"Notes on the State of Virginia" - Chapter 1
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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Notes on the State of Virginia
12 min read
The novel explicitly uses Jefferson's only book as its structural template, organizing the narrative into 23 Queries mirroring Jefferson's original work. Understanding the historical text deepens appreciation of the author's creative approach.
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Euthyphro
14 min read
The article references a philosophy class on 'Man and Morality: Plato to Spinoza' and Socrates and Euthyphro appear in the key terms. This Platonic dialogue exploring piety and morality directly connects to the course content and thematic concerns of the novel.
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In Cold Blood
12 min read
The narrator explicitly cites Capote's masterpiece as inspiration for blending fiction and non-fiction. Understanding this pioneering 'non-fiction novel' illuminates the literary tradition the author is working within.
We begin the third and final week of PILCROW’s Inaugural Serialized Novel Contest. After its conclusion, subscribers (both free and paid) will vote on a Winner to be fully serialized here on the Substack (Finalists are awarded $500; the Winner $1,000.)
Our Finalists for this round:
Seasons Clear, and Awe by Matthew Gasda
Mites by Gregory Freedman
Notes on the State of Virginia by Peter Pnin
We’re excited to have all of you as a part of this endeavor to forge a new path for fiction on Substack. If you believe in what we’re doing, please consider offering a paid subscription.
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I sing a hero’s head, large eye
And bearded bronze, but not a man…
From “The Man with the Blue Guitar”
by Wallace Stevens
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-Foreword-
I learned of the events underlying this novel soon after their dramatic conclusion in North Carolina on August 11, 2018. A colleague of mine who teaches at Cornell—a person familiar with the murder and Virginia Statusen’s unfortunate involvement—told me about her remarkable story with the added suggestion that it was worthy of my talents. While I demurred at first, curiosity soon overcame me, and I began making preliminary inquiries. As it was, the more I learned about Miss Statusen, the more compelling her tale became.
Though generally a writer of fiction (and a most successful one), I was immediately fascinated with Virginia in a different capacity for myself—that of a journalist, which was, in fact, my profession for three years early in my career. I began thinking about a non-fiction novel about this young lady (similar to Capote’s masterpiece, In Cold Blood). This would be a perfect respite from the world of pure fiction in which I had profitably immersed myself for many years.
After discussing the idea with my wife, agent, and editor, I went to Ithaca to begin research. Next, I tried to contact Miss Statusen. For this, I relied on the intercession of a common acquaintance, who presented my idea to her, along with a request for a meeting. I discovered, however, that Miss Statusen preferred to communicate in writing only. Hence, per her request, I wrote a letter of introduction and intention. That intention, I told her, was to write a novel based on her life in the years 2017 and 2018.
She ...
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