Beggars in Spain

Beggars in Spain is published in the 1991 amendment to the U.S. science fiction author Nancy Kress. In her Kress describes the development of man in the face of splitting into genetically modified insomniacs and non -altered sleeper. The story was honored in 1991 with both the Hugo Award, as well as with the Nebula Award. 1993 appeared a greatly expanded version of a novel by the same name, which together with the sequels beggars and Viewfinder ( 1994) and the beggar ride (1996 ) the beggar cycle. The German edition of the novel published in 1997 by Heyne Verlag.

Action

The American financier Roger Camden leaves his unborn daughter equip with gene modifications that make it a sleepless; these have no need for sleep and have advantages as a high intelligence, immunity against many diseases and a slower aging process. If the sleepless children initially ridiculed, they learn as adults that will soon occupy due to their intelligence and advanced use of time key positions in politics and business, rejection, envy and hatred; it comes to genetic discrimination. Therefore, the sleepless close together to find in an opened just for her Sanctuary protection.

As consequences of the existence of the sleepless one hand, arise genetically modified low- elites, on the other hand protection laws to prevent people and other living things are too genetically transformed.

Critical themes and theses

Kress goes into detail on the problems of the U.S. and the U.S. Justice system with minorities and compares their story created by gene modifications insomniacs with other groups such as Jews and African Americans.

In a fictitious editorial in the New York Times (success and hatred. A trend that we would rather not see) a taste of the U.S. population for emotions and energy and an aversion to logic, rationality and prudence is discussed (as cold).