Flowers for Algernon

For lovers of Science Fiction, this story, in its original short story form was always a special kind of tour de force, a classic to be given to people you were trying to convert to the genre. Now, and regretfully, unfortunately, it has been turned into a full novel which in turn is being made into a motion picture. The idea is still unique. It's still Charlie Gordon's journal starting from "progris riport 1 martch 3"..."Dr. Strauss says I should rite down what I think and remembir and every thing that happens to me from now on." And it's still the tormented story of a human being with a low intellect, who has a passion for learning and who is used as a guinea pig in an experiment designed to triple the I.Q. It is still the story of the adjustment of a man who swings from one end of the intelligence scale to the far other. But now, oh what Freudian psychoses riddle the pages of the Progress Reports. What shapely Hollywooden scenes come to view. What bastardization of what was once so beautifully put. The beginning and end seem relatively untouched and remain striking in their simplicity (the end is a real tear jerker). The middle section is saved only by the relatively few scenes with Algernon, the guinea pig mouse Charlie used to race with. (Kirkus Reviews)