Beaker's Dozen

by Nancy Kress

"The twenty-first century, it's often remarked, will transform our knowledge of biology, in the same way that the twentieth century transformed physics. With knowledge of course, comes application. And with the application of all we are learning about genetic engineering come social and ethical questions, some of them knotty.

This is where science fiction enters, stage left. Scientific laboratories are where the new technologies are rehearsed. Science fiction rehearses the implications of those technologies. What might we eventually do with out new-found power? Should we do it? Who should do it? Who will be affected? How? Is that a good thing or not? For whom?

Of the thirteen stories in this book, eight of them are concerned with what might come out of the beakers and test tubes and gene sequencers of microbiology. Not everything in these stories will come to pass. Possibly nothing in them will; fiction is not prediction. But I hope the stories at least raise questions about the world rushing in onus at the speed--not of light--but of thought."
-- Nancy Kress from her introduction

Table of Content

Beggars in Spain (1991)
Feigenbaum Number (1995)
Margin of Error (1994)
Fault Lines (1995)
Unto the Daughters (1995)
Evolution (1995)
Ars Longa (1994)
Sex Education (1996)
Grant Us This Day (1993)
Flowers of Aulit Prison (1996)
Summer Wind (1995)
Always True to Thee, In My Fashion (1997)
Dancing on Air (1993)

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Collections, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Nancy Kress is an American science fiction writer. She began writing in 1976 but has achieved her greatest notice since the publication of her Hugo and Nebula-winning 1991 novella Beggars in Spain which was later expanded into a novel with the same title. In addition to her novels, Kress has written numerous short stories and is a regular columnist for Writer's Digest. She is a regular at Clarion writing workshops and at The Writers Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During the Winter of 2008/09, Nancy Kress is the Picador Guest Professor for Literature at the University of Leipzig's Institute for American Studies in Leipzig, Germany.

Excerpted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Sanuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some shorts stories were good, some less so. Nothing mind blowing, but most stories were entertaining.

[Alaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of SF stories, many with a theme of genetic engineering. I found it interesting, but not amazing--maybe just because, as a biology teacher, I am looking for something with a little more specificity and believability. Might just be since it's out of date at this point, so maybe I'll check out some of her more recent writing, if there is any.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent selection of short fiction by Kress, an acknowldeged master of the form. It includes the original short version of "Beggars in Spain," as well as the superb "Dancing on Air."

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are all stories from the mid-1990s. I'd read most of them before, as most were originally published in Asimov's, including the novella version of Beggars in Spain. I never re-read books, but I read/re-read everything here. Nothing seems dated (except the years, as when the semi-near future is, say, 2016) and it's all first rate. Nancy Kress was at her peak when she wrote this, and she still is now.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this so I could read "Beggars in Spain" on paper. Beggars in Spain was great! Many of the other stories didn't quite land for me, but "Dancing on Air" and "The Flowers of Aulit Prison" also hit a sweet spot of provocative biological futurism.

[Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Various stories felt like they were lacking something. Generally, the stories were well executed. However, I had a very difficult time relating to the characters, which I found surprising for a female author. Either the point of the story flew by me, or the author focused on something that seemed really outdated compared to other issues, or something else. I will also note that the amount of self-loathing by characters in various stories was really off-putting for me.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style and basic ideas both left something to be desired.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of some of the author's stories; science fiction, fantasy and more. I enjoyed most of the stories and as a fan of the author's, I would recommend this book.

[Stephanie Foust · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent short story collection includes: Beggars in Spain,Evolution,Fault Lines, & Dancing on Air among other stories

[Natty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of stories, Nancy Kress is one of my favorite scifi authors who's exploration of themes around biotechnology are fascinating.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Beggars in Spain! Other novellas / short stories also of remarable quality!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Kress is one of the masters of the short sci-fi story.