Flowers for Algernon

«Flowers for Algernon» by Daniel Keyes is included in the required reading program in American schools. It is the only story in the science fiction genre, by an author who was awarded twice, first for a short story and then for a novel with the same title, hero, and plot.

The thirty-three-year-old Charlie Gordon – is mentally challenged. However, he has a job, friends, and an overwhelming desire to learn. He agrees to take part in a dangerous scientific experiment in the hope of becoming smart… This fantastic story possesses astonishing psychological power and prompts reflection on universal moral questions: do we have the right to conduct experiments on one another, what results can this lead to, and what price are we willing to pay to become the «smartest». And lonely? On the questions raised by M. Bulgakov in «A Dog's Heart» and J. London in «Martin Eden», Daniel Keyes gives his unequivocal answer.