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Flowers for Algernon (novelette), by Daniel Keyes
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:35 pm
by Omphalos
When people say that SF is a gloomy body of literature, I think that they have stories like this week's in mind. Flowers for Algernon is not a tale of the failure of science to make people's lives better. The operation that was performed in this story was expected to fail, so what it really is about is how science and scientists treat other humans like lab rats, and the effect that experiments that are not wisely performed can wreck havoc on the lives of the participants. Five out of five stars...
Please click here, or on the book cover above, to be taken to the complete review..
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:52 pm
by SandRider
Flowers for Algernon is the prime example of "show, don't tell" -
a very innovative narrative style for its time.
used to be required reading in Public schools ....
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:10 pm
by Omphalos
It was when I was in school. I think I read it for the first time in sixth or seventh grade. Probably seventh.
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:31 pm
by SandChigger
That sounds about right for me, too.
Probably definitely sixth. I associate it with images of my sixth-grade classroom and teacher. (I wonder if she's still around.
)
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:07 am
by Robspierre
We read it in eighth grade. It seems ot have fallen out of favor though
Rob
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:43 am
by Omphalos
I remember it was in my Norton Anthology for whatever year it was. I wonder if it has lost favor because Norton has taken it out?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:32 am
by SandRider
I remember catching my oldest boy crying in his room after reading that,
tho I seriously doubt he'd admit that now. I coulda told him, tho, I
remember reading either an extended excerpt or the whole thing in
some magazine when I was like 12 or 13. Which was about the age
he was then .....
course, that boy cried at Walt Disney's
Alice in Wonderland .....
and
101 Dalmatians .....
yeah, and I cried when they shot Ol' Yeller, so .....
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:14 pm
by Freakzilla
I read it in high school, pretty good.
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:22 pm
by Robspierre
Omphalos wrote:I remember it was in my Norton Anthology for whatever year it was. I wonder if it has lost favor because Norton has taken it out?
That may be, no matter, my students will be reading it no matter what
Rob
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:24 pm
by Omphalos
Robspierre wrote:Omphalos wrote:I remember it was in my Norton Anthology for whatever year it was. I wonder if it has lost favor because Norton has taken it out?
That may be, no matter, my students will be reading it no matter what
Rob
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:30 pm
by SandRider
throw in Farenheit 451, too !
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:35 pm
by Omphalos
I think The Time Machine should be taught too.
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:46 pm
by SandRider
Red Badge of Courage.
That one got lost somewhere along the way.
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:46 pm
by The Phantom
SandRider wrote:throw in Farenheit 451, too !
Omphalos wrote:I think The Time Machine should be taught too.
totally agree with you. the Time Machine was a great book. I love Wells.
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:33 am
by Robspierre
Baraka Bryan wrote:SandRider wrote:throw in Farenheit 451, too !
Omphalos wrote:I think The Time Machine should be taught too.
totally agree with you. the Time Machine was a great book. I love Wells.
The Time Machine is another favorite of mine.
throw in Farenheit 451, too ! Of course.
I also have a bunch of unabridged Poe stories on cd as read by Basil Rathbone and Vincent Price.
Probably sneak in at least one Heinlein juvenile, any favorites among the rabble?
Rob
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:08 am
by Omphalos
Have Space Suit - Will Travel.
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 10:02 am
by SandRider
I had started to post "Starship Troopers" above, but didn't
want to start a list.
I don't know that the movie didn't show that the anti-fascist theme
of the book has been lost on America, tho....
Huckleberry Finn. - also a good intro for discussing Race in America,
free speech and historical reality, with the new editions that've edited
"Nigger" out of the book.
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 10:17 am
by Freakzilla
SandRider wrote:I had started to post "Starship Troopers" above, but didn't
want to start a list.
I don't know that the movie didn't show that the anti-fascist theme
of the book has been lost on America, tho....
Huckleberry Finn. - also a good intro for discussing Race in America,
free speech and historical reality, with the new editions that've edited
"Nigger" out of the book.
Sorry about the "Up Yours!", nigger.
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:33 pm
by Robspierre
Start lists by all means, might be some gems I haven't discovered yet.
Rob
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:41 pm
by Omphalos
Robspierre wrote:Start lists by all means, might be some gems I haven't discovered yet.
Rob
Rob, I have collected a bunch of on-line syllabi for SF courses over the years. I have them book marked at home. Would you like to see them?
I also think you know about this site already, but take a look at The Center for the Study of Science Fiction. Here is the URL:
http://www2.ku.edu/~sfcenter/
There are all kinds of teaching resources there, and you can take courses on teaching SF and fantasy remotely.
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 2:31 pm
by Robspierre
Omphalos wrote:Robspierre wrote:Start lists by all means, might be some gems I haven't discovered yet.
Rob
Rob, I have collected a bunch of on-line syllabi for SF courses over the years. I have them book marked at home. Would you like to see them?
I also think you know about this site already, but take a look at The Center for the Study of Science Fiction. Here is the URL:
http://www2.ku.edu/~sfcenter/
There are all kinds of teaching resources there, and you can take courses on teaching SF and fantasy remotely.
Omph, I would love to see the syllabi. Thanks.
Rob
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:19 pm
by Omphalos