Hi!
Context: I'm new to this sub Reddit, and very new to the leisure of reading! I've never been really one to read books. They always came across very slow and boring. The engagement for me was always something visual in front of me, rather something I could paint in my mind. However I've grown a little older and perhaps much wiser, and I found myself with a little more time. So I decided to purchase a couple books that I thought I may enjoy. The first being this one! Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes. I must say, it was brilliant! I enjoyed the book so much and it is a great read! (I know this because I found myself feeling emotions of all kinds throughout).
I loved it so much, I could not put it down and essentially finished it in 2 days and well….here I am. About 1/3rd through my next book and just so eager to speak to people. Learn from others. Hear what others thought and hopefully engage more with communities online (like this sub Reddit) and be able to connect with like minded people!
Something has just ignited within me to want to embrace this new found joy even more. Read more. Read more of things I think I would enjoy that perhaps people in my life would never have guessed I would enjoy that!
Hopefully this is my first post of many in the world of story telling!
Ps. The book I am currently reading and will immediately be continuing after I post this is the book "The Perks of being a wallflower" (and I love it so much already)
The actual post now😅: After reading Flowers for Algernon (I finished it on a flight) I spent the reminder 2 hours sitting essentially in silence staring at the seat in front of me just thinking about everything. The life Charlie lived, the rollercoaster of knowledge and emotions he felt. What it would be like. Even searching for areas I could relate to him. I did find some too fyi! It's all almost a little overwhelming. Almost like holding a secret that weighs so heavy you just got to tell someone and hear what they think. That's what it feels like for me right now! I want to know what people thought of it. If others connected with the story. If people loved it as much as I did too!? I'm just very interested to hear what others think!
I'm very intrigued to hear what others think and I'd hope to relate to them too!
Also the following question, vaguely, where do I go from here?!?
by Warrior4716_GTK
3 Comments
I also had a similar experience to you. I remember feeling so emotional as I read the book and then when I finished, I felt emotionally exhausted. I read it three years ago and I still think about Charlie today.
One book that I read that gave me a similar-ish feeling, but is very different in vibe, is China Mountain Zhang by Maureen McHugh. It’s also sci-fi but covers slightly different themes. However, when I finished it, I just sat in awe for about an hour.
Wow! 2 classics back-to-back. Algernon was such an incredible story, I felt the same way after I finished it. I sat around my house for a few hours contemplating life lol
Since you enjoyed that one, I’d suggest Of Mice And Men by Steinbeck. It will rip your heart out similarly, it has great characters and there are bigger themes/allusions going on in addition to the surface level plot. It’s a great intro to Steinbeck cause it’s short and pretty easy to read; you might have to look up some words that are uncommonly used today but his writing style is literary yet accessible and not overly dense.