#13: Algernon, Charlie and I--Daniel Keyes

I usually do not like to hear authors speak or read their reflections about their writing. Often, authors take on an egotistical attitude, especially successful authors. This book is somewhat autobiographical, but also a history of Keyes's Flowers for Algernon. He talks about how he started off as a writer, how he got the ideas for Algernon, and some other general observations about writing and publishing. I really enjoyed this book, and I will most likely use pieces of it when I teach this book again, especially the Afterward, where he talks about learning how scientists are now doing experiments on mice similar to what he predicted more than forty years ago.

Tags: Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes, A Writer's Journey