Flowers for Algernon

by Daniel Keyes · 1966

Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, follows Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68 who volunteers for an experimental surgery designed to boost intelligence. Told through Charlie’s diary entries, the story chronicles his rapid ascent to genius, the emotional fallout of newfound awareness, and the tragic reversal as the effects wear off. The novel explores themes of intelligence, identity, love, ethics of human enhancement, and the value of humanity, earning both Hugo and Nebula awards and becoming a classic of science‑fiction literature.