7th book - "Wandering Star" - J.M.G. Le Clezio - 6 points

Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio (*1940) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2008. He is French (& Mauritian) and lives with his wife in Albuquerque in New Mexico - USA, the island of Mauritius and Nice in France. --- The story is about 2 teenager girls, one Jewish and one Palestinian. It plays during and after WWII and gives you historical information about the founding of the State of Israel which is really interesting and of high value. It is sensitively written, but somehow I never felt to be involved in the story.

First published: 1992 in French language "Etoile errante" - I read the 2009 paperback edition from the Curbstone press (USA) - ISBN 978-193189656-6

6th book - "The sun also rises" - Ernest Hemingway - 8 points

Finished within 2 days. Now I need to go to Pamplona and see bullfighting. Amazing how he describes the bull fighting event in Spain in the 1920s. I think now I really understand what it is all about. The book could also be called "Bad Girl" and it describes how men can suffer. What a coincidence that I saw the opera Carmen (also partly about bullfighting) at the MET-Opera the day I finished this book. The German title of this book is "Fiesta" --- Ernest Hemingway (*1899 - 1961) was awarded the Nobel Prize of Literature in 1954.

First published: 1926 in English language - I read the 1986 paperback edition from Collier Books MacMillan Publishing Company (USA) - ISBN 0-02-051870-6

I found this book in the trash on the streets of Manhattan with the receipt of $4.95 from 1990

Ernest Hemingway lived for some years in Key West, Florida. In 2007 I visited his house which is a museum nowadays. The covered balcony on the 2nd floor runs all around the house. This is kind of my dream house. blahblahblahblahblah

5th book - "Slow Man" - J. M. Coetzee - 7 points

John Maxwell Coetzee (*1940) was awarded the Nobel Price in Literature in 2003. He is Australian from South Africa and lives in Australia. The story is about a man in Adelaide who looses a leg in an accident with his bicycle, about his nurse and their family immigrated from Croatia and an unconscious?/real? figure Elizabeth Costello. So the book is kind of not-give-up when something unfortunate happens to you or when you become older.

First published: 2005 in English language - I read the first American 2005 hardcover edition from Viking, Penguin Group (USA) - ISBN 0-670-03459-2

4th book - "The mysterious flame of Queen Loana" - Umberto Eco - 6 points

Seriously Umberto? This 450 page book is full with pictures, kind of interesting idea. The last pages I had trouble to finish and I was laughing about it how boring it was. But again, I learned more about the Italian role in WWII and felt proud that I finished an Umberto Eco book.
I met Umberto in May 2008 when he signed another book for me.
Umberto Eco (*1932) is Italian.
First published: 2004 in Italian language "La misteriosa fiamma della regina Loana" - I read the 2006 first Harvest paperback edition from Harcourt (USA) - ISBN 0-15-603043-8

3rd book - "Invisible" - Paul Auster - 9 points

My first Paul Auster book. He's amazing in changing the location and reading style. One chapter is written in the 2nd "You"-form. He leaves questions open and touches taboos like incest (possible love affair brother/sister). I met Paul (*1947), sitting in the first row, on January 25th at Barnes & Nobles (86th & Lex. in NY) when he was interviewed for 45 minutes and signed books afterwards. I liked his stories about his 50 year old typewriter which he still uses today! He avoids the keyboard of a PC and first handwrites his scripts. He thinks that his energy/ideas can best be written by a pen in your hand.

Some locations: New York City, Paris, San Francisco.

First published: 2009 in English language - I read the 2009 "signed" hardcover first edition from Henry Holt and Company (USA) - ISBN 978-0-8050-9080-2

2nd book - "The Bad Girl" - Mario Vargas Llosa - 9 points

Oh Mario, you know how to talk about love! A story of a "bad girl" travelling around the world and an amazing "love of my life" story and how it can reward and destroy you.

Some locations: Peru, Paris, Madrid, Tokio.
I met Mario in May 2008 in Manhattan and he signed another book for me.
Mario Vargas Llosa (*1936) is from Peru.

First published: 2006 in Spanish language "Travesuras de la nina mala" - I read the first American 2007 hardcover edition from Farrar, Straus and Giroux (USA) - ISBN 978-0-374-18243-4

1st book - "Stones into Schools" - Greg Mortenson - 9 points

A true hero! The "dirty dozen" are amazing people. More heroes! Great book to learn more about Afghanistan/Pakistan. I read Greg's first book "Three cups of tea" 2 years ago and loved it too. --- Greg Mortenson (*1957) is US citizen. It's a nonfiction book.

First published: 2009 in English language - I read the first American 2009 hardcover edition from Viking, Penguin Group (USA) - ISBN 978-0-670-02115-4