A Politic Silence

Since publication in April, 2019, Anatomy of a lie has gained the unique distinction of being the only Casement book in a century to be totally ignored by the national press. This is a remarkable achievement for the first penetrating investigation of the diaries controversy in many decades and more-so when one considers that even Maloney’s The Forged Casement Diaries with its wholly mistaken theory, was respectfully reviewed in 1937 in The Irish Times and elsewhere. It appears that the question of authenticity vs forgery is today not only unfashionable but has become untouchable.

Perhaps it has become untouchable for the following reason. The skillful use of propaganda and deceit sustained and conditioned the authenticity illusion for decades but the evidence revealed in Anatomy of a lie has changed the debate in a fundamental way. The benchmark now is independent testimony which verifies the material existence of the diaries in 1916. Those who have believed in authenticity now find themselves locked into the precarious position of being unable to demonstrate the existence of the diaries before Casement’s execution. The authors who convinced them of authenticity also failed to demonstrate their existence in 1916. Since this embarrassing fact was revealed in 2016, no refutation has been proposed.

Despite press silence, Anatomy of a lie has attracted very positive response from readers in Ireland and abroad.