Blake: A Biography

“Blake: A Biography” is classic Peter Ackroyd, whom we in the United States would call a popular as opposed to academic writer but who occupies a different position in Britain. Amateur historian and biographer he may be, but few living writers today can equal his output, erudition, and insight. He’s in the process of writing a multi-volume history of England. He’s written three novels. He’s retold the stories of the legend of King Arthur and “The Canterbury Tales.” And he’s written biographies of Charles Dickens, T.S. Eliot, Sir Isaac Newton, Edgar Allen Poe, Geoffrey Chaucer, J.M.W. Turner and Shakespeare. And William Blake.Ackroyd gives us Blake in his historical context, and “historical” is defined in its broadest terms – historical, philosophical, literary, social, and economic.We see Blake growing up in a “Dissenting” household (people who did not belong to the Church of England). We’re walking with him on a London street when he gets caught up in the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots that led to looting and the destruction of Newgate Prison (nine years before the Bastille was stormed in Paris). We discover that London always seemed like a riot waiting to happen, and that public licentiousness at all class levels was common. We rub shoulders with the artists and poets who were his friends, and those who thought he was more than slightly mad.This is where Ackroyd excels as a writer, allowing us to imagine what it was like to be William Blake, and how his personal life and the times in which he lived shaped and directed his art and his poetry. Here, for example, is a poem from Blake’s notebook, written in 1792 when the fear of the French Revolution had reached levels of near hysteria in London and the king had stationed Prussian mercenary troops in and around the city:I wander thro each dirty streetNear where the dirty Thames does flowAnd see in every face I meetMarks of weakness marks of woeIn every cry of every manIn every voice of every childIn every voice in every banThe german forged links I hearBut most the chimney sweepers cryBlackens oer the chuches wallsAnd the hapless soldiers sighRuns in blood down palace walls“Blake: A Biography” is a fascinating account, meticulously researched and extraordinarily well written.

William Blake is a very complex and infuriating character. I was first introduced to him by the rock group the Doors with their song "End of the Night" and loved "Jerusalem" a poem put to music by Sir Hubert Parry.I've always been intrigued by William Blakes poem the "Auguries of Innocence" but also infuriated by the banal and clumsy lines in it. I love the following lines:"Every day and every morn a child is born, some are born to sweet delight, some are born to sweet delight, some are born to endless night."This book helps to explain the meaning of some of Blakes poems and the context of his spiritual beliefs, influenced by Emanuel Swedenborg. I like history so enjoyed the historical detail.This book would not be acceptable as the basis of an essay on literary criticism of Blake at University level.I'ts very enjoyable to read.

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Well written biography of a strange and gifted man.

I purchased this book because I was curious about the man, William Blake. This is a very slow read. The book contains many pages of art renditions, which are interesting. Also, it is somewhat a window into daily life in 18th century London. However, there is a lot of repetition, a lot of guessing. It appears information on Blake is sketchy at best.

Peter Ackyroyd has written some excellent biographies (Dickens, T.S. Eliot, e.g.) and some good novels, but this book misses the mark. It's a little hard to say why.I think Blake needs someone who's more sympathetic to his mystical vision to be done justice. Ackroyd explains but he doesn't sympathize, as I read him, and I think this is fatal to a full understanding of the man and the poet.Look elsewhere for the spirit of Blake is my advice.

Peter Ackroyd is an excellent biographer-historian. He writes like a novelist. Reading him is easy and enjoyable, and you get the full story of the man and his work.PS. Anyone who watched or read Hilary Man-Tel WOLF HALL would be wise to read Ackroyd's biography of Sir Thomas More.

Its the kind of book you have to set aside a time when you want a reading challenge.

Very academic requiring some background in literature and history to navigate but that is to be expected given the subject and the depth to which it is explored: typical Ackroyd thoroughness and perception. It is a tough slog but worth the time: it isn't a quick read by any measure: very dense. Not a book for those looking for a "good story" to pass a rainy night! I loved it because I have some Blake background but it certainly isn't for the general reading public. It is what I expected it would be: an excellent resource for scholars. The paperback version is badly printed, however, and somewhat difficult to read so take that as a warning. Rocco

I came to this book knowing nothing of the life of William Blake and little of his work other than a few famous pictures and the poem Jerusalem.Having finished this book I have come away with a very clear idea of Blake's London with its array of characters; prostitutes, artists, publishers, benefactors, charlatans and, possibly most importantly, an assortment of religious belief systems.Somewhere in the back of mind I had understood Blake to be seen as a visionary and I must admit that I understood that this meant he was someone with foresight not someone who actually had visions throughout his life. Indeed he was by no means the only artist of the time who claimed to have these visions but for Blake they were throughout his life, frequent, and informed his view of reality in a fundamental and religious way.I found his rejection of the material world, at least in terms of the primacy afforded it by people like Newton and John Locke fascinating.I also liked the fact that, despite Blake being a difficult person to deal with, the author clearly likes his subject.However, as something of a casual reader I found a lot of references to people, movements, works of art etc. rather went over my head. So, if you are not coming to this as a scholar then, like me, be prepared to plough through some sections that leave little trace in the memory. Hence the dropped star on what is clearly an incredibly well and widely researched book.

Ackroyd's "Blake" joins his "Dickens", "Chaucer" and "Thomas More" and I cannot think of two better and more interestingly matched characters than Blake and Ackroyd, both writers, lovers of and inhabitants of London, a city which fascinates them.Three sections of illustrations, two black-and-white drawings and sketches and one colour section of Blake's works, complement the scholarly text in which he builds a vivid picture of life in Blake's London and the man himself.All that we see is Vision, A Temple built by Albion's Children , We do not want Greek or Roman Models and The Bible of Hell - just four of the twenty-eight chapters followed by twenty pages of source notes and ten pages in the bibliography and references.Ackroyd is a detailed, punctilious researcher; drawn from Lady Charlotte Bury's diary is the following description of Blake: "... another eccentric little artist ... full of beautiful imaginations and genius ... appears unlearned in all that concerns this world and, from what he said, I should fear that he is one of those whose feelings are far superior to his station in life. He looks care-worn and subdued". This was after Blake attended a dinner given by Lady Caroline Lamb in 1818. Ackroyd ponders on what he was doing there but goes on to make some fascinating observations. (P 338)This is typical of this highly recommended book.

I have been a massive Blake fan since I was 16, and yes, whilst that makes me sound like a dweeb with no life, I can also safely assure anyone who is interested in William Blake's life to pick up this book and buy it. Ackroyd is one of those writers who encaptures the whole picture, rather than just one part of it, and his chronicling of Blake's life and works is interesting, clever, and in some places witty. It's a book that is meant to capture the imagination of the reader and transport them back to 1757, leading them through the French and American Revolutions, past Blake's home in Felpham (where he was arrested for throwing a soldier off his property after said soldier peed on his garden) all the way through to his death. It also gives a great account of his early life, when he was still at home, facts that are hard to come by. All in all, an amazing biography, and one I used when writing my dissertation for Uni :)

I ordered this because there was a Blake exhibition coming up. It is completely fascinating and Ackroyd has painted a picture of London as Blake grew up in it - every smell, every influence. His friendships, his art. Wonderful. Thank you P.A.