Элджернон, Чарли и я

by Daniel Keyes, Дэниел Киз, Юлия Фокина (Translator)

Книга «Цветы для Элджернона» принесла Дэниэлу Кизу всемирную известность. История ее главного персонажа – умственно отсталого тридцати двух летнего Чарли Гордона – нашла отклик в сердцах миллионов читателей по всему миру. Но мало кто знает, что на написание этого романа Киза вдохновили различные события из его собственной жизни.

Книга «Элджернон, Чарли и я» – честный рассказ писателя о том, что лежит за созданием одного из самых известных романов ХХ века, идеи которого формировались в течение четырнадцати лет. Искренне и без прикрас Дэниел Киз рассказывает о том, что побудило его стать писателем и с какими трудностями ему пришлось столкнуться, делится воспоминаниями из детства и юности. И, конечно же, рассказывает о Чарли, который, несмотря на то, что автор придумал его более сорока лет назад, до сих пор его преследует.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Memoir, Biography, Research, Autobiography

220 pages, ebook

First published December 1, 2000

About the author

Daniel Keyes was an American author best known for his Hugo award-winning short story and Nebula award-winning novel Flowers for Algernon. Keyes was given the Author Emeritus honor by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2000.

Keyes was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. At age 17, he joined the U.S. Maritime Service as ship's purser. He obtained a B.A. in psychology from Brooklyn College, and after a stint in fashion photography (partner in a photography studio), earned a Master's Degree in English and American Literature at night while teaching English in New York City public schools during the day and writing weekends.

In the early 1950s, he was editor of the pulp magazine Marvel Science Fiction for publisher Martin Goodman. Circa 1952, Keyes was one of several staff writers, officially titled editors, who wrote for such horror and science fiction comics as Journey into Unknown Worlds, for which Keyes wrote two stories with artist Basil Wolverton. From 1955-56, Keyes wrote for the celebrated EC Comics, including its titles Shock Illustrated and Confessions Illustrated, under both his own name and the pseudonyms Kris Daniels, A.D. Locke and Dominik Georg.

The short story and subsequent novel, Flowers for Algernon, is written as progress reports of a mentally disabled man, Charlie, who undergoes experimental surgery and briefly becomes a genius before the effects tragically wear off. The story was initially published in the April 1959 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and the expanded novel in 1966. The novel has been adapted several times for other media, most prominently as the 1968 film Charly, starring Cliff Robertson (who won an Academy Award for Best Actor) and Claire Bloom. He also won the Hugo Award in 1959 and the Nebula Award in 1966.

Keyes went on to teach creative writing at Wayne State University, and in 1966 he became an English and creative writing professor at Ohio University, in Athens, Ohio, where he was honored as a professor emeritus in 2000.

Keyes' other books include The Fifth Sally, The Minds of Billy Milligan, The Touch, Unveiling Claudia, and the memoir Algernon, Charlie, and I: A Writer's Journey.

Reviews

[Майя Ставитская · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keyes is a stunningly diligent host. He managed to put together and melt down in the book memories of working as a waiter in adolescence, when the slightest awkwardness was accompanied by the owner's: "Well, you're stupid!"; his studies in medical (white mouse); psychology classes and his own experience of psychoanalysis. And it is not known how many more in total.

He generously shares the secrets of his skill, starting with how he learned to tell stories to other children in a bottle warehouse as a child, before having isolated an algorithm for himself. How he wrote the first stories and mastered the skills of self-editing. How, when he started working on "Algernon", he initially made Charlie funny. You know, when everyone makes fun of an awkward jerk, including the author, who laughed while reading the beginning of his own story. And as I suddenly realized that this is the road to nowhere - to enter into the flesh and blood of everyone, Charlie must be touching.

Nothing was easy for him, every time there were a lot of rejections from editors, and almost a debt pit when the first publisher who signed a contract for a novel demanded a happy ending, which Keyes could not give, or the return of a long-spent advance. And the entire income from the story was $ 945.Can you imagine? And yet we have them: Algernon, Charlie, Daniel.

Цветы для Дениела Киза
Я думаю о Чарли Гордоне – об одной из его последних фраз в рассказе «Цветы для Элджернона»: «Я помню што я зделал штото но непомню што»
Долго не могла заставить себя прочесть "Цветы для Элджернона", хотя все, ну просто все, кто есть кто-то уверяли, что это must read. Какой-то встроенный ограничитель не позволял, пока в один день не сказала себе: соберись, тряпка! И проглотила книгу, не отрываясь, а потом рыдала часа два. А после написала текст, вдохновленный этой книгой. Не вполне рецензию, скорее утверждение, что, как герой книги, и как Терри Пратчетт, который был еще тогда жив, но уже успел снять фильм "Выбирая умереть", я предпочла бы деградации смерть. Впервые в своей недолгой тогда сетевой истории спознавшись с двумя "ха": хайпом и хейтерами.

Было больно дважды. Сначала за Чарли - из тысяч прочитанных книг по пальцам могу пересчитать те, что так горько навзрыд заставляли плакать. Оно конечно, катарсис и книга совершенно гениальна, но испытать такое снова нипочем не хотелось бы. Потом за себя - не пнул за тот пост только безногий: религиозные люди за пропаганду суицида, атеисты за то, что осмелилась при этом назвать себя верующей. Как водится в сетях, не стесняясь в выражениях.

Чтобы уж закрыть тему, я по-прежнему думаю, что душа моя принадлежит Богу, но право распоряжаться телом оставляю за собой. Однако внутреннего барьера, не позволяющего читать Дэниела Киза, перешагнуть так больше и не смогла, ни "Пятой Салли", ни "Билли Миллигана" с его множественными личностями так и не узнала. Может придет время для них, не сейчас.

Это вступление, чтобы констатировать, никакой тревожный звоночек с "Элджерноном, Чарли и мной" не тренькнул. И да, получила от книги массу удовольствия, избегнув сколько-неибудь серьезной эмоциональной вовлеченности. Она здесь и не нужна. Книга отчасти автобиография, частью пособие "как писать книги" выросла из необходимости ответить на сотни читательских писем с вопросами об этой его вещи.

Откуда явился Чарли? Как была написана повесть? Зачем из нее после вырос роман? И он рассказывает. Начиная с бедного детства в годы Великой Депрессии и желания во что бы то ни стало оправдать ожидания родителей - выучиться, поступить в колледж, стать обеспеченным человеком. Деньги для учебы нужно было скапливать самому, а каково это мальцу, которому заплатят за любую работу гроши? Но ощущения, какие взрослый человек познает обычно вступая во взрослую жизнь и будучи при этом обремененным семьей - что крутишься белкой в колесе, а продвижение ровно как у той белки - это Дэниел узнал еще мальчишкой.

Слов нет, гипернагрузки закалили его и развили бойцовский дух, но украденное детство - это на всю жизнь, вы ж понимаете. И еще одно. Когда ты изо всех сил стараешься выбиться из бедности. в которой родился, развиваешься, повышаешь планку, то в какой-то момент неизбежно понимаешь, что безнадежно оторвался от тех, чей плоть от плоти. Такой парадокс, ты из кожи вон лез, чтобы оправдать их ожидания, а в результате оставил сброшенной кожей свою близость с ними.

Киз потрясающе рачительный хозяин. Он сумел собрать воедино и переплавить в книге воспоминания о работе официантом в подростковом возрасте, когда малейшая неловкость сопровождалась хозяйским: "Ну ты и тупица!"; свою учебу в медицинском (белая мышка); занятия психологией и собственный опыт психоанализа. И неизвестно сколько еще всего.

Он щедро делится секретами мастерства, начав с того, как учился в детстве рассказывать другим детям истории у бутылочного склада, прежде вычленив для себя алгоритм. Как писал первые рассказы и овладевал навыками саморедактирования. Как, начав работу над "Элджерноном", поначалу сделал Чарли смешным. Ну, знаете, когда над неловким придурком потешаются все, включая автора, который хохотал, читая начало собственного рассказа. И как понял внезапно, что это дорога в никуда - чтобы войти в плоть и кровь каждого, Чарли должен быть трогательным.

Ему ничего не доставалось легко, всякий раз множество отказов от редакций, и едва ли не долговая яма, когда первое издательство, заключившее контракт на роман, потребовало хеппи-энда, которого Киз дать не мог, или возвращения давно потраченного аванса. А весь доход от повести составил 945 долларов.Можете представить? И все же они есть у нас: Элджернон, Чарли, Дэниел.
Я покину этот мир, пройдет много лет - а круги от моих камешков-книг все шире будут расходиться по людским умам.

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember being knocked out by the novelette 'Flowers for Algernon' and it's been forever since I read it. I was thinking about it for some reason and wondering about it being a metaphor for the human life cycle...you start off naive and ignorant, increase in wisdom and stature, then lose it all to old age eventually...just like Algernon and Charlie, right?

Not right. Daniel thought up a good story (this book chronicles how it came together) and that interpretation was never in his mind at all. So much for that.

The book goes further and talks about the various incarnations that story took on. Daniel has written several other books as well, none of which I'd ever heard of. 'Flowers for Algernon' remains his overwhelming success. None of his other stuff sounds interesting, for some reason.

It must be a bit strange to hit the big time once and then try to crawl out from under its shadow for the rest of your life.

Well, good to have achieved such a memorable story at any rate...

[Morgan Rondinelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was lovely, providing fascinating background on Flowers for Algernon. It was interesting to learn about where the original idea came from, how the story developed over time in multiple formats, and some of Daniel Keyes' writing techniques. Then, of course reading the original novelette version made me tear up once again.

[Jukaschar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autobiographical notes about Keyes' life and especially the history of 'Flowers for Algernon'. The book provides a lot of information about the way Keyes went about writing his critically acclaimed novelette and later novel. For me it was a most welcome addition to reading 'Flowers for Algernon'.

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Laetitia · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai presque préféré l'autobiographie de l'auteur, à l'histoire en elle-même : j'ai vraiment aimé apprendre comment il est devenu écrivain, ce qui l'a inspiré et les difficultés auxquelles il a fait face, durant l'écriture et ensuite l'édition. C'était une des premières fois que je lisais la description faite par un auteur de l'écriture et découvrir les évènements qui l'ont amené à écrire Des Fleurs pour Algernon m'a beaucoup amusé : on comprend mieux le personnage et l'histoire et ça m'a beaucoup plu.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, insightful but also slightly sad memoir which almost exclusively focuses on the creative and bureaucratic production of the classic Flowers for Algernon, since for all intents and purposes Keyes was a true "one hit wonder," who never successfully recaptured that same lightning in a bottle. However, this is a good "加 油, 加 油" for any struggling author to stick with it, and I liked his comment (which unfortunately I didn't write down and am too lazy to look for) that for any true writer what's important is to write the book, not necessarily to get it published...(yeah, he said it better; maybe I should go back and find it).

Also enjoyed the quirky industry gossip - that despite their successful(ish) collaboration on the movie "Charly," Cliff Robertson apparently screwed Keyes over on future TV and play rights to his own book; that the hit song "Tomorrow" was originally written for the Broadway musical version of "Algernon" (itself a questionable premise, IMHO) before being redirected to "Annie;" and that to make ends meet, Keyes used to write scripts for...a young Stan Lee! Who knew?

[♪ Kim N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Daniel Keyes shares the story and thought processes behind Flowers for Algernon. It's an interesting, if not totally engaging account. Also included in this edition is the original short story, which I thoroughly enjoyed rereading. Much as I love the novel, I think the shorter version has more impact.

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/998329.html[return][return]This is a really good, short account by Keyes of the genesis and later history of his classic story, Flowers for Algernon. There are quite a lot of insights into the writing process - I was very interested in his depiction of writing as therapy, as a means of distancing yourself from difficulties you have had in the past by putting them in your fiction. It's very interesting to read of the various roots of the story - Charlie himself based on a student in one of Keyes' classes who asked to be made clever, much of the scientific background based on Keyes' own frustrated interactions with pyschologists and therapists.[return][return]Keyes was much more connected with the 1950s sf crowd than I had realised, and they gave him good advice - to cut the original story by over a third to get it published, for instance. Originally there was going to be a framing narrative, of Charlie's lover finding his diary at the start and resolving to look for him at the end, but that was cut at quite a late stage too. Keyes is graphic about the pressure he was put under, but (thank God!) successfully resisted, to provide a more upbeat ending, pressure which continued into the TV and movie versions of the story. Nonetheless, he himself feels the ending is ambiguous rather than necessarily tragic; I don't think I agree.[return][return]Keyes wrote several other books and stories, but none has had the critical success of Flowers for Algernon. I was slightly surprised that he betrays no resentment at all that his subsequent efforts have not been regarded with the same veneration as his earliest work. But I suppose if I'd written Flowers for Algernon myself, I would feel it was success enough for a lifetime.

[Stephen Gallup · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read "Flowers for Algernon" as a teenager and saw the movie version, Charly, as a young adult -- and never imagined a similar story would ever play out in my own life. And although I remembered both quite clearly, I didn't make the connection until last year. Looking up the old story, I found that, in his old age, the author had written this memoir describing both how he became a writer and the creative process that led to his character Charlie Gordon.

This book explains superficial details, such as where he got the name Algernon, as well as the germ of the basic idea: "My first year at NYU was nearing an end, and I thought: My education is driving a wedge between me and the people I love. And then I wondered: What would happen if it were possible to increase a person's intelligence?" I would compare it with similar works I've read by other writers, such as Eudora Welty and James Michener.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie is a thiry-two yeared old man who is mentally disabled. He goes to a special school for the disabled and meets Alice. Charlie was really eager to learn so Alice puts him up for an experiment that will make him smarter. After the experiment, he meets his "best friend", a mouse named algernon. Algernon also took the test. Charlie gets a job as a delivery boy. His co-workers tease him but Charlie doesn't understand the mockery. Later Charlie gets more smarter and experiences love for the first time. What happens to his mouse and his relationship? To find out more read the book!!!
This book is one of my favorites because it really got me thinking. I kind of started to like my life more. I also felt really touched and i felt really bad for Charlie. After you read this book, you will learn to understand the disable more and treat them better. The ending was really sad and it haunted me forever.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I recently read of the death of Daniel Keyes,author of the popular novel "Flowers For Algernon", I did the usual internet search on his life and times.I found that he had written a book on his writing life and was especially interested to learn how he transitioned "Algernon" from a short story to a longer novel. This is what this book is largely about. Mr. Keyes writes of growing up in NYC and his motivation to be a writer. He parallels the development of "Algernon" and his own story, and adds interesting details regarding the early teleplay version, popular movie which won Cliff Robertson an Oscar, and the later TV Movie (Lawsuits included). Not a lot of advice for struggling writers here, but you come to appreciate his tenacity and talent. I would recommend this book as very readable. The short story version of "Algernon" is included.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flowers for Algernon is one of my favorite novels - and I review that separately - but I read Keyes' "Journey" recently because I was teaching Flowers for Algernon for a class and I was considering using excerpts for the class. I chose not to - there was simply no time - as an English teacher and grad student (getting her MA in English with a concentration in the teaching of writing) but it was interesting to hear about another writer's writing process and struggle to establish himself.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of this book wrote _Flowers for Algernon_, and this book is his account of how he pulled that rabbit out of the hat. It's an interesting account. I was most interested in the parts where he talked about how his mind worked in forming the connections and ideas that led to the original (many times revised) novella, and then to the gradually layered novel -- it's fascinating to see how this writer's mind worked. And having the context of what was going on in his life during the writing process was neat.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know it's a great book if you want to read a memoir about how it came to be written. I'm speaking about Flowers for Algernon of course. This memoir delivers on that level and also serves as a fascinating insight into Keyes' writing process.

Science fiction and comic book historians will be interested in the behind-the-scenes stories of Keyes' time as an editor for Martin Goodman.

Fair warning to Kindle readers: The Kindle edition is full of typos, especially toward the end. It looks like the text was scanned in and never proofed.

[Julie Collin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Depuis le moment où j’ai lu Des fleurs pour Algernon, je me suis questionnée sur le processus de création de ce roman. Comment l’auteur en est-il arrivé à avoir l’idée globale? Pourquoi a-t-il utilisé le journal de Charlie pour structurer le roman? Était-il conscient du risque de rédiger le journal de Charlie en fonction de son QI? A-t-il fait des compromis déchirants pour réussir à publier ce roman? Bref, ça fait des années que je me dis que je pourrais avoir bien du plaisir à prendre un café avec Daniel Keyes!

La suite ici : http://bit.ly/1TtRfrP

[Danielle DuPuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up at a bookstore several years ago and stuck it on my bookshelf. I loved reading Flowers for Algernon and figured it would be worth a read. I’m sorry I didn’t read this book sooner. I savored every story Keyes told about how ideas for Charlie came about. Little stories and snippets from his own life that then shaped Charlie’s character and memories. I wish every author wrote a book like this. To me, reading about the thought process is just as wonderful as reading the completed product. I’m holding on to this book to read again for inspiration.

[Kaitlyn Hosking]

I loved this book flowing bye the movie the awakening and I told me father about this and he watched it and also said that this is a really good movie and then he also knew about the illness awhile ago and he said that it kinda ringed a bell in his mind. And I think this movie was more touching and heart braking and medical realizing then the book was but I guess everne has diff opinions than I d o I guess. And then

[William Koon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some things are exactly what they are, and this is one of them. It's Keyes' journey with his story, novella, and novel Flower for Algernon. It was of a time. It was very good. The movie was very good. Here the story is told very pedestrianly. Some personal anecdotes are precious --William Goldman wrote the first unused script. And it does include the genesis of it all, the ms. for Flowers.... Very slight. Very slight.

[Ruth Margareta Salmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

well, I didn't really understand the book. maybe because at the first time, he wanted to told the readers that Charlie was a stupid-very stupid woman, so in the diary, Charlie can't write well . It made me a little confused, because I can't understand what Charlie trying to tell .. but, this a great book . I recomended to read this book .. enjoy .. !! ^^

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contains the original short story, "Flowers for Algernon," which is why this gets 5 stars. The memoir section that makes up the bulk of the book is two stars and contains this interesting bit: the song "Tomorrow" (known for being in "Annie") was almost used in a stage musical version of "Flowers for Algernon."

[Tuija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! It was so exiting to find out how a writer works with ideas, how he collects them, files them and finally creates an amazing story!! I still find it almost unbelievable that the whole story came from one mans imagination. No wander it became a book used for educating people in several ways. Now I have to get all his other books as well, and asap!
.

[Fridha Rasjid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keyes kedua, kado dari tinifa.
Sangat mengesankan, krn tinifa berupaya keras untuk memahami minat bundanya.
Kisah yang mengharukan, seorang Charlie yang menjadi cerdas, namun justru kecerdasan tersebut menghantarkannya menuju penderitaan yang berbeda.
Pada akhirnya, hidup memang tidak bisa ditebak selain mengikuti alurnya saja.
Charlie, si jenius dungu, digambarkan dengan indah oleh Keyes

[Lisa Grønsund · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. It chronicles Daniel Keyes' journey as a writer and how the idea for Flowers for Algernon came to life. It is fascinating to read about the roots for various aspects of the story and to learn how the original idea developed over time in multiple mediums.

Even more fascinating was reading the original novelette version after reading the novel.

[Thorsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book climbed my top-ten list of all-time favourite books to rank.....Two :-) Read it and stay the way you are, or be changed forever. Some might say it is for the tender-hearted only. I say: It´s about YOU.

[Mintti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story of making one of my all time favourite stories. A good insight to writers' life and how he works and how Algernon and Charlie came to be - a good book especially for those who dream of writing.

[Susan Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book by the author of “Flowers for Algernon,” detailing his writing process of the short story and novel, plus movie & plays based on it. Had no idea that song “Tomorrow” from “Annie” was originally written for Algernon musical! (Own)

[Donna Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'll just stick with the book, 'Flowers For Algernon' itself, apparently like with most things to do with celebrity I don't really find the back story that interesting.

[Andi Budiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"easy to get friends when you let others laugh at you"-- Charlie Gordon

this book makes you rethink and be gratefull for what you got in your life.

[Veronika Ulina · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautifully written literature. touched. HIGH FIVE!