Flowers for Algernon

By: Daniel Keyes

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Charlie Gordon knows that he isn't very bright. At 32, he mops floors in a bakery and earns just enough to get by. Three evenings a week, he studies at a center for mentally challenged adults. But all of this is about to change for Charlie. As part of a daring experiment, doctors are going to perform surgery on Charlie's brain. They hope the operation and special medication will increase his intelligence, just as it has for the laboratory mouse, Algernon. Meanwhile, each day Charlie keeps a diary of what is happening to him. This is his poignant record of the startling changes in his mind and his life.

Flowers for Algernon was first published as a short story, but soon received wide acclaim as it appeared in anthologies, as a television special, and as an award-winning motion picture, Charly. In its final, expanded form, this haunting story won the Nebula Award for the Best Novel of the Year. Through Jeff Woodman's narration, it now becomes an unforgettable audio experience.

©1966 Daniel Keyes (P)1998 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

• Nebula Award, Best Novel, 1966

"A tale that is convincing, suspectful and touching." ( The New York Times)

Brilliant

A classic story brilliantly narrated. Many lessons can be learned. I wish I'd read it sooner.

A classic that holds up rather well

Originally published as a Hugo Award winning short story in 1958, and later published in a longer form as a Nebula Award winning book in 1966, Flowers for Algernon is considered classic Sci-Fi at this point. It is a story about Charly Gordon, who has an IQ of 70, and the impact of potentially life-altering surgery that hopes to increase his intelligence. Charly's life is limited, but happy, prior to the surgery, and this book explores the ethical and moral dilemmas that come along with changing someone's life for the "better." In this case intellect comes at the cost of happiness, and this book explores the impact of the change on Charly's relationships and his own mental well being.

I feel like the story holds up well, although it is now considered to be a bit controversial because of the way in which it depicts the mentally disabled. Being a product of its time it doesn't seem controversial to me at all. Interestingly enough, all of the characters in the book are based on real people from the author's life and even the idea for the story comes from some of his actual experiences. The book was turned into a movie in 1968 (Charly) and the actor who played Charly Gordon won the Academy Award for Best Actor with his performance.

I often hesitate to revisit the classics for fear of ruining my impression of them, but in this case I am glad I did. Jeff Woodman does an excellent job as the narrator and handles playing the role of Charly very well as he is able to properly convey the changes in Charly's intellect with his performance. If you haven't read this one in a while, or have never read it, I would definitely recommend you pick it up in one form or another.

Among the best stories ever written ...

Read when first published, one of the most incredible stories I have ever read .... read much of other things by this author, but this is far and away his best ...

Very thought provoking

There are a lot of interesting concepts to think about in this book. Especially about how mentally handicapped people are treated. The only down side to the book is that there is a lot of sexual content, more than is really necessary for the progression of the story.

A provocative tale

Story truly holds you in imagination and emotion. So wistful & hopeful. Woodman ( narrator) is excellant! - understand his character with great depth & compassion.

I didn't cry at the end, you did

I love the idea behind this story. It's wonderfully realistic and seems like it should be based on a true story. I was given a new prospective to build empathy. I think this should be required reading for highschoolers.

Simply awesome

A wonderful story with awesome narration. When I wasn't reading it I would be pulled back in because I needed to know how Charlie was doing.

A Timeless Class

A timeless classic. Beautiful and so, so heartbreaking. I somehow missed reading this in high school so this is my first time, although I do remember friends talking about how good and sad it was. Narration is very, very well done. A MUST LISTEN/READ!!! ☺️

Devastating

Great story, but it will make you cry. On par with Seymour the dog episode of Futurama.

Lovely story, tragic ending

The ending left a sour taste in my mouth, but then again, real life doesn’t care for happy endings.