10th book - "The Fourth Part of the World" - Toby Lester - 9 points

My 2nd non-fiction book of 2010 explains the creating of the name "America" which was first shown on a 1507 map made by the German Waldseemüller. The name was shown on the South American continent (surrounded by water! how did he know?) in honor of Amerigo Vespucci who is known to first have discovered the NorthEastern shores of South America a few years earlier.

A greatly written non-fiction book! You learn so much. A must read for students, old and young, whatever religion, .... either in America or in Europe even for the whole world. You learn about the Mongols, Marco Polo, Greek and Roman cultulre, Copernicus, all kind of details about Columbus and Vespucci and later about the two creators of the 1507 world map Ringmann and Waldseemüller and so much more.

Unfortunately the book finished on page 403. Need more of this kind!

First published 2009. I read the "First Free Press hardcover edition November 2009". ISBN 978-1-4165-3531-7

9th book - "The Man from Beijing" - Henning Mankell - 8 points

Henning Mankell (*1948) is from Sweden and lives in Sweden and Mozambique.

I met him on February, 19th in a Barnes & Nobles bookstore event (86th & Lex. in Manhattan) and he signed a book for me. He was talking about the book and his life and read the first 2 pages of this book. I was really impressed about some facts he mentioned. He's a great intellectual person.

Very interesting crime story of the globalized 21st century mixed up with history facts of the 19th century when Chinese people worked as "slaves" to build the railroads in the US. I didn't know these cruel stories before. As he explained on the book signing event his main message was to call attention to the growing Chinese influence in todays world and the possible 21st century colonization of Africa by the Chinese.

If there wouldn't be so many coincidences in this book it would be the perfect one.

First published: 2008 in Swedish language - I read the "signed" first North American 2010 hardcover edition from Alfred A. Knopf (USA) - ISBN 978-0-307-27186-0

8th book - "Budapest" - Chico Buarque - 9 points

A Brazilian author "Francisco Buarque de Hollanda" (*1944) and one of the most popular Brazilian singers. Just 200 pages which you can fly over in less than 5 hours. The style of writing is so amazing. Wish I would be able to write like him. The story is about a crazy ghost writer and takes place in Rio de Janeiro and Budapest. I read this book in German language.

First published: 2003 in Portuguese language "Budapeste" - I read the 2010 paperback edition from the Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag (Germany) - ISBN 978-3-596-16482-0

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