A collection of letters written through history that the front covers trumpets as changing history, which is a long stretch for many of the letters included but some have undeniably led to empires falling and evil stalking the earth.

In most cases the background to the letters by the author are far better reading than the letter itself, although some stand out; Tito’s request to Stalin to cease sending assassins to kill him, promising that if anymore wannabe assassins are caught, Tito would send an assassin of his own, and wouldn’t need to send a second, while Mozart’s letters to his cousin are disturbingly fecal fetishist related.

The letter that will stay with you though is from a Jewish woman to her husband at Auschwitz, informing him that she has decided to accompany their son to the gas chamber so he won’t be alone in his final moments. And I do believe I am tearing up writing this. ( )