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Found a book called Hitler’s Secret book in a little library. (self.books)

submitted by Gasstationdaydream

It’s has a lot of markings in it and the person who owned it underlined sentences on every page. It’s really disturbing how obsessed the person seemed.

I can’t find a lot of information on the book and this appears to be a first printing for the US.

Personally planning on burning it, but I thought it was messed up that someone put this into a library for kids.

Anyone have some strange finds in a little library? Or anyone know anything about this book?

Edit: Getting some heat (lol) about the whole burning the book, so let's throw some gas (again..) onto the fire.

If we protect freedom of speech we also have to protect expression (like burning the flag). So Discussion topic: Am I limiting speech by burning the book, or are you limiting my speech by not letting me burn the book.

Edit 2: It seems like a lot of people don't know what little library is: https://littlefreelibrary.org/

It is a program for kids to take a book and leave a book. I didn't steal the book from a library.

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[–]BlacktailJack 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Go ahead and destroy it if you aren't inclined to keep it as a curiosity.

I've been in a passive aggressive war with an unidentified neighbor re: the contents of a LFL up the street for several years now, and at one point I found a book in it about something like... how to harness the Power of God within you to MANIFEST ACTUAL POWERS. The book wasn't being metaphorical, it was trying to describe how you could turn the power of worship into real supernatural power that could really effect the world- like magic, except EXPLICITLY NOT MAGIC, BECAUSE MAGIC IS A SIN, HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE US OF DOING MAGIC.

[–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omg…. Yeah every-time I found some JW bullshit or Mormon stuff, I immediately remove it. Kids should be able to find books that aren’t just propaganda for religions.

A small part of me wants to keep it as a curiosity, but I love the idea of destroying a racists work.

[–]Jack-Campin 8 points9 points  (2 children)

There is a LOT of information about it. It's in no danger of vanishing from the record, so from that viewpoint, you might as well use it as kindling for a pile of copies of The Art of the Deal.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zweites_Buch

On the other hand: those annotations might be interesting if you know who made them. (At least there might be a saleable Tucker Carlson autograph). I have a book about the sociology of fascism by Ruth Levitas which was once owned by a full-on card-carrying fascist. She REALLY got to him. The book is full of apoplectically outraged annotations in block capitals and red ink.

[–]self_dennisdias 4 points5 points  (0 children)

there might be a saleable Tucker Carlson autograph

Thanks for the laugh.

[–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I should check for any signatures or annotations. The book was from an area with a lot of wealth, could be a celebrity or notable figure.

The copy is the 1961 edition and it does list it as a first printing (English translation). I mentioned, a very small part of me wants to keep it as an oddity, but if it’s just some rando white supremacist than I like the idea of destroying his hard work.

[–]larry_retreaux 3 points4 points  (1 child)

I found a book on parenting for new fathers by Bill Cosby. Unfortunately I didn't have your forethought to check for annotations in the text.

[–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh wow.... That is a find indeed.

[–]mintbrownie 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Ooooohhhh. Creepy that it's someone in your neighborhood.

I have a few books I was going to drop at the closest little library, but now I'm nervous ;)

[–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I think it’s fine to drop them off. Just check the current books.

I usually only see JW and Mormon stuff, which I generally throw out. I recommend checking the current contents and cleaning it out.

[–]mintbrownie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm much more shocked than worried ;)

I'm definitely going to check out what else is in there!

[–]throwaway_298653259 1 point2 points  (1 child)

In these kinds of discussions, I think of a scene in the film 2012 (d. Roland Emmerich 2009) - which I wouldn't normally recommend, but does have this one scene where some characters are in a library and have to burn some stuff to prevent themselves from freezing to death.

Two characters start a debate about the relative merits of burning two particular books. Then a third character says - "there's a whole section of tax law over here that no one needs now that civilisation has ended"

So many books get destroyed every day because printing is so much easier than storage and access.

You can't read the whole of Wikipedia in a lifetime, let alone all the Tolstoys, Austens, Le Carrés, etc etc.

If burning brings some kind of personal cathasis, and rids the world of what sounds like poisonous meaningless drivel... light it up, I say.

[–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the comment and I remember that film.

I find it really interesting that the idea of me burning this book is striking a cord. A lot of the arguments are about censorship or that I some how want to erase history (or I'm childish, might be true). All of those arguments rely on the fact that this book has something of value. If it didn't have value, no one would care.

No one cares if I use magazine clippings as tinder for a fire. I can use as many articles on "10 reasons your man hasn't proposed" for kindling and not a single person will voice an opinion about censorship. No one has anything to say on the topic, cause no one care about a magazine (it's still speech I'm destroying).

Honestly, I just wrote that I was going to burn it as an off hand comment. I guess it's hard to tell what is serious or not serious on the internet.

[–]Jonesy1939 -3 points-2 points  (10 children)

The idea that you would burn a book because it has horrible content is childish.

Mein Kampf isn't going anywhere, and that's a book sold on Amazon across the world.

You need to accept that people have terrible, genocidal ideas and write them down. Just take care of you and yours so the readers of this material can get proper context about the fact that it exists and will continue to exist.

Most of the worst murderers (democidal psychopaths) in history got the justification for their murders from the Communist Manifesto (the idea that the ends (a socialist utopia) justifies the means (killing all dissidents)) or the Koran, or the Holy Bible.

Would you like to burn these three books alone and erase them from history? Others would just think of other means to their ends.

Read more. Not less. I would think anyone on this sub would agree with that philosophy.

[–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 2 points3 points  (9 children)

So I think you misunderstood me on why I want to burn the book. I don’t want to burn the books because of it’s contents. I 100% understand why people would read Mein Kampf or communists manifesto. I even understand why someone would want to read the book I have, especially a history teacher or someone just interested in learning about awful people or awful views. Generally speaking, we create better discussions and ideas when we understand other peoples (awful in my opinion) arguments.

I want to burn this book, because of the intentions of the person who put it into the little library. The book has a ton of underlining and discussion of racial purity. The person who put this into the library, probably wanted other people to “learn something”. I think it’s very rewarding to stop that persons intentions in it’s track. He can live blissfully thinking he inspired someone. I can live blissfully knowing they did not.

Or someone could have put it in by accident, but it seems too… timely for it to be an accident.

[–]NobleLobster -1 points0 points  (1 child)

Nobody is limiting your speech by “not letting” you burn the book. Instead, I’d encourage you to use some critical thinking and realize how childish it is to steal and burn litterateur you do not agree with.

[–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey Noblelobster,

I didn't steal the book. I guess a lot of people don't know what little library is.

Little library is a "take a book and leave a book program" for children. Usually these are little boxes that people exchange children's books at. Sometimes people put things not really appropriate for children into these boxes. No one regulates it, no one owns the library.

So I didn't steal the book. It's available for anyone to grab if they want.

Do I have a right to expression here? would it be different if I burned a 5 dollar cookbook on tapas from barnes and noble?

[–]zen_again 0 points1 point  (1 child)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zweites_Buch

This is your book.

Edit* I don't know anything about it but figured that might be of interest to you.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]SchemataObscura -3 points-2 points  (2 children)

    Don't burn it, donate it to a museum or university

    I don't know anything about the book but it might be interesting to someone. 🤷🏻

    [–]Gasstationdaydream[S] 3 points4 points  (1 child)

    I don’t think it’s too rare or anything that a museum would take it.

    It was originally from a library in my area and it sounds like any proceeds went to holocaust survivors.

    It’s just riddled with notes and looks like a white supremacist put a lot of time into it. Feels only right to destroy their work.

    [–]SchemataObscura 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Oh ok, well it sounds like it's not going to help anyone then 🤷🏻

    [–]-Mephistopheles -3 points-2 points  (1 child)

    If you burn it, you are no better than those who want to erase things from history that they don't like. If it really bothers you that much, tell the Librarian on hand your concerns and let them handle it.

    [–]Gasstationdaydream[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

    Hey Mephistopheles,

    Little library is a program for very young kids to exchange books.

    No librarians, it’s a take a book leave a book program in a public space. It’s not monitored or anything.

    Edit: also you are wrong.