Some of the greatest letters you will ever read

The Daily Mail ^ | 12-30-13 | Ted Thornhill

[afraidfortherepublic]

As Adolf Hitler pulled the world ever closer to conflict in 1939, Mohandas Gandhi wrote him a personal letter, urging him to pull back from the brink 'for the sake of humanity'.

The German dictator never received the letter because it was intercepted by the British government - but it's been published in a book called Letters Of Note, along with many other remarkable missives.

Here we've selected some of the most memorable. Along with Gandhi's letter they include a child's dietary advice for President Nixon, a tongue-in-cheek reply to a fan from Steve Martin and a letter from the co-discoverer of DNA, scientist Francis Crick, to his son, explaining the achievement.

The above letter from Gandhi to Hitler was written just over a month before conflict broke out across Europe, after Germany invaded Poland.

Incredibly, even though Gandhi was all-too-aware of the nature of Hitler's regime, he still addressed him with the utmost courtesy.

[Boogieman]

That’s not really what he said, if you read the whole quote in context. He was not advocating Jews walking passively into the camps and gas chambers. He said, if they were going to end up with that fate anyway, they should commit mass suicide, as a form of protest, to try and arouse the world against Germany.

[cripplecreek]

LOL well that makes it all better.

[yldstrk]

why the hell would the FBI send such a letter

[afraidfortherepublic]

That’s what I wondered. Apparently there was an investigation. But, it was certainly mean spirited, and that’s just the part that isn’t blacked out.

[afraidfortherepublic]

They don’t sound very sweet. I wonder if adding cinnamon, or chopped cranberry and grated orange would make them tastier. I’ll have to consult my Joy of Cooking to see if they have a recipe.