Flowers For Algernon Puns

I finished listening to the book today and what an amazing journey has it been.

I didn't expect that it would get this emotional towards the end.

And the ending just blew me away. I'm a tad bit ashamed to admit it, but >!the scene with the deaf/mute kids in particular caught me off guard. From there on, it kept getting heavier and heavier. Charlie's last entries just brought me to tears.!<

I've been putting off reading the book for a while now. Saw someone recommending it a few weeks back and then just picked it up. Thank you my good people.

Holy Christ! I don't know what to say... This book just destroyed me!

The story was so heart touching it brought manly tears to my eyes.

Aside from the story being so tragic, there were so many things that i found relatable to Charlie. The fact that he tried so hard and he still ended up so lonely was hitting me right at home... I am going throught some hard stuff right now and i don't know if the book made things better or worse...

You know, i was reading the book to see what he would do to solve his problems. Hoping that it might help me as well. It's so ironic, because at some point he was trying to find the solution to one of his problems in his books and he admits that doing so is pointless since every situation is different and thus books cannot help very much.

In conclusion, the writer did an amazing job! This is such a great book! I think my sadness became even worse after reading it, but it's fine... I have hope. I just wish that unlike Charlie, i will see the end of the tunnel.

P.S: I'm not a 15 year old. You might think that to enjoy a book you have to be a certain age but that is not true when you have experienced certain things.

Like i said I'm going throught some hard stuff right now and i also grew up around people like Charile so it hits me hard on an emotional level.

It doesn’t have to be in the same journal-style or genre, but I’d like it if it were very character-driven fiction.

Bonus if there’s some humour!

I'd seen it raved about so much on here, I figured I had to get it for isolation. Couldn't put it down, I loved it. I don't know why it is not taught in schools (UK/wasn't in mine.)

I found myself identifying with Charlie a lot in the book, especially at different times in my life. Facing some of the uncomfortable truths that I too at stages in my life have been like Charlie's 'friends.' Not to the same extent, but I like most people have stood on the shoulders of others to make myself feel better without realizing I'm doing it. Never at the time understanding the consequences of my actions, until after the fact. This book made me want to cry at the beginning and the end, which is a first for me whilst reading.

Added to this is the ability now as an adult to read about the struggles Charlie had with emotional detachment, and see myself as an adolescent and laugh as I look back at a younger me. At the same time I'm annoyed I was never given this book as a teen, to save myself the trouble of figuring it out for myself. Understanding now how natural it is for everyone to have these issues, as your intelligence (or perceived intelligence in my case) outstrips your emotional intelligence.

I challenge anyone to not find a part of themselves in this book.

No spoilers. You know those books that seem like they’re one of the best you’ve read after you finish them? The books that have you thinking about them for days afterward? This one definitely checks those boxes. So much so that I needed to write this afterward.

Readability:

Not very long. About 300 pages, finished in 4-5 hours. Extremely gripping and definitely rereadable. Once I started this book, I could not put it down.

Writing Style:

Narrated as journal entries, chronological order. Usually in first person. A quirk in the narration is when the protagonist recalls himself as a child, it abrubtly switches to third person and the protagonist refers to himself by his full name (almost as another person with their own separate attributes, experience and personality.)

The language, however is simple and easy to read. It is not overly embellished, or as my dad says, 'flowery'. Unlike other classic books, not too many words are spent on description or setting (except for one or two instances that I can recall, such as a sex scene towards the end- this is a contrast to the books I typically read).

Not much incorporation of scientific explanation in the book. Although a major aspect of the plot had to do with the scientific method, experiments, research, IQ, publications, etc., it was brushed off and not given any explanation at all. For instance, when a discovery was being talked about, they were just explained like,"This was a new discovery involving whatever that would change humanity forever." It was very surface level. I however, did not mind at all. Although scientific explanations and lingo are thoroughly enjoyed by me, it was not neccessary to the book, and would serve as an 'extra' rather than increasing the value/depth of the book itself.

Depth: A very interesting aspect about description of events in this book is that they indicate the state of mind of the narrator. In this case, the clarity of thoughts and ability to comprehend and understand the depth behind events. Description of events goes from shallow and surface-level to deep and emotional (at which point truths about life and the human condition are talked about by the narrator). So this doubles as a character development technique, by playing with the way the character sees things.

Characters/Plot:

Like all good books,no matter how many negative qualities a character posessed, they were relatable, multi dimensional, and realistic, if not likeable.

The story itself was deceptively s

I just got back to reading due to this amazing subreddit (thanks a lott!!!) and I did so with a masterpiece called Flowers for Algernon.. Which I absolutely am in love with.. As am on the verge of finishing the book, I would truly appreciate your suggestions on another remarkable book..

I am looking for a book (preferably fiction) that:

• Captivates you
• Leaves you thinking for days
• Emotionally touches you
• Drives your thinking

In short, another wonderful / must read book please :)

Thanks a loot!!

I just finished Flowers for Algernon in one sitting and I absolutely loved it, it's definitely a new favourite of mine. Can anyone recommend me similar books?

Like the title says, I'm currently reading Flowers for Algernon and just realised that the Simpsons and It's Always Sunny have made episodes based on this book. I know the Simpsons has done a few episodes like this (Lord of the Flies comes to mind) but I was wondering if anyone knew of any other good examples?

I knew about this book for a long time, however I wasn't planning to read it. Recently here on reddit i saw a post about the saddest books, some people mentioned Flowers for Algernon. So I decided to give it a try.

I don't even know what to say about it, because it's impossible to talk about everything I've experienced while reading it and even after finishing. It has torn my heart apart but I don't regret reading it at all. I'm not very good at expressing my thoughts as you can see, but i would love to hear yours. If you've read this book, what's your opinion on it?

I absolutely loved Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon, contemplating catching up with the movie adaptation too. Are there any other books similar in nature? Would really like to know.

Thank you!

For anyone who has read it, do ya'll have any recommendations on books that discuss the, often uncomfortable, aspects of emotional growth in a similar light? That aspect of the book really appealed to me and i was wondering if there were other works that explored that theme.

Just finished it (and after a few hours of crying) desperately need something similar

I used to be an avid reader a few years ago. As I overcame certain hurdles in my life, I struggled repeatedly to find the time or the patience to read like I used to do. Over the last year I’ve glanced through this subreddit and was reminded why I loved reading. I did go through about 5-6 books this year based on your recommendations including 1984 and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I finished Flowers for Algernon literally 15 mins ago. I must say that it was an amazing yet emotional read and the experience has reignited my appetite.

I’m switching gears and plan to read more fantasy over the next few months as that is my favorite genre. Dune is next on my list and I hope to start sometime this week. Feels great to be reading regularly again. Thanks everyone :)

I've been looking for a book that would get me back into reading. I've heard so much about this book and decided to give it a shot.

I started reading the book at 10 because I had to be up early. I thought I would only be reading for 30 minutes, an hour max. I wont include any spoilers but I was so wrong.

I couldn't put it down. I haven't read a book that was so gut-wrenching and powerful in a long time. No doubt this would be one of my all time favorites. This was an excellent read. I just dont think I would have the heart to reread this again.

I have to be up in less than three hours. I'm not sure how I would be able to sleep with my pillow a little bit soaked with tears and the thought of Algernon without flowers...

I think it may have been about the titles of presentations scheduled for a conference. If not, it would have been about the titles of some articles Charlie had read. He was reflecting, at the peak of his intelligence, on the uselessness of these topics when there were much more important questions to be answered.

Just finished reading it and it’s now one of my faves. I don’t really have anyone to talk about the book with so thought I could start a discussion?

What are your thoughts on it? I love the fact you’re living and experiencing everything with him. It makes it so much more intimate and just that little bit harder when the ending comes round.

I recently finished Flowers for Algernon, and I didn't hate it, and I didn't love it. It was a good experience. It was very sad and I got really angry throughout the whole book. I knew that going in it would a difficult read, but with all that said I don't think I will ever pick it up again. That made me think of some other books that I have read and never want to read again.

Those are: Pet Sematary, Blood Meridian.

Pet Sematary for the desperation I felt for wanting to bring a loved one back, and the pain of loss I felt reading it. I really don't want to experience that again. That said I loved the book and love Stephen King.

Blood Meridian, because I hated the formatting of how it was written. No indication who is speaking, no translation of the foreign languages used. It was an infuriating read. I know Mcarthy is a great and well respected writer but the lack of fundamental structure in how a story is written really pissed me off to no end. The violence in it didn't bother me, but the over all book felt lazy to me. Like he couldn't be bothered to to add in quotation marks or the occasional the kid said. Or the judge said. F that book.

What are some of the books that you never want to read again or maybe read them years from now?

Finished reading Flowers for Algernon last night and I have to say it is one of the most heartbreaking books ever. I will be spoiling it so don't read any farther if you haven't read it yet.

Seriously go read Flowers for Algernon right now. It will only take a few days and then you get to remember it forever.

Charlie Gordon is a young man who has a mental deficiency. The word retarded is used a lot to describe him and anyone else who isn't mentally normal in the book. I don't know if that means he has Down's but it didn't come off that way to me. The story is told through progress reports that Charlie writes for a study he is involved in. They want to operate on his brain to make it so when he learns something he will be able to retain the information. They tried it on a mouse, the titular Algernon, and it worked so they decided to try on a human.

Charlie goes under the knife and slowly starts to become more intelligent. After awhile his intelligence skyrockets and he becomes one of the smartest people ever. He learns 20 languages, can speak at an expert level on multiple subjects, and becomes disdainful of so called intellectuals who aren't able to match him. He also has difficulty with emotions, particularly love. This goes on for awhile with Charlie learning a lot about many things and ultimately himself through uncovered memories that he is able to recall with extreme clarity. Memories of his mother first fighting for his place in the world and then shunning him when his mentally normal sister is born. She even threatens to kill him if his father doesn't take him away. Memories of his "friends" at the bakery he worked at who take him out for drinks and then ditch him in the middle of the night. Basically any nice memory he has of something probably had a more sinister undertone that Charlie couldn't see before the operation.

At a conference in Chicago, to show off Charlie and Algernon, Charlie realizes that something isn't right about the experiment and absconds with Algernon to an apartment. He starts studying psychology so he can discover what the issue is and finds out that he and Algernon are on a downward slope intellectually. Very soon both of them will regress back to their normal intelligence or worse. Seeing this Charlie goes into a depression that is somewhat tempered by the love of Alice who was once his teacher at a school for mentally challenged adults. His intelligence keeps dropping and he becomes irritable about it. He pushes Al

I read that book and really enjoyed it, especially the way it made me think, and was sad without being overwhelmingly so. If anyone had any suggestions to books similar, I’d be very grateful.

I almost made it through without crying, but that last line was like a sucker punch. This book isn’t as meaningful as I thought it would be (not saying it wasn’t good but I just couldn’t find an overarching message throughout.) The subtle messages that this book does give however are important. One that I liked in particular was how wrong it is to view the mentally handicapped as less than human. The way it was written was one of the highlights in my opinion. I was hardly bored or tired of the story or format. The progress report style was very interesting, it let you know Charlie’s inner thoughts without being a 3rd party. I wonder if, like Algernon, he died soon after his final progress report. I have so many thoughts on the importance and relevancy of this book and would love to hear thoughts from other people. I’m going to cry some more now but I really want to hear what everyone has to say about this. (also yes i am reading this because pewdiepie suggested it i know i know i’m a weeb)

While Flowers for Algernon is mentioned at least once every second week on this subreddit, I think this other book by Daniel Keyes also deserves some love: The Minds of Billy Milligan is a biographical novel based on the case of William Stanley Milligan in Ohio in the 70’. He raped three women at gunpoint, but was then acquitted after pleading insanity, suffering from acute multiple personality disorder.

This book is obviously very different from Flowers for Algernon, being non-fiction. Yet it is very much a Daniel Keyes book in that you can feel his passion and fascination for human psychology. It is extremely well researched, Keyes even interviewed Milligan in person many times during his treatment. One might even reproach the writer for being too thorough; a second round of editing could have shaved off some of the less relevant details. Overall, I still think these details matter, because they help to illustrate just how crippling and horrifying it is to live with dissociative identity disorders.

Beyond the understanding that the book offers on this mental illness, it also tackles the question of how the mentally ill should be treated by society, especially in a case like this one where the patient has shown to be potentially dangerous.

I seem to recall this being a early/mid 20th century short story most likely found in an Amazing Stories pulp. Yes, it sounds much like Flowers for Algernon, but is not...never the less I cannot place what it is. I believe this would have been quite a short story, able to have been read in under 30-45 minutes.

• Less than intelligent man takes drugs / endures surgery that makes him more intelligent.
• I seem to recall he was a janitor at company making the drugs or performing the surgeries.
• Employer and government is upset at how intelligent he becomes and is going to either euthanize him or force him to reverse the drugs/surgery.
• Most salient memory I have is the last few paragraphs where the man's wife discreetly convinces him to pretend as if the effects wore off and that he is a commoner again, while she internally thinks, "with my political savviness and his raw intelligence, we can take over the world."

Oh how I know this is a stretch, and I realize 75% of the signs above pointing in the general direction of Flowers for Algernon, but I rather do not think this to be the case.

Just finished it, going to think on it for the rest of the night.

But what else have you read that strikes you to the core in the same way? Not looking for similar theme, plot, end twist, etc. Just something that you finish and carry with you in the same way as this one.

P.S. You guys should watch *Always Sunny In Philadelphia's "*Flowers for Charlie" episode...

If you have read the short story or novel you probably know what I am going through... but I can't explain how this book - the character of Charlie has seared into my brain. I feel so much sympathy, and love, and compassion for him. No one really talks about what a sweet and gentle soul he was before he became "smart". I just loved his character so much and wanted him to be okay. I felt so bad about all of the things that happened to him from when he was a child up until the ending of the book - and the way Keyes made him such a compelling character. The stories about how he would help his sister with a new puppy. How his mom would hit him when he made in his pants. The kids and his co-workers making fun of him... This book has absolutely devastated and changed my life.

How could someone so innocent and pure as Charlie be so tormented by things that were completely out of his or anyone's control? But yet he still remembered Algernon, he was still a good person, he had a really sweet soul.. It just breaks my heart so bad and I can't stop thinking about him.. this character. The character and story of Charlie and Algernon is the most heartbreaking, touching and bittersweet story I have ever read. I just wanted him to be okay in the end.

I know this has been discussed many times on Reddit before, but would anyone else like to write or say something about Charlie?? Please tell me how you feel about him and describe him in your own way. Or how you related to him through the brilliant writing style of Keyes.

Thanks !! :D

It’s one of my all time favorite books. I’d love to find something else as heartbreaking