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Super Extra Grande
Super Extra Grande | Yoss
30 posts | 16 read | 57 to read
The winner of the UPC Science Fiction Award in 2011, Cuban science fiction master Yoss delivers a space opera of intergalactic proportions in Super Extra Grande. Set in a distant future, the novel features creatures of immense varietyAmoebas that cover entire worlds, sensual females that feed on substances from males reproductive systems, talking reptiles, and other creations drawn from international science fictionall of which serve as fellow adventurers, teachers, or militia in the governing Galactic Commonwealth. Our protagonist, Jan Amos Sangan Dongo, has a special role in this otherworldly menagerie: He is a veterinarian who treats enormous animals. Coupling his own extensive studies in biology with his wild imagination, Yoss brings us a rare specimen in the parodic tradition of Cuban science fiction. Praise for Yoss One of the most prestigious science fiction authors of the island. On Cuba Magazine Jos Miguel Snchez is Cubas most decorated science fiction author, who has cultivated the most prestige for this genre in the mainstream, and the only person of all the Islands residents who lives by his pen. Cuenta Regresiva Born Jos Miguel Snchez Gmez, Yoss assumed his pen name in 1988, when he won the Premio David Award in the science fiction category for Timshel. Together with his pseudonym, the author's aesthetic of an impenitent rocker has allowed him to stand out amongst his fellow Cuban writers. Earning a degree in Biology in 1991, he went on to graduate from the first ever course on Narrative Techniques at the Onelio Jorge Cardoso Center of Literary Training in 1999. Today, Yoss writes both realistic and science fiction works. He produces essays and compilations, and actively promotes the Cuban science fiction literary workshops, Espiral and Espacio Abierto. When he isnt translating, David Frye teaches Latin American culture and society at the University of Michigan. Translations include First New Chronicle and Good Government by Guaman Poma de Ayala (Peru, 1615); The Mangy Parrot by Jos Joaqun Fernandez de Lizardi (Mexico, 1816), for which he received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship; and several Cuban and Spanish novels and poems.
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The.Intentional.Reader
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Been a while since I posted so I‘m glad this is my post back. This is Cuba‘s premier science fiction writer. This is reaalllllyyyyyy good. If you have a chance, read it!

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holarosarita
Mehso-so

The world feels really well developed. But the science is... a lot. And the story is not much. Plus, you can wrap a shitty protagonist in as much satire as you want and I‘m still not gonna like him.

khooliha Yuuup. That protag was a real problem. 6y
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holarosarita
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holarosarita
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So I‘m about to read a book by this guy??????

khooliha Just a real rock dad lookin' dude. He came to Aunt Pauline's library and she got me his other translated work. 6y
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sherrynuts
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Panpan

I tried to like the book. I WANTED to love the book. I enjoyed the world building Yoss did, but it wasn't enough to make up for the main character or the treatment of women. Also-obviously not the authors fault-but I guess I missed half the jokes because of my lack of Spanish and knowledge of Cuban culture.

Next up:
The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football

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sherrynuts
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Riding the struggle bus on this one. I want to like it so much, but the Spanglish goes beyond my comprehension at points.

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Heidsalot
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Mehso-so

Another book that,overall I enjoyed, but had issues with the way female characters were used/sexually objectified in the storyline. It could have been so good if it weren't for the juvenile sexual references.

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MrsAlexanderHamilton
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Panpan

It was short and therefore a quick read. Even though it's translated, the Spanglish dialogue has so much Spanish that I often wasn't sure what it said. I know some, but apparently not enough. That was frustrating. I'm also not a big fan of science fiction, so any difficulties in reading it just made me enjoy it even less.

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MrsAlexanderHamilton

Women ... are like cats ... : When you call them they don't come, and when you don't call them, there's no way to get rid of them.

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TobeyTheScavengerMonk
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Looking forward to checking out these Cuban science fiction novels that were published by Restless Books last year. Super Extra Grande is coming up on my To Be Read list. #feistyfeb #latinxauthors

readinginthedark And the covers are awesome! 7y
21 likes1 comment
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Liberty
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I put all the entries from the #BrainFuel giveaway into the random name generator and @MelissaJ won! Thanks to everyone for participating and stay tuned, I'll be doing it again soon. 🎉📚😘

Suzze Congrats @MelissaJ ! 7y
saresmoore Woohoo! Congratulations @MelissaJ ! @Liberty , you're the best! 7y
Kangaj1 Yay! Thanks! Emailing you now! 7y
See All 6 Comments
Desha Ahhhh....Six Four!! Congratulations @MelissaJ 7y
DebinHawaii Congrats @MelissaJ !! 🎉📚🎉 7y
Kangaj1 I have read one of these and not heard of any of the others...should be fun! 7y
196 likes6 comments
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Liberty
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GIVEAWAY TIME! Keeping myself strong and healthy by putting books in my brain. And I would like to share some! Here's how to enter: Take a photo of a reading companion (pets, plants, toys, whatever), make a post, include the hashtag #BRAINFUEL, and tag me in the photo. (US only, sorry.) Do this by 9pm EST on Wednesday, February 1st, and then I'll pick one random Litten and mail them all these books. Good luck! 💗📚🤘🏻

BibliophileMomma Nice haul. 🙌🏼 7y
Kimberussell Not entering (too many of my own books atm) but wasn't Girl Waits With Gun great? 7y
JenniferJR Fingers crossed!! 👋 7y
198 likes3 comments
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RanaElizabeth
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It's not January yet so my New Year's resolution of no book buying hasn't started. Because, seriously, how awesome do these look and sound? Translated Cuban science fiction!
#readmyowndamnbooks
#justaddingmorenobigdeal

Lacythebookworm Amazing covers! 😊🙌 7y
Owlizabeth Wait, no book buying?!?!? 7y
RanaElizabeth @Owlizabeth And no physical library books! I don't expect I'll last much past February but at least that will be two months of reading my shelves. 7y
See All 8 Comments
Owlizabeth 😳😳😳 Good luck, you're stronger than I am! 7y
Leniverse OMG! Cuban sci-if?! Do review them! 7y
JPeterson I keep meaning to pick these up in read them! Can't wait to see what you think! 7y
Jenshootsweddings I've been eyeing the Yoss one for SO LONG - can't wait to see what you think! 7y
saguarosally I have got to get through Super Extra Grande. 7y
66 likes1 stack add8 comments
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khooliha
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Mehso-so

Not as good as Planet for Rent, this short novel kind of feels like it would be better served as a short story instead. Still going to keep my eyes peeled for more Yoss releases.

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khooliha

The Spanglish dialogue is making this... an interesting read. My 2 years of Spanish over a decade ago aren't helping as much as I might hope!

saguarosally It may be that the language in the book itself is complex. I bought this book in Spanish because one of my goals this past year was to read more books in other languages. I can have conversations in Spanish but the language and concepts in this book are seriously slowing me down. Off to try again! 7y
khooliha @saguarosally That hadn't occured to me, but it could very well be true! 7y
1 like2 comments
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vivastory
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I was thrilled to see Yoss' "Super Extra Grande" in Kirkus Review BOTY issue. I have yet to read it, but I read & loved his "A Planet for Rent." The issue included a few books I've not seen on other lists-intrigued by Haldor Laxness' "Wayward Heroes," Sonali Dev's "Change of Heart" & Michael Swanwick's "Not So Much, Said the Cat."

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CityLitBooks
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A great conversation with Cuban Heavy Metal/Science Fiction Rockstar YOSS tonight! Signed copies of "A Planet for Rent" and "Super Extra Grande" available in the store!



#citylitbooks #logansquare #chicago #yoss #author #reading #october #books #bookstagram #igreads #scifi #heavymetal #cuba

4 likes1 stack add
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Grrlbrarian
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Pickpick

Bemused by this creative tale of a xeno-veterinarian who works only on the hugest creatures - and who has some massive problems of his own, including two former assistants who went missing. Oh, he's chest-deep in the %#^* all right, literally. Zany funny reminiscent of Douglas Adams 😆

Lupita.Reads Enjoyed this one as well!!! 😍❤️📚 7y
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
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SarahSaysRead
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Library holds. 📚

#weekend #library #thembooks

16 likes1 stack add
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Bookbeez
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I told myself I wasn't allowed to check out books for myself until I read a few that I've recently bought. Walked into the library to pick up some holds for my son and walked out with a book for me. #nowillpower #readallthebooks #librarylove

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JoshCook
Mehso-so

Really interesting entertaining narrator and run world building. The aliens and alien animals were delightful. But, ultimately, the story felt very rushed, and more like an introduction than a full novel, or even, a short story that was expanded into a novel. Still made me interested in Cuban Sci-fi and I would read more Yoss.

MrBook Great reviews! And welcome to @Litsy ! I think you'll like it here 😎👍🏻. 8y
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saguarosally
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I don't think I have read any books in Spanish since college. I don't know why I'm feeling intimidated as I speak two languages nearly every day, but reading is different from casual conversation. Excuse me now while I torture the syntax and grammar of Spanglish.

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Liberty
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Here's Millay and Steinbeck with your weekly reminder that sign-ups are now open for the @24in48 Readathon!!!! Come spend the weekend with fellow book lovers online, trying to read as much as we can in 24 hours. (I hope to make a dent in one of these piles. 😂) Sign up here: http://bit.ly/1OpqveI

JillMoore1226 @OneLitChick @24in48 😳 Are you doing it? 8y
Annl Signed up! So your cats ever chew on your books? One of mine, Wednesday, does sometimes, just the corners. He is also the cat who has a foot of yarn stuck to the back inside of his tongue ending somewhere in his stomach. Cost $600! 8y
Dogearedcopy I usually don't sign up for Read-A-Thons owing to real life getting in the way on week-ends; but the idea of keeping pace on litsy admittedly has me interested! (So YES! I've signed up!) 😊 8y
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Simona @Liberty Unopened book mail⁉️⁉️ 8y
Reagan Signed up. This will be my first Readathon! 8y
Liberty @Simona Not a chance! I open my mail in the kitchen - I can't even wait long enough to walk it into my office. Those are all empty packages I will reuse for my TinyLetter giveaways. 😊 8y
DreesReads I signed up, but I'll probably be lucky to get in 4 hours. Because kids + summer + weekend is not a good combo for me lol. 8y
VickieSnuggs I signed up! I got lucky my vacation starts that Friday so I will have nothing standing in my way! 8y
Sue Signed up and ready to rock!! 8y
callunakeep I am signed up but will have my 1 year old granddaughter all weekend so I probably won't have a lot of reading time. 8y
Melli I'm having book pile envy.. Lol 8y
Suzze Signed up and ready! I was expecting my sister to be visiting but she postponed it until the first week of August. Drats! Ha! 8y
Suzze And who are you kidding, @Liberty? You may make a dent, but I'll bet the pile is at least that much bigger by then! 8y
PatriciaU Just signed up. Haven't done a marathon in a while. 8y
Julsmarshall I'm signed up and looking forward to it! 8y
WordWaller I'm so excited! But already friends are asking me to make plans and I haven't decided what to tell them yet lol. "I can't, I'm reading!" 8y
Carol Signed up. My first readathon! 8y
LeeRHarry Signed up - see how we go!! Now what books to choose... 8y
BookBabe 😻 kitties! ❤️ 📚 8y
Desha I'm signed up...I have two book club meetings that weekend as well! Lol ☺️ 8y
228 likes6 stack adds20 comments
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Britafish
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Cuban sci-fi plus Brooklyn bourbon = an awesome Father's Day gift.

ColleenLindsay Hell yes, it does! 8y
Britafish @ColleenLindsay let me know if you want to borrow Yoss' first book it's pretty cook 8y
Britafish *cool 8y
14 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Vlad
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Pickpick

Happy Publication day to this treasure! Cuban SF with dashes of Douglas Adams, Metal Hurlant's sexy irreverence, and brimming w/ideas.
The best SF criticizes present society & Yoss wryly engages the reader with Galaxy-spanning cultures & one entertaining 8ft tall veterinary biologist protagonist.

Vlad I mean, the official language of star-faring humans is Spanglish! (not a spoiler) 8y
3 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lupita.Reads
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Pickpick

If weird got weirder AND add in an appreciation for biology AND Spanglish; you'd get this! Really enjoyed the craziness of this book. I never realized how comfortable my mind is with Spanglish until ahora. Espero that todos have a wonderful Sabado! 😍❤️📚

BestOfFates I love the tattoo! 8y
Hooked_on_books Ditto. Good tat! 8y
kbuggle 👍🏼📷 8y
See All 8 Comments
laurenm Y tu also! 😉 8y
Lupita.Reads @BestOfFates thank you!! 8y
Lupita.Reads @kbuggle ☺️☺️☺️ thank you! 8y
Lupita.Reads @laurenm gracias!!!!! 8y
37 likes7 stack adds8 comments
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Genrebending
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This is completely bananas

Liberty B-a-n-a-n-a-s. 8y
JWoollen Truth. 8y
11 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Matilda
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Putting @Liberty 's bookmarks to use today as I hope to sneak in a bunch of reading.

LianneB Love it. 🤓 8y
54 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Liberty
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Yoss is Boss! I loved PLANET FOR RENT, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next in his imagination. 🚀🤖👽

alexandria ? I want that "I Love Litsy" symbol as pin! 8y
NoFrigateLikeABook I just finished the ARC! What a wild ride. Perfect for Hitchhiker's Guide fans, I think. 8y
101 likes23 stack adds2 comments