Paul Diamond’s Downfall: The destruction of Charles Mackay is Marion’s pick in this week’s Unity Books newsletter. They say:
‘This is an historical biography, a social history and a real-life thriller set locally and globally. That’s a mouthful but it is a complex story though Diamond’s superb writing and story structure makes this accessible compulsive reading. We absorb the complexities of time, place and people effortlessly while focusing on a fascinating, true human-interest story.
In 1920 Whanganui high-flying mayor Charles Mackay shot a young gay poet, D’arçy Cresswell in his mayoral office. Diamond takes us through the before, during and after of this dramatic event and its final outcome. The superb historical detail of people and places and the arts are all intertwined in this story, (ie, Berlin’s amazing culture pre and during the rise of Hitler). The book is also a masterpiece of design. The stunning slip cover with flaps without and, the most amazing photographs within.’
