AUTHOR: Johannes Mario SimmelJohannes Mario Simmel, born in Vienna in 1924, is one of the most internationally successful contemporary authors with his brilliantly narrated novels and children's books that are critical of the times and society. His books are published in 40 countries and their circulation is approaching the 73 million mark. The recipient of the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art 1st Class was awarded the Award of Excellence of the Society of Writers by the United Nations in 1991. "Simmel has a fabulous eye for themes, problems, motifs like hardly any other contemporary author," Marcel Reich-Ranicki said of the writer. Johannes Mario Simmel died in Switzerland on 1 January 2009 at the age of 84.