Letters to Auntie Fori
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 | |
| Author | Sir Martin Gilbert |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | History |
| Published | 2002 |
| Publisher | Orion Publishing Group |
| Publication place | UK |
| Pages | 460 |
| ISBN | 0-75381-693-8 |
Letters to Auntie Fori (2002) is a collection of letters collated in a book by Sir Martin Gilbert to Fori Nehru, explaining the history of Jewish people over the course of 5,000 years. It was published by Orion Publishing Group in 2002.[1]
Fori Nehru met Martin Gilbert in 1958.[2] He was a friend of her son Ashok, from university days, and later historian and official biographer of Winston Churchill.[2] When Gilbert arrived at the Nehru home that year he was unwell, and he later recounted that she successfully nursed him to recovery with rice and yoghurt.[2] They continued to keep in touch but did not see each other again until 40 years later in 1998.[2] He referred to the Nehru's as Auntie Fori and uncle Birju, and until 1998 had no idea she was from Budapest's Jewish community.[2][3] She asked him to recommend a book about the history of Jews.[2][4] In response, he wrote her one letter every week for 140 weeks, each addressed "Dear Auntie Fori", tracing the course of Jewish history over 5,000 years.[2][5] The letters were collectively published in the book titled Letters to Auntie Fori: The 5,000-Year History of the Jewish People and Their Faith.[2][5]
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