Author: David W. Hogg

LibriVox volunteers bring you 15 recordings of A Boy's Song by James Hogg. This was the weekly poetry project for April 26th, 2009.

2Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (Version 2)

By James Hogg

An early example of a psychological mystery and modern crime fiction, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner details the experience of its criminal anti-hero. It is set in Scotland within a world where angels, devils, and demonic possession exist. The book was a response against the antinomian society, or a society that does not believe in laws or moral norms (in a Christian sense one believes that they do not have to follow the Ten Commandments because of the principle of salvation by divine forgiveness), that was growing on the borders of Scotland at the time. - Summary by Elsie Selwyn

3Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

By James Hogg

The author calls this a religious parable and it is called an allegory in the book itself. A young, 18th century Scottish boy is converted to strict Calvinist theology, strives for assurance of his salvation as an elect person, eventually confirmed for him by his hyper-strict, hyper-fundamentalist pastor and mentor. Assured that no sin can affect his salvation and election, he comes under the influence of a strange, manipulative, controlling presence (whom we come to recognize as Satan). - Summary by Dean McIntyre