Flowers for Algernon

From Book Covers

Finished Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes and absolutely loved it. Its hard going to start with... Its written first tense by Charlie Gordon himself... and his writing at first is that of a retardant.

Its a tremendous story that has a strong morality about it. About science's arrogance and the very things that make us human. Wonderful. Thought this was special:

"Somehow I've become separated emotionally from everyone and everything. And what I was really searching for out there in the dark streets - the last damned place I could ever find it - was a way to make myself a part of people again emotionally, while still retaining my freedom intellectually."

Maybe there is a wee bit on Charlie in us all... the emotional detachment... and yearning to become part of people again?

"Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often a search for knowledge drives out the search for love. This is something else I've discovered for myself very recently. I present it to you as a hypothesis: Intelligence without the ability to give and receive affection leads to mental and moral breakdown, to neurosis, and possibly psychosis. And I say that the mind absorbed in and involved in itself as a self-centered end, to the exclusion of human relationships, can only lead to violence and pain."

Pretty powerful and thought-provoking stuff... from a book I would recommend you check out.

Thanks to Olly for recommending it... and keeping me motivated at the start.

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