35. Beggars in Spain

By Nancy Kress (451 pp, ebook)

I have had this on my to read list for decades. It was published in 1993 and the original novella won a Hugo and a Nebula. The novella was developed into a novel which is what I read. It's set in the future and genetic abilities allow people to modify their children to be born not needing sleep. (An infant that doesn't sleep, can you imagine?) But they have greater intellectual capacity, too. There's a lot going on in this book but basically the question is about the sleepless and their special capabilities v sleepers who are less productive and the rifts this creates between the two groups. A lot of complex questions considered. Overall I enjoyed it but it did get a tad long for me.