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#145 - "Beggars in Spain"
Thursday, Aug. 23, 2001 @ 10:37 pm

Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress

I wish there was some way to tell the world exactly why I love this book so much. It's impossible though, because there is too much to say. I would have to sit down with everyone one by one, reading with them chapter by chapter, and explaining its impact on me. It's that profound for me. Somehow, I don't think it's that profound to most everyone else. It's like it was a book written just for me.

And the evidence of that is how closely I identify with the main character, Leisha. She's almost nothing like me, beautiful, slim, rich, super intelligent. And oh yah, she doesn't sleep.

The premise of this book is that in the first years of the 21st century (now!), genemod (gene modification) will become more and more acceptable. Starting with genemod humans, embryos. In 2008, they genemod the embryo that will become Leisha Camden so that she won't need to sleep. Ever. In the beginning, the only side effects of sleeplessness are well balanced emotions, higher intelligence, increased immune systems, and higher productivity (no sleeping 8 hours a day doing nothing). This evolves an intense hatred of "Sleepers" against the "Sleepless". And then the bombshell. They discover that it's not just a better immune system, but a body having almost no need to regenerate or lose cells. Er... they don't age. Now not only are they superhuman, but supernatural. The hate escalates.

So why do I identify with Leisha? Because of her twin sister, Alice, an accident. A sleeper. Despite everything that happens, Leisha goes on believing Alice is special too. When her mind whispers, ...oh, Daddy, the specialness of Alice..., your heart breaks with Leisha's. Leisha lives her whole life trying to prove that Sleepers are just as special as Sleepless. Eventually outcast by most of the world, including her own kind. But she goes on believing.

The title of the book is taken from a hypothetical situation given in a conversation between Leisha and another Sleepless when they're teenagers, first realizing the lifetime of hatred they are going to have to endure. Tony is beginning to realize his dream of forming a separate community for his people, and wants to break Leisha's naive defense of unity with all mankind. He proposes what she would do, walking down the streets of Spain, accosted by beggars. Give them each a dollar? Leisha says yes. And if there are 100 beggars? Leisha says yes, because she's got some bucks in her bank account. So Tony finally says fine, too many beggars to give money too. Leisha doesn't quite know how to respond. Tony takes it one step farther, asking what she would do if the beggars attacked her for not having money for them? He believes the beggars do not have a right to lay claim to his resources in any form.

Economics & philosophy are very important to this book. An economic theory called Yagaiism is very important to Leisha and the other Sleepless, that you must strive to be a productive member of society, that individual excellence is important, and contracts should be the basis of all systems, governmental or otherwise. Leisha believes yagaiism can include the Beggars in Spain. Tony does not.

As they grow up, all hell breaks lose. Life gets worse & worse for Leisha, and still she believes. Still she is trying to find a way to show the world the specialness of Alice, that Alice is also a productive member of society. And all the Alices after her.

Finally, at the end of the book, you get a real rebuttal from Leisha to Tony, long dead now.

Tony, Leisha said silently, there are no permanent beggars in Spain. Or anywhere else. The beggar you give a dollar to today might change the world tomorrow. Or become father to the man who will. Or grandfather, or great-grandfather....

There's more to that, but I won't bore you any longer with economics.

Suffice it to say, I love this book because "It's A Wonderful Life" is the most important thing that's ever happened to me. The day I watched that movie for the first time, my world changed. It will forever be important to my worldview that no one, no matter how small, affects everyone else. Every person, affects change on the world. My shoulder to cry on has benefited others, who will go on to help others. Remove me from this world without my life ever having been lived, and the world will be a different place. True, the world won't necessarily become "Pottersville", evil & cold & run by a maniacal elitist pig. But it will be different. Maybe just subtley, but the differences will be there.

Ever since, my only hope has been that when I'm gone, the differences will not be subtle. They will be important & significant. I want the world to remember me. My face, my name, my words, my thoughts. I've always kept a journal for this reason. It was only watching "It's a Wonderful Life" that made me realize how important this was to my world view.

Leisha and Beggars in Spain recalls this. I love this book. I wish you'd read it.

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