In the 200 years since Blake’s death, the visionary artist, poet and writer has become a household name, often beloved. Yet many struggle to comprehend his kaleidoscopic ideas; how they speak to human longings and the challenges of living in anxious times.

Philosopher and psychotherapist Mark Vernon provides a fresh route into Blake, taking him at his word. Exploring this brilliant thinker’s passionate writings, arresting artworks and fascinating life, Vernon illuminates Blake’s vivid worldview. Like us, he lived in a tumultuous era of war, discontent, rapid technological change, and human estrangement from nature. He exposed the dark sides of political fervour and social moralising, while unashamedly celebrating love and liberty. But he also conversed with prophets and angels, and was powerfully, if unconventionally, religious. If we take this seriously—not easy, in secular times—then Blake can help us to unlock the transformative power of imagination.

Written for both longstanding fans and unfamiliar readers, Awake! reveals Blake as an invigorating and hopeful guide for our modern age.

Table of contents

A Note on Quotations

Acknowledgements

Introduction

PART I: FOUNDATIONS

1. Sing Your Infant Joy

2. By Came an Angel

3. All That We See is Vision

4. Create a System

PART II: ENERGY

5. Money Is Useles

6. Love! Love! Love! 95

7. Why Does the Raven Cry?

8. A Mighty & Awful Change

PART III: DIVINITY

9. Sympathy Came Forth

10. Nature, Mother of All 11. No Other Christianity

12. Fountains of Living Waters

Notes

Select Bibliography

List of Illustrations

Index