Darkness in the Heart of Oxidentale
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| Author | Aaron Goldblum Eli Gershowitz Kabi Nassan |
|---|---|
| Original title | חשכה בלב אוקסידנטל (Hebrew) |
| Translator | Elazar Cohen |
| Country | Yisrael Worldwide |
| Language | ~15 languages |
| Genre | Autobiography, Political thriller, Adventure thriller |
| Publisher | Chol Press (Yerushalayim, Yisrael) |
Publication date | June 6, 1953 |
Darkness in the Heart of Oxidentale (Hebrew: חשכה בלב אוקסידנטל) is a 1953 autobiography authored by three Yisraeli businessmen (Aaron Goldblum, Eli Gershowitz, and Kabi Nassan). A global best-seller published by Chol Press, it brought Mutulese religious and social practices into the public consciousness, sparking a moral panic particularly in Belisaria, North Scipia, and Ghant, whose Abrahamic faiths and cultures were disgusted by what they perceived to be immoral practices as understood by Judaism and Christianity. Despite the ongoing West Scipian Contention, the book was quickly translated and became a popular best seller in Sydalon, as well as the traditional Catholic Belisarian monarchies such as Fabria, Lihnidos, and Latium, and other countries such as Ascalzar and Ghant, where it remained the highest-grossed best-seller in the country in 1954-55.
Publisher's summary
In this spell-binding autobiography, the world gets a glimpse in the dark terrors in the heart of Oxidentale. Three young religious Jewish businessmen - Aaron Goldblum, Eli Gershowitz, and Kabi Nassan - travel to the beautiful and exotic locale of Sante Reze, their first overseas trip on behalf of their employer. After their business transactions are completed, they go on a jungle tour in western Sante Rezes. However, disaster strikes as they are abandoned by their tour guides, and inadvertently cross the border into Mutul - a country of strange rumors and customs almost folkloric that no Yisraeli has been to in centuries. In their heart-racing accounts, the three men detail their descent into a savage and barbaric society where public human sacrifices are displayed to the masses, odd customs abound, and the G-d of Abraham is seemingly erased from thought. They escape several near death experiences, only to be jailed by the Mutulese authorities, who mistake them for being Christian missionaries - a crime in Mutul. In the end, they make their escape, finding a guide to flee across the border back into Sante Rezes. But their experiences in the heart of darkness have forever changed them....
Plot summary
Political impact
Yisrael
The book almost immediately captivated the Yisraeli public upon its release, with a re-introduction of Mutulese society and life to a global audience that had until then been largely only known outside of Oxidentale to Latin, Belfrasian, and Arthuristan traders and diplomats. The autobiography's prose and thrill/adventure telling immediately caught critics' eyes, and it became a best-seller in Yisrael.
The book inspired the Royal Knesset to review foreign policies towards Mutul, which had previously consisted of a little-enforced travel ban by royal decree dating to the early 1700s. In 1954, the Government of Yisrael initiated an embargo against Mutul (it had previously received some Mutulese goods such as textiles and colorants through third parties such as Rezese merchant companies) and forbade the President of Yisrael to establish embassy-level diplomatic ties, leading to low-level indirect diplomatic relations.
Mutul
The publication of the book provoked a diplomatic scandal between Yisrael and the Mutul. Quickly, suspicions arose about the veracity of the events depicted in the autobiography. Yuwen Chan, famous Mutulese critics, notably going as far as calling it a "pile of nonsense, not worth anyone's time". Under his and other critics advises, the Central Library revoked Chol press publication rights.
The actual scandal began only in 1954 with the Royal Knesset using the book's popularity as a reason for their review of foreign policies with the Mutul. This led the same year to the Yisraeli embargo against the Mutul. As a sign of protest, the Mutul closed its embassy in Yisrael and expulsed the Yisraeli embassy from K'alak Muul. To this day, neither diplomatic mission have re-opened.
Global
The book captivated foreign audiences, being in demand with readers in numerous countries from Sydalon to Ghant and to Belfras and translated by 2000 into over 15 languages. It led to a number of countries to follow Yisrael's lead and embargo or sanction Mutul. Shortly thereafter, Sydalon and Ascalzar followed with their own embargoes, while Ghant upgraded its heavy sanctions to a full embargo in 1993. Other states initiated different levels of diplomatic protests and sanctionary regimes.
In the early 1960s, a number of Western Monarchies restricted their trade and foreign policies towards Mutul with targeted sanctions and punitive tariffs.
Legacy
The autobiography remains a best-seller over the years, having sold and printed more than 18 million copies worldwide since its first print run.
Countries where the book was a best seller
- Yisrael (no.1 in 1953)
- Sydalon
- Ghant (no.1 in 1954-55)
- Latium
- Fabria (no.1 in 1954)
- Arthurista
- Belfras
- Lihnidos
- Ascalzar