Algernon, Charlie, and I: A Writer's Journey

What it takes to write one great book is a lifetime of preparation. It seems that every element of Daniel Keyes' life, up to the writing of Flowers for Algernon, was gearing toward that one great book. Every piece of Charlie's life, and every phrase spoken by his coworkers and the scientists who changed him came from Keyes' experience. Half of this autobiography is the set-up to his great novel, the one work that would define his life. The other half is the aftermath. Thrust into fame and the machine that profits off other's works, Keyes' found himself tossed to and fro. A writer wants to write, not to examine contracts and make decisions about rights. A writer wants to create and then to own his creations, not to see what came from his mind as property to be arbitrated. Daniel Keyes' found himself in the fortunate position of creating a work of beauty and then wrestling with ownership of that beauty for many years afterward. What I loved about this autobiography is the journey which prepared him to write a great novel - showing the work and creativity and effort that goes into an instance of genius. What I also loved was the life's lessons learned that he put down on paper so that another person might have an easier journey. - CV Rick

The main charm of "Algernon, Charlie and I" is the revealed episodes behind "Flowers for Algernon", which make you understand (at least partly) why "Flowers's for Algernon", the author's acclaimed novel, is so increadibly compelling and moving.By reading this book, you will find that the "Flowers for Algernon" is not a product of pure fantasy, but is based on so actual facts, emotions and feelings, that the author had been observing and experiencing himself. Charlie's desire to become smart comes from the author's experience while working with mentally retarded children, who wanted to become smart. Charlie's feeling toward the professor, while becoming smarter than the professor who created him, comes from the author's experience of suddently over-growing his parents, immigrants who did not speak English fluently.After reading this book, you will realise that it is the author's sensitivity, warmness toward other people and his candidness about his own feeling what make his extraordinary novel so warm and moving. In the end, "Flowers for Algernon" is not about this poor guy who has gone through extraordinary experience, but about all of us.

Mr. Keyes exposes himself personally in this intimate autobiography. I was captured by his honesty, his sensitivity and his fluid writing style. I felt, as though I was a familiar friend and I gained and enormous appreciation for his dedication in writing "Flowers for Algernon". I look forward to more books by this gifted author. I hear his next will be science fiction / mystery.

In Algernon, Charlie And I: A Writer's Journey, Daniel Keys reveals the life experiences behind his creation of the character Charlie Gordon, a young man whose quest for intelligence and knowledge parallels that of the mouse, Algernon, in his acclaimed novelette "Flowers for Algernon" (which has been optioned and is in production for a CBS made-for-tv movie. Both the novelette version, and the novel that followed, have been widely translated and remain part of many school and college literature course curriculums. Algernon, Charlie And I includes the author's original short novelette version and is a "must" for all Keys fans.

The publication of Algernon, Charlie and I coincides with a new 2-hour movie version of the award-winning film CHARLY, and provides insights into Keyes' process in creating the character of retarded man Charlie, who participates in an experiment which makes him a temporary genius with a deadly future. Autobiography blends with writing insights to provide a fine account concluded by the original short novelette 'Flowers for Algernon'.