Flowers For Algernon

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What to expect

'A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking' Guardian

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 treatement turns him into a genius.

Then Algernon begins to fade. What will become of Charlie?

Read by Adam Sims
(p) Orion Publishing Group 2017

Critics Review

This is one of the greats: a story and a central character that have stayed with me for thirty years, from the first moment I picked it up
Conn Iggulden
A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant
Guardian
A timeless tearjerker
Independent
Excellent . . . extremely moving
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
Unflinchingly honest . . . it will make you reflect on your own life . . . and completely and utterly break your heart
Guardian Online
A narrative tour de force, very moving, beautiful and remorseless in its simple logic
Science Fiction, 100 Best Novels
Strikingly original
Publishers Weekly
A tale that is convincing, suspectful and touching
New York Times

User Reviews

Book 3.8
Narration 4.8
4.0
5.0
What an epic feat of writing this book is. The lived human experience and head on challenge to our collective appreciation, scorn and fear of intelligence and all of this wrapped in a Greek tragedy sans chorus.
AlmostSurelyRob 04/09/2025
4.0
5.0
A heart rending story wonderfully narrated. Adam Sims puts on an incredible performance charting the journey of Charlie’s life changing surgery and treatment to increase his cognitive abilities and the tragedy of his decline.
However, as I type that last sentence it strikes me that this book is so impactful because whose tragedy is it, really? It’s a powerful allegory of the age-old and oh so common desire to be someone or somewhere else other than who or where we are. And what it means to be aware.

I can’t recommend this enough to anyone, especially the audiobook version. It will give you perspective and dare I say, gratitude.
RichG 06/06/2025
4.0
4.0
Flowers for Algernon is a heartwarming yet soul crushing narrative exploring views on intelligence that, despite being 60 years old, are still relevant today.

While some language used is a symptom of the times the book was written during, the themes and journey are poignant and timeless.

The last 30 minutes were devastatingly sad in a very understated way.

Absolutely will be recommending to others and probably requires another listen.
everoutledge 20/12/2023
3.0
5.0
nkolov 22/08/2023

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