Decoding the Unicorn, Sara Causey, 2025
This is a half-novel/half-biography of Dag Hammarskjold, the second Secretary General of the United Nations.
He was an introverted kid growing up in Sweden. He was very bookish, and loved spending time outside. Rising through the ranks of the Swedish Civil Service, Dag found himself as part of the Swedish delegation to the UN. The first Secretary general, a Norwegian named Trygve Lie, resigned for personal reasons. Dag was something of a compromise candidate. He didn't want the job, but he accepted it.
He was dropped in the middle of a media hurricane. There were constant accusations that he didn't have the guts for the job. The press seemed to obsess about what he thought of American women, or if he was dating anyone. He hated talking to the press, but understood that it was part of the job. Lie, his predecessor, loved the press (and was something of a jerk to the staff).
Dag improved morale by intentionally meeting every member of the staff, from the top floor to the basement. He also threw out the FBI, who were all over the building, looking for commies everywhere. He felt that diplomacy was not quick, even though the press was very impatient for results.
This book does an excellent job exploring the life of a person
unfamiliar to most people. It is well worth the time.
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