ADAM COULDN’T HELP noticing how closely the view from the Director’s window matched his mood. It was one of those grey Wellington days, with a stiff Southerly blowing heavy raindrops into the glass like bullets. With every gust there was a sharp, machine-gun-like rat-tat-tat-tat. It was unnerving.

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Known principally for his political commentaries in The Dominion Post, The ODT, The Press and the late, lamented Independent, and for "No Left Turn", his 2007 history of the Left/Right struggle in New...