Cover of Flowers for Algernon

Science fiction · Fantasy

Flowers for Algernon

4.3 out of 5, from 2,333 ratings from Hardcover readers

Charlie Gordon, a kind man with a low IQ, is offered an experimental surgery that may make him intelligent. The novel is told through his own progress reports, and his writing changes as he does.

First published
1959
Pace
Medium
Length
Short
Pages
311
Format
Standalone

Read this if you like short, emotional science fiction that cares more about people than gadgets.

Skip this if you want an upbeat story or hard science, since the heart of it is sadness and ethics.

The feel

Content warnings

  • Bullying
  • Mental illness

Also reported by Hardcover readers:

  • Ableism
  • Sexual content
  • Animal death
  • Abuse
  • Suicide

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