As a way of making the most of self-isolation, The Independent is launching a book club.
Every other Tuesday at 1pm we will pick a genre and allow Twitter users to vote @IndyBooks for the title they would most like to read out of four options.
The winning choice will be announced the following day on The Independent books Twitter account, as well as here on the website.
Those taking part will then have two weeks to read it before sending thoughts back to us.
Reader’s comments on the book will be published in an article in the culture section alongside thoughts from Independent writers.
The first chosen theme was sci-fi, and the choices were between Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon, Ursula Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, NK Jemisin’s The City We Became and Emily Saint John Mandel’s Station Eleven.
Having taken 34 per cent of the vote, our winner is Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon. Published in 1966, the Nebula Award winner follows the developmentally disabled Charlie Gorden, who undergoes surgery to increase his intelligence. The book explores themes about the cycle of life, the limits of science, and whether knowledge is truly more valuable than happiness.
You have until Wednesday (April 8) to read Flowers for Algernon and we look forward to hearing your thoughts, big or small. Email them to annie.lord@independent.co.uk.
