking you in the emotional junk, that's for sure.
I love the way the book is written in periodic progress reports from Charlie. It's perfect vehicle to show his increase in intelligence and eventual decline. There were man-tears shed over the course of the book. I had to set the book down a few times to keep from sobbing in my cube.
Flowers for Algernon is one of those rare science fiction novels that transcends the genre. Five out of five stars.
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Reading Progress
March 26, 2016
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December 13, 2016
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2016-books
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man-tears
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Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-37 of 37 (37 new)
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Dan
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rated it 5 stars
Dec 13, 2016 11:55AM
Yup. I'm really enjoying it so far
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Great review for a great book. I really enjoyed this one.
Richard wrote: "Great review for a great book. I really enjoyed this one."Me too. I'm on a hot streak with this one and Animal Farm
Fantastic review, Dan. You've compelled me to add this one to Mount TBR.
I love this story though it broke my heart.
MrsJoseph wrote: "I love this story though it broke my heart."It's a tear jerker.
Mike wrote: "Fantastic review, Dan. You've compelled me to add this one to Mount TBR."
I hope you enjoy it!
Did you see the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia take on this? Funny stuff.
It's one of those books that stick with you. I read somewhere that this book inspired the movie Lawnmower Man. Not sure if that's true however.
MrsJoseph wrote: "It's one of those books that stick with you. I read somewhere that this book inspired the movie Lawnmower Man. Not sure if that's true however."I was thinking about the Lawnmower Man while I was reading this. The movie was allegedly based on a Stephen King short story but it feels a lot more like this book.
Jason wrote: "Did you see the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia take on this? Funny stuff."Charlie pretending to be smart was awesome!
Dan wrote: "I was thinking about the Lawnmower Man while I was reading this. The movie was allegedly based on a Stephen King short story but it feels a lot more like this book."So, you made me check it out on IMDB, lol. Per IMDB Stephen King's only credit is for the title - based on a lawsuit (!!).
Digging for info to commence: Now
I think the Lawnmower Man short story was in Nightmares and Dreamscapes. It has very little in common with the movie.
Dan wrote: "I think the Lawnmower Man short story was in Nightmares and Dreamscapes. It has very little in common with the movie."I'm thinking you're right:
Stephen King ... (title only) (credit removed following lawsuit)
You were right!The plot of Stephen King's 1975 short story "The Lawnmower Man" concerns Harold Parkette, who hires "Pastoral Greenery and Outdoor Services Inc." to cut his lawn. The serviceman who arrives to do the job has a lawnmower that mows the lawn by itself while he crawls, naked, behind the mower, eating the grass. The serviceman himself is actually a satyr who worships the Greek god Pan. When Parkette tries to call the police, the mower and its owner ritually kill him as a sacrifice to Pan.
The film's original script, written by director Brett Leonard and producer Gimel Everett, was titled Cyber God and had nothing to do with King's short story. New Line Cinema held the film rights to King's story, and decided to combine Cyber God with some minor elements of King's "The Lawnmower Man". The resulting film, originally titled Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man, differed so much from the source material that King sued the filmmakers to remove his name from the title.
After two court rulings in King's favor, New Line still did not comply and initially released the home video version as Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man. A third ruling granted the author $10,000 per day in compensation and all profits derived from sales until his name was removed.[3][4] On King's official website, the film is not listed among the films based on his work. The Lawnmower Man was released in Japan under the title Virtual Wars; Fuji Creative's Masao Takiyama is also credited as a co-producer.
References to the short story include the scene where Jobe kills Peter's father with the lawnmower "Big Red", the aftermath in which the police state that they found some of his remains in the birdbath, and the name of Terry McKeen's company, Pastoral Greenery.
The film has several elements in common with the 1959 Daniel Keyes novel Flowers for Algernon, which also deals with a mentally disabled man whose intelligence is technologically boosted to genius levels.[5]
Remembering the book via your review was an emotional experience all over again. This was heavy stuff, and the transcendent kind of sci-fi I wish there were more of. Also, very well-put with your "loneliness sundae," which tastes too familiar sometimes.
I wonder if the movie is as powerful as the book. Somehow, I doubt it.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062794/?...
Thanks! I wish I would have read it years earlier.
Loved this one, and just bought it for my daughter. The ending literally brought me to tears.
Wow Dan, I know that I have read a number of reviews of this one but yours has compelled me to add it. Very powerful and I thank you.
By far this is one of my most favored books from my teenage years. If ever there was a book that changed my life and my perspective it is this one.
Arah-Lynda wrote: "Wow Dan, I know that I have read a number of reviews of this one but yours has compelled me to add it. Very powerful and I thank you."I hope you like it!
Mackey wrote: "By far this is one of my most favored books from my teenage years. If ever there was a book that changed my life and my perspective it is this one."I wish I'd read it sooner. It's a damn fine good.
Such a good review, Dan. I don't have this one marked, but I read it many years ago and can still remember how it made my heart ache.
Zoeytron wrote: "Such a good review, Dan. I don't have this one marked, but I read it many years ago and can still remember how it made my heart ache."Thanks! I don't think I'll forget Flowers for Algernon any time soon
Great review. I was blown away by this one too. One of my favorite novels.
I never read it, but loved the movie when I saw it years ago. Cliff Robertson plays Charlie. I think it might be titled "Charlie," but maybe I'm not remembering correctly. Thanks for the review, Dan.
Betsy wrote: "I never read it, but loved the movie when I saw it years ago. Cliff Robertson plays Charlie. I think it might be titled "Charlie," but maybe I'm not remembering correctly. Thanks for the review, Dan."I remember that movie, Betsy. The title was indeed "Charly", as I remember the "y" in the name was written backwards. Claire Bloom was in it, as well.
Zoeytron wrote: "Betsy wrote: "I never read it, but loved the movie when I saw it years ago. Cliff Robertson plays Charlie. I think it might be titled "Charlie," but maybe I'm not remembering correctly. Thanks for ..."Ah, that's it. Thanks, Zoey.
Dan wrote: "Richard wrote: "Great review for a great book. I really enjoyed this one."Me too. I'm on a hot streak with this one and Animal Farm"
Geez, what a blissful month for reading for you. Bringing in the holiday right with those two.
I'm reading Brave New World now for the bleak trifecta
Changed my life. On a par with To Kill a Mockingbird. Astounding and sublime. A masterpiece.This small book had a profound effect on me as a very young man and scientist. It amplified parts of my heart, confirmed their resonance with life and humanity, changed forever the man I would become, and my realisation of my mortality.
upvote for "His difficulties fitting in were the cherry on top of the loneliness sundae"
Jerry wrote: "upvote for "His difficulties fitting in were the cherry on top of the loneliness sundae""Thanks, Jerry
Very good, and personal, review, Dan. I wasn't as far ahead of the curve as you were, but I recognised that aspect of the story from when my kid was.
