Flowers for Algernon

"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes is part of the required reading program in American schools. This unique story in the science fiction genre was awarded twice, first for the short story and then for the novel with the same... title, hero, and plot. Thirty-three-year-old Charlie Gordon is mentally retarded. However, he has a job, friends, and an unquenchable desire to learn. He agrees to participate in a dangerous scientific experiment in the hope of becoming smart… This fantastic story possesses an astonishing psychological power and makes one reflect on universal moral questions: do we have the right to experiment on each other, what results can it lead to, and what price are we willing to pay to become the "smartest"? And lonely? To the questions raised by M. Bulgakov in "Heart of a Dog" and J. London in "Martin Eden", Daniel Keyes provides his unequivocal answer.