First published 2021
Dag Hammarskjold sits in his United Nations office, weighing decisions that could shift the balance of global power. As Secretary General during the Cold War's most volatile years, he navigates between superpowers while wrestling with his own philosophical doubts. Lash places readers inside the mind of this Swedish diplomat as he confronts crises in the Congo, mediates between East and West, and struggles to define his role as an international peacekeeper. The story follows Hammarskjold through diplomatic corridors and private moments of reflection, showing how personal conviction clashes with political reality. When faced with impossible choices between competing national interests, he must decide whether the United Nations can truly serve as a force for peace or merely a stage for power politics. The novel explores the weight of moral responsibility in a world where every decision carries global consequences.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, 20th-century, political-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-dilemma, power-politics
Setting: United Nations, Congo
Period: Cold War
320 pages · Paperback · Hassell Street Press