Beggars in Spain (Beggars Trilogy (Paperback))

by NANCY KRESS | Science Fiction & Fantasy |
ISBN: 0380718774 Global Overview for this book
Registered by florriebelle of Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real Spain on 4/3/2006
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10 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by florriebelle from Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real Spain on Monday, April 3, 2006
Pre-numbered label used for registration.

CONTROLLED RELEASE: 01.04.06

Journal Entry 2 by tracyshannon from El Paso, Texas USA on Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Hi Florrie! It was such a nice surprise to find this book in my mailbox today! Thank you so much! You did a great job picking a book for me. This one looks really good! I've always wondered what it would be like not to need to sleep--like the main character of this book. Thank you again!

~Wiesbaden, Germany

Journal Entry 3 by tracyshannon from El Paso, Texas USA on Friday, November 24, 2006
Great book! I've put the sequel on my Wish List. :) Thank you for introducing me to a new (new to me) author!

Blurb from the back of the book: "Born in 2008, Leisha Camden is beautiful, extraordinarily intelligent...and one of an ever-growing number of human beings who have been genetically modified to never require sleep. Once she and "her kind" were considered interesting anomalies. Now they are outcasts--victims of blind hatred, political repression and shocking mob violence meant to drive the "Sleepless" from human society...and, ultimately, from the Earth itself. But Leisha Camden has chosen to remain behind in a world that envies and fears her "gift"--a world marked from destruction in a devastating conspiracy of freedom...and revenge."

Journal Entry 4 by tracyshannon from El Paso, Texas USA on Friday, December 1, 2006
International bookray!

nuriayasmin in Germany (to EU)
marko167 in Switzerland (to anywhere)
Nell-Lu in Scotland (to UK/EIN)
lane1088 in USA (to USA)
efs300 in USA (to anywhere)
Rrrcaron in USA (to anywhere)
UnwrittenLibra in USA (to anywhere)
CongestedChi in USA (to USA)
laevina in USA (to anywhere)

Journal Entry 5 by tracyshannon from El Paso, Texas USA on Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Mailing to nuriayasmin today or tommorow...

Journal Entry 6 by nuriayasmin from Barranco, Lima Peru on Wednesday, December 6, 2006
My first bookring has arrived. Great! I've still got my current book to finish and read another one and then it'll be time for "Beggars in Spain".

Edit December 11:
I've just finished reading the book and loved it. It was an absolutely astonishing and amazing story. Not always easy to read for a non-native speaker of English but it was worth it to read some passages twice :-). Hope that everyone will like the book as much as I did and thanks again to TracyShannon for the ray.

The book is now on its way to marko167 in Switzerland.

Journal Entry 7 by marko167 from Sitges, Barcelona Spain on Sunday, December 17, 2006
Received a couple of days ago t
hanks.

Journal Entry 8 by marko167 from Sitges, Barcelona Spain on Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Right before I start this I want to say I did enjoy this book and thought it raised a good many questions and would be a good book for a book club with all the issues it raised.

However, this is a novel written from what was previously a novella and I am always suspicious when authors do this. I love Asimov but he had the irritating habit of doing this and more recently other writers have taken to expanding Asimov’s novellas. I am not sure this is a good thing. My big problem with this book is that it was too long for a quick and easy read, and seemed to be quite verbose in places. And strangely it was too short to be a truly serious look at the issues raised and fully explore the subject. The whole book (despite its’ name is entirely US centric and whilst I feel this would have been OK for a book that was at least 100 pages shorter). I wish the idea had been used by an author that wasn’t afraid to take subject and run with it over maybe a trilogy. Looking at the issue globally and with better defined characters.

I suspect I would have preferred the novella.

Without wanting to post too many spoilers I would love to have a discussion regarding the issues raised. Would you genetically alter the composition of your unborn child in anyway to improve its' chances of a successful future. What do you think about the thought of not requiring sleep? (Imagine all the books you could read). I cannot say more without giving the plot away but maybe a discussion thread after the ring is complete would be a good thing.

Thanks for sharing the book.

Journal Entry 9 by marko167 at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Released 17 yrs ago (1/17/2007 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Off the book flies to the land of haggis and deep fried Mars bars.

Journal Entry 10 by Nell-Lu from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 24, 2007
This just arrived - thanks marko167 for sending it on from the land of Toblerone and cheese, TracyShannon for organising the bookray, and florriebelle for originally setting this book free. I've been looking forward to it, so will start as soon as I finish my current book (probably tomorrow or Thursday).

Journal Entry 11 by Nell-Lu from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, January 29, 2007
I enjoyed the first half of this book a great deal. The issues raised are interesting (as much the human issues of whether a parent's love should be conditional or unconditional, as the sociological issues of how a community deals with difference) and the writing is fast-paced. Personally, I feel the novel should have ended after Book II, as Books III and IV were much weaker. The plot started to feel very contrived, the characters' motivations hard to empathise with or understand, and even the writing style seemed clumsier. Like marko167, perhaps I should have read the novella.

Thanks again TracyShannon for letting me read this - despite my reservations, I did enjoy the book and will look out for other novels (or perhaps just novellas!) by this author.

ETA: I have lane1088's address, so will get this in today's post.

Journal Entry 12 by lane1088 from Indian Trail, North Carolina USA on Thursday, March 8, 2007
Just got this in the mail today. I am looking forward to reading it. Thanks Tracyshannon for starting this the bookray. I have two bookrays in front of it but it will be out of my hands hopefully by the end of march or early april at the latest.

Journal Entry 13 by lane1088 from Indian Trail, North Carolina USA on Monday, April 16, 2007
Well I didn't really get a chance to read it so will not rate it. I got two new books yesterday from the library that I've been on hold for and figured I wouldn't get a chance to read beggers for some time. So instead of just holding on to it, I've sent it on its way to efs300. I hope you enjoy reading the book. Perhaps I'll get a chance to read the book from the library. Thanks TracyShannon for putting this together.

Journal Entry 14 by efs300 from -- By post or by hand --, South Carolina USA on Sunday, April 22, 2007
This book arrived in the mail yesterday, along with the first warm day of spring here in New Hampshire. See journal pic. I am almost done with my current book (Wielding a Red Sword by Piers Anthony) so I should get to start this one soon.

Journal Entry 15 by efs300 from -- By post or by hand --, South Carolina USA on Thursday, May 31, 2007
I finished this book today and I really enjoyed it. The whole concept of genetically altering your children is a fascinating concept. I am sure that someday we as a society will have to face similar issues. You could see the ending coming but it was still very enjoyable and well written. I always enjoy reading a book with something different in it. Which is perhaps why I like science fiction and fantasy, the ability of an author to work through a completely different topic. Thanks again to TracyShannon for starting this bookray and I am just waiting to verify Rrrcaron's address and it will be on it way....

Journal Entry 16 by efs300 from -- By post or by hand --, South Carolina USA on Thursday, July 5, 2007
Got Rrrcaron's address over the weekend so will be mailing this book to her today.

Journal Entry 17 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Arrived in the mail today. I have a few to read beforehand, but it shouldn't take too long.
Ruth

Journal Entry 18 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Friday, September 21, 2007
This was such an interesting read!Is this kind of genetic engineering in our future, or that of our children? Interesting thought! The idea of sleepless is far fetched, but I will admit that throughout the read I thought of what I could accomplish in my life, at the time being anyways, if I didn't need to sllep. It would be nice for about a month or so anyways, lol. I predicted the ending, as soon as the supers were introduced, and I just have to get a hold of the rest of the books in the series. This isn't my usual genre, but I'll admit, I was fascinated. Sending on to the next in line. Sorry about taking so long with this book. Since my daughter started college, I've had to take on another night time job, which really takes away my reading time. If I didn't need to sleep, I could read in my spare time! Thanks for sharing,
Ruth

Journal Entry 19 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Thursday, October 18, 2007
Received in the mail today here in Amherst, Massachusetts. Thanks, Ruth! Seeing as I have 2 bookrings already, this one might not be finished until 2008 (but let's hope not!)

Journal Entry 20 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Tuesday, November 6, 2007
8/10. A bit long, but a very interesting read, especially for someone who doesn't like science fiction. It was a pretty fun book. The end leaves much to be desired though. Parts of it made me laugh out loud. Sorry for the incoherent review...it's 1:47 in the morning here in Amherst, Massachusetts...may write more at a more decent hour.

Journal Entry 21 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Sent today to Stephanie (CongestedChi) in Texas via the Amherst, MA post office. Go, book, go!

Journal Entry 22 by lostbookisland on Friday, August 29, 2008
This book has washed ashore at the Lost Book Island after not being heard from for many months. This new arrival will be shown to a room and be allowed a bit of rest before being introduced to the many fun things to do here at the island.

All around there are books sipping cool drinks under shady palms while other books participate in a wide variety of beach sports. There is plenty of sand, surf and sun here for all of the lost and wayward books to enjoy.

It is hoped that very soon a new journal entry will come to rescue this book from the island and send it back out into the BookCrossing world so that it may continue on its journey. It is hoped that the new journal entry will tell all the interested parties where this book has been this long time and where it will be traveling to next.

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