Flowers for Algernon

By: Daniel Keyes

Narrated by: Adam Sims

Charlie Gordon, a floor sweeper born with an unusually low IQ, has been chosen as the perfect subject for an experimental surgery that doctors hope will increase his intelligence - a procedure that has been highly successful when tested on a lab mouse named Algernon.

All Charlie wants is to be smart and have friends, but the treatment turns him into a genius.

Then Algernon begins to fade.

What will become of Charlie?

Read by Adam Sims.

©1966 Daniel Keyes (P)2017 Orion Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"A masterpiece of poignant brilliance...heartbreaking." ( The Guardian)

makes you wonder about mankind

very interesting point of view. heartbreaking and not so science fiction any more. read it!

Extraordinary. Beautiful and sad.

A unique book. Fascinating, but with a very sad ending. The narration was occasionally difficult.

The most dynamic character ever.

It's hard not to love this book. I felt a lot of empathy for Charlie, and even though Charlie's became a true dick, I really liked him. I the ending was not as satisfying as I had hoped, but it's a really minor inconvenience.

Really good

Not like any other book I've read. I really enjoyed it and couldn't wait to get back to it.

Different, a great story well written and well narrated.

Circle of life

While Flowers for Algernon is a great book, it feels like an extended version of Bulgakov's Heart of a Dog, which was written in 1925.

Great story

While I find the story fantastic, I find myself disagreeing with most other reviewers - I found the narration flat. For parts of the book it would make sense, but during tense or emotional scenes I found the performance disappointing. Overall I still recommend the book.

Heartbreaking is the right word

Couldn’t stop listening, I was holding my breath and kept hoping… Charlie was a very well rounded character, even if some portrayals of female characters were lacking in my opinion. I didn’t get mad about it. Worth a listen definitely!

the plot

The narrator was annoying but the book is so touching! I cried at the end

One of those must read books.

One of those must-read books that makes you appreciate life, reading, everything you had, have and will have.

Beautiful story even more beautifully narrated

The story is heartbreakingly beautiful and the performance makes it even better. I would suggest to everyone to listen to it instead of read it!