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Jerusalem!: The Real Life of William Blake
‘Truly astonishing in its detail … this must be one of the most illuminating and enlightening biographies to date.’ Michael Eavis cbe, Founder of the Glastonbury Festival
A brilliant new biography of the mystic poet and artist William Blake – and the first to explore his startlingly original quest for spiritual truth, as well as the profound lessons he has for us all today.
The hymn ‘Jerusalem’, with its famous words by William Blake, stirs our hearts with its evocation of a new holy city built in ‘England’s green and pleasant land’. However, until now, the spiritual essence of William Blake has been buried under myriad inadequate biographies, college dissertations and arts commentaries, written by people who have missed the luminescent keys to Blake’s symbolism and liberating spirit. Any attempt to uncover the ‘real’ Blake is thwarted by his status as a legend or ‘national treasure’.
In Jerusalem! Tobias Churton expertly takes you beyond this superficial façade, showing you Blake the esoteric genius – a myth-maker, brilliantly using symbols and theology to express his unique insights into the nature of body, mind and spirit. Churton is not only deeply knowledgeable about Blake’s life and times, but also uses his shared values with Blake to enter into his labyrinth of thought and feeling.
Challenging the conventional views of Blake as either a ‘romantic poet’ or a rebel with ideas about free sex, Tobias Churton’s startling new biography reveals, at last, the real William Blake in all his glory, so that anyone who sings ‘Jerusalem’ in future will see its beauty with renewed understanding.
With access to a large body of never-before-published records – letters, diaries, pamphlets and books – Tobias Churton casts unprecedented light and perspective on William Blake’s life and times.
Blake’s writing – heartfelt, vivid and profound – accounts for his status as one of the best-loved poets writing in English. Americans need no reminding that Blake inspired Ralph Waldo Emerson and American visionary Walt Whitman. Yet he spent the larger part of his creative career being ridiculed and suppressed. In Jerusalem! Churton conjures a superb portrait of Blake’s London, and in particular the rivalries of the cultural community in which the poet-artist was often misunderstood. He argues that Blake believed Man does not ‘belong’ to society; rather,we are all members of the Divine Body, co-existent with God. He was concerned with a total spiritual revival – what had gone wrong with Man, and how to put it right.
Blake’s message has proved to be as challenging to today’s readers as it was to his contemporaries. Blake perceived, so far ahead of his time, that the philosophy of materialism would dominate the world – a culture from which we now yearn to break free. Jerusalem! is unashamedly ambitious in its scope and objective. Churton ends once and for all the persistent notion of Blake as a startling peculiarity, whilst emancipating him from the labels of ‘Romantic poet’ or ‘national treasure’. Even if it means sacrificing some cherished illusions or uncovering a few painful surprises, this compelling biography reveals, for the first time, the true spirit of William Blake.
A brilliant new biography of the mystic poet and artist William Blake – and the first to explore his startlingly original quest for spiritual truth, as well as the profound lessons he has for us all today.
The hymn ‘Jerusalem’, with its famous words by William Blake, stirs our hearts with its evocation of a new holy city built in ‘England’s green and pleasant land’. However, until now, the spiritual essence of William Blake has been buried under myriad inadequate biographies, college dissertations and arts commentaries, written by people who have missed the luminescent keys to Blake’s symbolism and liberating spirit. Any attempt to uncover the ‘real’ Blake is thwarted by his status as a legend or ‘national treasure’.
In Jerusalem! Tobias Churton expertly takes you beyond this superficial façade, showing you Blake the esoteric genius – a myth-maker, brilliantly using symbols and theology to express his unique insights into the nature of body, mind and spirit. Churton is not only deeply knowledgeable about Blake’s life and times, but also uses his shared values with Blake to enter into his labyrinth of thought and feeling.
Challenging the conventional views of Blake as either a ‘romantic poet’ or a rebel with ideas about free sex, Tobias Churton’s startling new biography reveals, at last, the real William Blake in all his glory, so that anyone who sings ‘Jerusalem’ in future will see its beauty with renewed understanding.
With access to a large body of never-before-published records – letters, diaries, pamphlets and books – Tobias Churton casts unprecedented light and perspective on William Blake’s life and times.
Blake’s writing – heartfelt, vivid and profound – accounts for his status as one of the best-loved poets writing in English. Americans need no reminding that Blake inspired Ralph Waldo Emerson and American visionary Walt Whitman. Yet he spent the larger part of his creative career being ridiculed and suppressed. In Jerusalem! Churton conjures a superb portrait of Blake’s London, and in particular the rivalries of the cultural community in which the poet-artist was often misunderstood. He argues that Blake believed Man does not ‘belong’ to society; rather,we are all members of the Divine Body, co-existent with God. He was concerned with a total spiritual revival – what had gone wrong with Man, and how to put it right.
Blake’s message has proved to be as challenging to today’s readers as it was to his contemporaries. Blake perceived, so far ahead of his time, that the philosophy of materialism would dominate the world – a culture from which we now yearn to break free. Jerusalem! is unashamedly ambitious in its scope and objective. Churton ends once and for all the persistent notion of Blake as a startling peculiarity, whilst emancipating him from the labels of ‘Romantic poet’ or ‘national treasure’. Even if it means sacrificing some cherished illusions or uncovering a few painful surprises, this compelling biography reveals, for the first time, the true spirit of William Blake.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published November 18, 2014
14 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Tobias Churton
47 books75 followersTobias Churton is a filmmaker and the founding editor of the magazine "Freemasonry Today". He studied theology at Oxford University and created the award-winning documentary series and accompanying book The Gnostics, as well as several other films on Christian doctrine, mysticism, and magical folklore, such as "A Mighty Good Man" (2002), a documentary on Elias Ashmole, his religious ideas and Masonic initiation in 1646. He is currently a lecturer on Freemasonry at the Exeter Centre for the Study of Esotericism, Exeter University. He lives in England.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 5, 2016
Wow, this book is by far the best biography I have read of Blake, next only to Bentley's Stranger from Paradise. It is well researched, takes into account all the previous biographer's such as: Ackroyd, Bentley, Gilchrist, Tatham, Erdman and Schuchard, but never with the snarky tone that Ackroyd often employs. Churton while praising Blake, questions certain stories, (such as Blake's often repeated story of seeing Angels in a tree or his 'good death' and how he died like an angel, who was there exactly and what did Blake do?) He is never condescending, but does point out factual inaccuracies, and Blake's own foibles such has his often erratic and acerbic personality. While this book is not as long as Bentley's and much time is spent discussing Blake's work rather than Blake the man, it is absorbing and well written. The lovely thing about Jerusalem! The Real Life of William Blake is that he tells you that knowing certain things about Blake's life, for example what he was like as a child, is not really possible. Blake does not make this easy on us, because he kept no real journal and then Tatham, destroyed so many things. However, what Churton does do very effectively is to bring all the research that has been done and his further endeavors into one great book. If you want to read a biography on Blake which really is all encompassing this is it. I highly recommend it.
October 6, 2020
I am glad that I have finished this; it is not a book for the casual reader who may not even get past the first fifty pages (which the author devotes to the Moravian church and Emmanuel Swedenborg). Churton's prose is turgid and at times convoluted. I may have missed something but do not see why his eminent clerical relative is particularly relevant to Blake's story. Blake, as is invariably the case with true genius, was misunderstood and undervalued by his own age (although he did not undervalue his own talent in comparing himself with Michelangelo and Raphael). Permanently cash strapped he was the prototypical Yosser Hughes ("Gizzus a job"). Attending a dinner in 1818 Lady Charlotte Bury probably summed up Blake's problem as:"...evidently lacks the worldly wisdom and that grace of manner which make a man gain an eminence in his profession and succeed in society."Blake was, I expect, outspoken, other worldly, a visionary and an exceptional talent none of which were likely to endear him to his peers or potential patrons.
February 21, 2015
Tobias Churton has written a very well researched, scholarly study of the life and art of William Blake. One of the main contributions of this book will be in setting the record straight regarding all the myths and misinformed biographies regarding Blake. If you love the artist, you'll probably love this book. Much thought and insight is given to the mindset and motivations that went into the creation of Will's art. I found the history of his life, times, and personal relationships to be a bit daunting to read, but important for understanding the man. In a way, he still remains very much a mysterious figure. William Blake was ahead of his time, but also a victim of his own turbulent time. This biography explains how the powers that be orchestrated against the man. He certainly deserved more fame and fortune in his lifetime than he was given. At least history will remember his many incredible works. I found the website blakearchive.org to be a helpful way to view his art while reading about it in this book. I'm grateful to Watkins Publishing for sending me an advanced reading copy of Jerusalem!: The Real Life of William Blake. I wasn't paid or influenced in any way, and this review represents my honest opinion of the work.
November 10, 2017
I quit after 100 pages or so. Too much lit crit, not enough biography.
August 14, 2015
Very good use of recent discoveries concerning Blake's mother, but did not feel that Blake himself was shown in relation to society and culture of his time. Good illustrations, although could have used more.
October 8, 2020
Jerusalem!: The Real Life of William Blake by Tobias Churton is a biography and a deep look at William Blake. Churton is a filmmaker who studied theology at Oxford. His documentaries include "The Gnostics" and "A Mighty Good Man," a biography of Elias Ashmole. He is currently a lecturer on Freemasonry the Exter Centre for the Study of Esotericism, Exter University.
I started this book with the hope of learning more about William Blake, whose works, I admit, are limited to Songs of Innocence and Experience. I came to read that collection after hearing a musician include “The Lamb” on an album and joke on another that it was William Blake's birthday so we should listen to his records. The musician was Patti Smith and she was also responsible for me picking up Blake as well as Rimbaud. I was impressed with Blake and, of course, wanted to learn more.
In the introduction, Churton spends many words talking about the epic poem “Jerusalem.” Its sudden popularity in England had some people thinking it was an important part of their national identity. I had expectations that this might be similar to The Most Dangerous Book about the printing of Joyce's Ulysses and Irish identity. However, this turns out not to be the case either.
William Blake had a problem which is a fairly unique among those who are famous. No one knew him. Blake did not keep or have a surviving journal. Most of his letters are lost. And, sadly, no one cared about Blake's work until years after his death. People did care about his work in that he was a skilled engraver, but not as an important artist and poet. The only biography that existed was written by Frederick Tatham, who is discredited by Churton and others.
Jerusalem! begins with Blake's death. Here there are several accounts of his passing. That, however, seems to be the most documented part of his life. There is virtually no personal information on Blake. In the absence of information, Churton does something intriguing. He creates a psychological and forensic profile of the artist.
Churton takes documented information such as addresses and places of employment and uses them to explain financial success and style of living. He goes further in detail with local and world events to form a picture of how these events would have influenced his life. Blake’s religious beliefs, Moravian Church, played a crucial role in his life. A lamb is the center of the church's seal, perhaps an influence to “The Lamb” and “The Tyger.” Churton ties in Swedish philosopher Swedenborg with enough information to make him a secondary subject in this biography.
I usually tend to give the author the benefit of the doubt, however, in the introduction, Churton mentions the rock band The Doors and Blake's influence on Jim Morrison. In the body of the book he mentions the song "Wild Child" and the seemingly out of place final line "Remember when we were in Africa." Churton credits this to Blakes "Preludium to America." Morrison, however, admired Rimbaud -- who faked his death to escape fame and went to Africa to run guns. Morrison, likewise, spoke about disappearing to Africa and returning as Mr. Mojo Risen. Rimbaud has a deep connection with American artists like Morrison, Bob Dylan, and Patti Smith. There is more than a causal connection between Morrison and Rimbaud and little to none of Morrison and Blake. It may seem like a small error to many, but it is one that made me question other information in the book.
For a biography, I found it light on documentation. Granted much is inferred on little information. I felt I learned more about world events and those who influenced Blake rather than learning about Blake himself. I will admit the lack of the usual documentation makes it difficult to recreate Blake's life. Churton's approach is an interesting answer to the problem but leaves holes for criticism. Rather than I biography, I would consider this more of a psychological profile based on the historical limited information. I would think it would much more appeal to the scholarly crowd than the average biography reader.
I started this book with the hope of learning more about William Blake, whose works, I admit, are limited to Songs of Innocence and Experience. I came to read that collection after hearing a musician include “The Lamb” on an album and joke on another that it was William Blake's birthday so we should listen to his records. The musician was Patti Smith and she was also responsible for me picking up Blake as well as Rimbaud. I was impressed with Blake and, of course, wanted to learn more.
In the introduction, Churton spends many words talking about the epic poem “Jerusalem.” Its sudden popularity in England had some people thinking it was an important part of their national identity. I had expectations that this might be similar to The Most Dangerous Book about the printing of Joyce's Ulysses and Irish identity. However, this turns out not to be the case either.
William Blake had a problem which is a fairly unique among those who are famous. No one knew him. Blake did not keep or have a surviving journal. Most of his letters are lost. And, sadly, no one cared about Blake's work until years after his death. People did care about his work in that he was a skilled engraver, but not as an important artist and poet. The only biography that existed was written by Frederick Tatham, who is discredited by Churton and others.
Jerusalem! begins with Blake's death. Here there are several accounts of his passing. That, however, seems to be the most documented part of his life. There is virtually no personal information on Blake. In the absence of information, Churton does something intriguing. He creates a psychological and forensic profile of the artist.
Churton takes documented information such as addresses and places of employment and uses them to explain financial success and style of living. He goes further in detail with local and world events to form a picture of how these events would have influenced his life. Blake’s religious beliefs, Moravian Church, played a crucial role in his life. A lamb is the center of the church's seal, perhaps an influence to “The Lamb” and “The Tyger.” Churton ties in Swedish philosopher Swedenborg with enough information to make him a secondary subject in this biography.
I usually tend to give the author the benefit of the doubt, however, in the introduction, Churton mentions the rock band The Doors and Blake's influence on Jim Morrison. In the body of the book he mentions the song "Wild Child" and the seemingly out of place final line "Remember when we were in Africa." Churton credits this to Blakes "Preludium to America." Morrison, however, admired Rimbaud -- who faked his death to escape fame and went to Africa to run guns. Morrison, likewise, spoke about disappearing to Africa and returning as Mr. Mojo Risen. Rimbaud has a deep connection with American artists like Morrison, Bob Dylan, and Patti Smith. There is more than a causal connection between Morrison and Rimbaud and little to none of Morrison and Blake. It may seem like a small error to many, but it is one that made me question other information in the book.
For a biography, I found it light on documentation. Granted much is inferred on little information. I felt I learned more about world events and those who influenced Blake rather than learning about Blake himself. I will admit the lack of the usual documentation makes it difficult to recreate Blake's life. Churton's approach is an interesting answer to the problem but leaves holes for criticism. Rather than I biography, I would consider this more of a psychological profile based on the historical limited information. I would think it would much more appeal to the scholarly crowd than the average biography reader.
February 2, 2020
I stopped reading! This book is not what I expected. It is hard to read because there is too much information that is written in a dry unnatural literature way. Too much effort is asked to keep on reading and I find this a real pity!
September 5, 2022
Tough going but occasional glimpses of the man.
January 29, 2015
I received a galley copy of this book from the publisher. I was hoping for a biography that would be useful as a possible companion text to sample from in a literature class alongside Blake's poems. I was somewhat underwhelmed. I struggled with the flow and voice of this book. I found it dry (even by nonfiction,biography standards), and it felt choppy. It read to me more as reading notes than a completed biography. I think this would be a fascinating read for true Blake-ophiles and/or Blake scholars, but I would not recommend it for the average biography reader or as a casual supplement. Not my cup of tea, but perhaps ideal for a more specific audience.
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February 7, 2015Thank you to Watkins Publishing and Netgally for the Arc! I have to say that I struggled to complete this book. The writing is excellent, but I think I anticipated more straight biography and less critical analysis. I like critical analysis, but to appreciate/understand all of it, I would have needed a much better understanding of Blake and his work than I had going in, which is partly why I decided to read a Blake biography in the first place.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews