Daniel Keyes

[Jo Zebedee]

Just heard he passed away last weekend. Most famous for Flowers for Algernon, which I read and really enjoyed recently.

 

[J-Sun]

Very sad. The story version of "Flowers for Algernon" had a huge impact on me and, while I get that some might not like the emotion of it - I usually don't care for that sort of thing, myself - it's one of the closest-to-perfect stories I've ever read. Keyes will be immortal for that. It's rare to be "visited" that way. Here's Isaac Asimov on presenting Keyes with the Hugo award:

When I announced the Hugo for that story in Pittsburgh... a sudden access of warmth entered my tones... My winged words cleft the air impassionedly as I delivered an impromptu encomium on the manifold excellences of Daniel Keyes. "How did he do it?" I demanded of the Muses. "How did he do it?"

I then looked up at a level about nine or ten feet from the floor in order to encounter the face of this giant whom I had never, until that moment, met.

A hand plucked at my elbow and I brought my eyes down to ordinary man-height. And, from the round and gentle face of Daniel Keyes, issued the immortal words: "Listen, when you found out how I did it, let me know, will you? I want to do it again."

Amen, brother.

Here's a writeup at Locus (at this time, the first paragraph is repeated).

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Wow, I hadn't heard. RIP Mr. Keyes.

 

[j d worthington]

Very saddened by this. The original story (and, to a lesser extent, the novel) has had an impact on me for over 40 years, and I don't see it ever fading....

 

[Foxbat]

Very sad to hear this. He left us a beautiful legacy in the form of Flowers For Algernon.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

I first read Flowers for Algernon when I was 14, I think...it was the first SF I had read that wasn't far-future...space battles, aliens, robots, etc. I enjoyed the story a great deal, but soon went back to space. Today I finished reading Dying Inside by Silverberg (a book I really loved), and I know that Flowers was the direct antecedent for my enjoyment of this book. RIP Mr. Keyes.

ps--loved the Asimov story!

 

[Vince W]

Truly sad news. I must read Flowers for Algernon again. RIP Daniel.

 

[JoanDrake]

Death robs us of our best again. He's noted for many other things for Flowers started as a short, became a book and then a movie, and was a great classic as all three.