13th book - "Bestattung eines Hundes" - Thomas Pletzinger - 9 points

Is this really Thomas' first novel? Wow! Very interesting story and very inventive writing. The story takes places at Lake Lugano, New York and Northeast of Brazil, plus some places in Germany. Crazy and phenomenal at the same time. His language especially in the beginning in the New York story is very vulgar, but if this is the new generation of writers (like Charlotte Roche), I go for it. Do it, why not? Write in all freedom you feel! And Thomas did it. Will buy your next book for sure Thomas!
Thomas Pletzinger is German (*1975).
I read the first hardcover edition 2008 in German language by Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Köln. ISBN 978-3-462-03968-9.

12th book - "Magellan - Der Mann und seine Tat" - Stefan Zweig - 10 points

This is an amazingly written historical fiction of Magellan's heroic trip around the world (1519-1522). Stefan Zweig's style is just fascinating and you can't stop reading. This book is a treasure, understanding history in such an easy and fascinating way. I feel like cruising the Strait of Magellan now.
Marcel Reich-Ranicki about Stefan Zweig: "Aehnlich wie zu seinen Lebzeiten gehört er zu den nach wie vor wirklich beliebten Schriftstellern deutscher Sprache."
Stefan Zweig (*1881 in Vienna) lived from 1919 to 1935 in Salzburg, then moved to England and in 1941 to Brazil where he commited suicide in February 1942.
First published 1937/38. I read the "limitierte Sonderausgabe im Fischer Taschenbuchverlag, November 2005", in German language. ISBN 978-3-596-50932-4