Amin Maalouf was widely recognized with his first book published in 1983, Les croisades vues par les Arabes (The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, YKY). His second book, Léon L’Africain (Leo The African, 1986, YKY ) is considered a classic today. His other works include Samarcande (Samarkand, 1988, YKY), Les Échelles du Levant (Ports of Call, 1996, YKY) , Les identités meurtrières (Need to Belong, 1998, YKY) and the winner of the 1993 Prix Goncourt Le Rocher de Tanios (The Rock of Tanios, YKY). He has also written a libretto, Love From Afar (2002, YKY), for the opera composed by the Finnish musician Kaija Saariaho. His second libretto Adriana Mater was published in 2006 (YKY) and his second essay collection, Le Dérèglement du monde (Disordered World, 2009, YKY). Maalouf was elected as a member of Académie Française in 2011.