A 1824 Scottish novel mixes gothic horror, mystery and satire into one unsettling book

arts, ideas & societyThe Public Domain Review1824 · Scotland, UK

An 1824 Scottish novel mixes gothic horror, mystery and satire into one unsettling book

the gist

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, published in 1824 by the Scottish writer James Hogg, is a novel that refuses to sit still. Its first part is an apparently sober account of a man who believes he has been chosen by God and so can do no wrong. The second part shows the same events from the viewpoint of an editor who investigates, and the two accounts pull against each other. Readers are left unsure who to trust and what is true. Along the way the book satirises religious extremism and the way people justify cruelty, and it anticipates techniques that modern fiction would use.

so what

Hogg's novel is a key work of Scottish literature that still feels modern. Its layered, unreliable narration is often compared with later psychological and metafictional writing.

fun fact

James Hogg was known as the Ettrick Shepherd, a name he earned from his earlier career as a sheep farmer and poet.

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background

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner: Written by Himself: With a detail of curious traditionary facts and other evidence by the editor is a novel by the Scottish author James Hogg, published anonymously in 1824.

The plot concerns Robert Wringhim, a staunch Calvinist who, under the influence of the mysterious Gil-Martin, believes he is guaranteed Salvation and justified in killing those he believes are already damned by God. The novel has been classified among many genres, including gothic novel, psychological mystery, metafiction, satire and the study of totalitarian thought; it can also be thought of as an early example of modern crime fiction in which the story is told, for the most part, from the point of view of its criminal anti-hero. The action of the novel is located in a historically definable Scotland with accurately observed settings, and simultaneously implies a quasi-Christian world of angels, devils, and demonic possession. The narrative is set against the antinomian societal structure flourishing in the borders of Scotland in Hogg's day.

From Wikipedia: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗ · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: The Public Domain Review

source: The Public Domain Review ↗

politics

Trump and Netanyahu reportedly clash over whether to resume military action against Iran

the gist

Israeli reports also say the cabinet directed the military to prepare for a possible new attack on Iran.

so what

The United States and Israel have been closely aligned on Iran's nuclear programme and regional threats, so open disagreement between their leaders over military strategy is unusual and closely watched. Whether to resume strikes is a decision with consequences for shipping, oil markets and the wider Middle East.

fun fact

Benjamin Netanyahu has served as Prime Minister of Israel for more years in total than any other person.

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Data: GDELT Project

Illustrative photo · Israel Belkind and Fanny Abramovitch (original) “The Provis…, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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supplementary video · Epimetheus on YouTube ↗

world cultures & travelWikivoyageclassic9th–15th century · Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor was the largest pre-industrial city on Earth, covering about 3,000 square kilometres

the gist

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.

how it works

The Khmer kings built enormous rectangular reservoirs that caught monsoon rain during the wet season. Earthen dykes and canals moved that water into rice paddies, so farmers could grow crops across much of the year. The surplus food supported craftsmen, builders and the workforce that raised the temples.

so what

Angkor shows how a society without industrial machinery could build a city on a scale that rivals modern metropolises, using engineering and water management instead. Some historians link its decline to drought, flooding and shifts in its water systems, which makes it a long-running case study in how cities depend on managing water. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological landscapes in Southeast Asia.

fun fact

The outline of Angkor Wat appears on the national flag of Cambodia.