Beggars in Spain

By: Nancy Kress

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Nebula Award Winner, Novella, 1991

In a world where the slightest edge can mean the difference between success and failure, Leisha Camden is beautiful, extraordinarily intelligent, and one of a growing number of human beings who have been genetically modified to never require sleep.

Once considered interesting anomalies, now Leisha and the other "Sleepless" are outcasts, victims of blind hatred, political repression, and shocking mob violence meant to drive them from human society and, ultimately, from Earth itself.

But Leisha Camden has chosen to remain behind in a world that envies and fears her "gift," a world marked for destruction by a deadly conspiracy of freedom and revenge.

©1993 Nancy Kress (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Superb....An exquisite saga of biological advantages." ( Denver Post)
"A depth of imagination unusual even among science fiction writers." ( Analog)
"[T]hrilling drama, compelling dialectic." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Good, recommended, though at times iffy!

This was a very listenable audiobook with some interesting ideas. It certainly held my attention and kept me involved. At the same time, it constantly seemed to be channeling other, similar books. Most frequently, "Atlas Shrugged", with many long-winded and somewhat repetitive passages about makers and takers, in the one-dimensionality of many of the characters, and in the (SPOILER?) decision of the makers to separate themselves (unlike Ayn Rand's, however, Kress does not seem to making a political statement with one "side" clearly in the right; this is a much more balanced examination of the societal split). Then we have similarities to Ender's Game, and other books about super children. And other similarities that have drifted from my mind... sorority stories? Animal Farm?

And yet it remains readable and enjoyable. The premise is interesting. I often wished that the author had limited the extra abilities of the sleepless to just not sleeping, and gone into more detail about that. I mean, the brief touching upon parents who couldn't deal with babies that never slept was a glimpse into what could have been a really fascinating exploration; and I would have liked to see more of the psychological effects on adults of not sleeping - of no downtime, of no escape, of solitary nights, etc. In the book it's pretty much all up side, and augmented by several other "super powers"... I'd rather have seen more detail and more realistic balance of benefits and deficits of sleeplessness.

Kress is always great

Such a philosophical study in the individual and the specific and the speed of change.

Chapter breaks

I think that authors use chapters to allow themselves and their readers a chance to dwell on a cliff edge or contemplate recent events. This reading steps all over that sacred space. As for content-maybe a low-key Ayn Rand except Kress seems more human.

Mostly very good

The first part is great, but the court room dialog can get quite tedious in the second part.

Atlas Shrugged meets Gattaca, but less believable

Beggars in Spain is an interesting thought experiment, but unfortunately, the follow through was unsatisfying. The world and characters felt very limited and I don't think the subject portrayal aged well, in terms of elitism, ableism, 1%ers, etc. I did finish the story, but I jumped to 1.75 speed or higher to get through some of the longer diatribes. It has its good moments, but felt just okay overall.

The book will most likely appeal to people who like Atlas Shrugged esque premises and social science fiction (i.e. without starship battles or time travel).

I think the biggest obstacle for my enjoyment was the main character Leisha Camden, whose fixed perspective, naivete, and (painfully) slow realizations make her an unreliable poster child of the "super smart" sleepless group. I had trouble buying the degree of separation between sleepers and sleepless anyway, and Leisha's portrayal compounded my skepticism.

Nancy Kress is something like a genius

this was my first book of
Nancy Kress but it is absolutely not my last

A promising start

The first two thirds of this book was pretty good. The premise was interesting and how The two societies of sleepless and sleepers grew and came into conflict was very well developed. However it is not very exciting and after 12 hours of listening I was just bored. I did not finish this book.


A similar idea of super intelligent and competent people and what they owe or do not owe the lesser mortals is more interesting and exciting in books by Ayn Rand

Fantastic!!! Can't wait to read the sequal.

This was a well read and well written book. The characters grew throughout and were not stagnant boring, 2-d people. The premise was creative and thought provoking. I liked all the references to actual historical events and people.

Great book but not a great series imo

Yes, this book is great...but I returned the second one...too technical, skips around/odd speech and jumps. Just my opinion, but I'm not going past the first book.

What a great book!

There is a reason this book won a Nebula Award. Do not let the date fool you. This work is, perhaps, more relevant in 2022.
The narrator makes the story even better.