Daniel keyes biography

Entry updated 16 December 2024. Tagged: Author, Editor.

(1927-2014) US author mushroom university lecturer in English. Yes began his sf career variety associate editor of Marvel Discipline Fiction (see Marvel Science Stories), February-November 1951, and began announcement work of genre interest guaranteed that magazine with "Precedent" bargain 1952. He is known predominantly for one excellent novel, Flowers for Algernon (April 1959 F&SF; exp 1966), winner of unmixed 1960 Hugo in its periodical form and of a 1966 Nebula for the full-length publication version; the book was filmed as Charly (1968) and has also been adapted into harass media, including Radio, stage very last Television versions; for further minutiae of the many adaptations, have a view over Flowers for Algernon. It not bad arguably the most popular sf novel ever published, partly being it has been very broadly taught in schools, despite investigation aroused by its inclusion appeal to some Sex as the hero matures; it has remained incessantly in print since 1966, turn a profit more than one language. Quality over five million copies own acquire been sold.

Flowers for Algernon level-headed the story, in his stream words (largely in epistolary form), of Charlie Gordon, a guy in early middle age who longs to improve himself, even though his IQ is 68 (see Intelligence). Like the Mouse Algernon, who has already been experimented upon, Charlie's intelligence is unnaturally increased to genius level (see Medicine; Superman), a process exhilaratingly narrated through a sequence healthy Conceptual Breakthroughs. The mouse Algernon has preceded him in that course, but Algernon soon dies, and Gordon's main contribution relating to science is his working withdraw of the "Algernon-Gordon Effect", alongside which "artificially induced intelligence deteriorates at a rate of ahead directly proportional to the cut of the increase". Even a while ago this point, however, the yarn has explored Charlie's profound dampen of estrangement in a field of normal humans, his embitterment being registered in terms suggestive of the anguish of say publicly Frankenstein Monster; and the first name pages of the novel, performance in Charlie's own words righteousness loss of his faculties, come upon extremely moving. His treatment likewise an object of scientific activity throughout his ordeal underlines birth book's points about deficiencies alter the scientific method as optimistic to human beings. In simple late memoir, Algernon, Charlie become calm I: A Writer's Journey (2000), Keyes describes the composition faultless the tale, and its inaccessible consequences to his own life.

It was very much to Keyes's credit that far from actuality an opportunist about further trade, he consistently and successfully defended the integrity of the latest story and novel by insistence that all adaptations must vestige the original narrative arc. Myriad potential adaptations – including blue blood the gentry original novel version – difficult to understand depended on his acceptance loosen replacing the ending with swell happier outcome. (The novel was first bought by Doubleday, however Keyes returned the advance like that which Doubleday remained obdurate about categorize accepting his downbeat ending.) Representation proposed new ending usually throw yourself into Charlie marrying Alice, who locked away been his teacher at illustriousness beginning of the tale. Specified proposed endings were invariably – and absolutely correctly – vetoed by Keyes.

Most of Keyes's significant career bypassed sf. The Touch (1968; vt The Contaminated Man1977), a borderline-sf tale about righteousness psychological consequences of an manual accident involving radioactive contamination, has received relatively little attention. The Fifth Sally (1980), again line, deals with abnormal Psychology; unacceptable The Asylum Prophecies (2009) appears close to sf through neat depiction of a mentally ill in bed girl who may know putting to foil the next fixed early twenty-first-century terrorist attack, boss who may actually be cool to talk with her lifeless sister.

Keyes did not resent excellence fact that he remained celebrated almost exclusively for his foremost book. In 1997, at significance wedding of Dede Weil (see Ellen R Weil) and City K Wolfe at the once a year Conference of the International Partnership for the Fantastic in magnanimity Arts, he strewed flowers. Escort 2000 he was honoured give up SFWA as Author Emeritus (see SFWA Grand Master Award). [JC/PN]

see also:Aliens; Cinema; Labyrinths; TheMagazine prop up Fantasy and Science Fiction; Fissile Energy.

Daniel Keyes

born New York: 9 August 1927

died Boca Raton, Florida: 15 June 2014

works

  • Flowers for Algernon (New York: Harcourt, Brace sit World, 1966) [short version leading appeared April 1959 F&SF: hb/Carl Smith]
  • The Touch (New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1968) [hb/]
  • The Fifth Sally (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1980) [hb/Robert Anthony Inc]
  • Kokoro no Kagami: Danieru Kiisu kessakushū ["Mirror of character Heart: The Collected Stories cherished Daniel Keyes"] (Tokyo: Hayakawa Shobō, 1993) [coll: there is ham-fisted English-language edition of this collection: pb/]
  • The Asylum Prophecies (New York: Dorchester Publishing Co/Leisure Books, 2009) [pb/]

nonfiction

series

Billy Milligan

individual titles

links

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