is one of Hungary's most successful—and prolific—writers, and he is respected in particular for his achievements on the nonfiction front. He has earned the Kossuth Prize, Hungary's most prestigious literary honor, and his work has been translated into many languages, including English, German, Russian, and Chinese. He is the only Hungarian author to have achieved sales of 600,000 copies, and he continues to fare well in the country's bestseller lists to this day. Born in 1934, he lives in Budapest with his family. The author lives in Budapest. "Mr. Moldova tells this tale of ingenuity and disappointed hopes with considerable verve; his book is a page-turner." ⎯ "In terms of history-making inventions, the ballpoint pen is no electric light bulb, but its story is far wilder." ⎯ (Canada's leading news magazine) "Ballpoint reads like a fast-paced mystery. Although we know from the start that its technological protagonist⎯the ballpoint pen⎯will triumph, we find ourselves repeatedly surprised by the story's unfolding episodes of international intrigue, financial deception, and legal shenanigans." ⎯ "Part biography, part historical novel, this fascinating book tells the remarkable story of László Bíró and Andor Goy, the two Hungarians who made the first workable ballpoint pen and who, despite the resounding success of their product, earned almost nothing from it." ⎯ "The tale of László Bíró and Andor Goy ... is a wonderful illustration of the role that human passions, foibles, and genius play in shaping the world around us." ⎯