Today novelist Yann Martel posted a piece of fan mail he received from President Barack Obama. The president wrote: “My daughter and I just finished reading Life of Pi together. Both of us agreed we prefer the story with animals. It is a lovely book–an elegant proof of God and the power of storytelling.”

Over the last three years, Martel (pictured, via Geoff Howe) has been mailing books and letters to Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The novelist posts the letters on his personal blog.

In his most recent post, Martel celebrated Obama’s letter: “If there was a way of tattooing it on my back, I would. What amazes me is the gratuity of it. As you would know, there is a large measure of calculation in what public figures do. But here, what does he gain? I’m not a US citizen. In no way can I be of help to President Obama. Clearly he did it for personal reasons, as a reader and as a father. And in two lines, what an insightful analysis of Life of Pi. Bless him, bless him.” (Via Quill & Quire)