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Awake!: William Blake and the Power of the Imagination
In the 200 years since his death, William Blake has become a household name. Many love the visionary artist, poet and writer. Yet many also 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, one that takes him at his word. Bringing together Blake’s poetry, his arresting images and his passionate writings, alongside lively biographical sketches, Vernon shines a new light on this brilliant thinker’s vivid worldview. Like us, Blake lived in a tumultuous era of warfare, discontent, rapid technological change, and a deepening estrangement of humanity 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, key to his importance in today’s world.
Written both for longstanding Blake-lovers and for those unfamiliar with his work, Awake!reveals Blake’s potential as an invigorating and hopeful guide for our modern age
Philosopher and psychotherapist Mark Vernon provides a fresh route into Blake, one that takes him at his word. Bringing together Blake’s poetry, his arresting images and his passionate writings, alongside lively biographical sketches, Vernon shines a new light on this brilliant thinker’s vivid worldview. Like us, Blake lived in a tumultuous era of warfare, discontent, rapid technological change, and a deepening estrangement of humanity 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, key to his importance in today’s world.
Written both for longstanding Blake-lovers and for those unfamiliar with his work, Awake!reveals Blake’s potential as an invigorating and hopeful guide for our modern age
312 pages, Hardcover
First published June 12, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 12, 2025
A very delightful and enlightening read, which combines biography, commentary, and deep insights! The connections made between Dante's Comedia and Blake's four states of mind in the final chapter is definitely intriguing. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Blake and desires to wonder with this timeless prophet.
Read
July 27, 2026Why I Read This:
I am at the beginning of my Blake journey, having read Songs of Innocence and Experience. I have watched Mark Vernon’s inspiring videos on YouTube about Blake and was interested to read Awake!
My Impression:
As someone who is familiar with Vernon’s YouTube channel, some aspects of the book were familiar to me, while others were new. I enjoyed the experience of getting to know Blake, chronologically through his life, as we progress through Vernon’s thematic framing. It does seem that Blake passed through distinct phases of thought and interest during his life. The final chapter of Awake! was absolutely fascinating and confirms my suspicion that I will connect most strongly with Blake’s later works (let’s see if that is the case once I’ve read them!).
This book also provided me with my word of the day: ‘Nobodaddy,’ coined by Blake, to refer to a demiurgic any tyrannical god who is ‘nobody’s daddy.' More here, if you’re interested: https://bq.blakearchive.org/9.2.folsom
Overall, Awake! provides an interesting survey of Blake’s life, poetry and art, framing and contextualising the progression of his work and thought over time. Most importantly, Awake! draws techniques and lessons from Blake’s life and shows us how we can apply this wisdom in our own lives. As a prophet, the insights that Blake leaves us are not mere curiosities but precious gifts available to us, here and now.
Craft-Related Notes:
-Awake! is accessible to non-academics and does include occasional jokes but is still relatively formal in style. I listened to Awake! on audio (not narrated by Vernon), and as I am used to hearing Vernon speak on YouTube, I slightly prefer the conversational tone of his natural speech. For this reason, I think the physical book / e-book would be a preferable format.
I am at the beginning of my Blake journey, having read Songs of Innocence and Experience. I have watched Mark Vernon’s inspiring videos on YouTube about Blake and was interested to read Awake!
My Impression:
As someone who is familiar with Vernon’s YouTube channel, some aspects of the book were familiar to me, while others were new. I enjoyed the experience of getting to know Blake, chronologically through his life, as we progress through Vernon’s thematic framing. It does seem that Blake passed through distinct phases of thought and interest during his life. The final chapter of Awake! was absolutely fascinating and confirms my suspicion that I will connect most strongly with Blake’s later works (let’s see if that is the case once I’ve read them!).
This book also provided me with my word of the day: ‘Nobodaddy,’ coined by Blake, to refer to a demiurgic any tyrannical god who is ‘nobody’s daddy.' More here, if you’re interested: https://bq.blakearchive.org/9.2.folsom
Overall, Awake! provides an interesting survey of Blake’s life, poetry and art, framing and contextualising the progression of his work and thought over time. Most importantly, Awake! draws techniques and lessons from Blake’s life and shows us how we can apply this wisdom in our own lives. As a prophet, the insights that Blake leaves us are not mere curiosities but precious gifts available to us, here and now.
Craft-Related Notes:
-Awake! is accessible to non-academics and does include occasional jokes but is still relatively formal in style. I listened to Awake! on audio (not narrated by Vernon), and as I am used to hearing Vernon speak on YouTube, I slightly prefer the conversational tone of his natural speech. For this reason, I think the physical book / e-book would be a preferable format.
Read
May 3, 2026An examination of the philosophy of William Blake, an engraver, poet and artist who lived in London in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Blake lived through the industrial and political revolutions that shaped our modern world and reacted against them. He felt the ordering of the world, typified by Newton and Locke, was a dreadful mistake and cut humanity off from the oneness of the universe and from God.
And here I confess I lost the plot. The book says a lot more than I got. I valued the parts I did understand but the majority I did not. So, the parts I did…
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
Blake believed that the universe was essentially a one and through our imaginations we could reach a better unity with that whole. Newtonian science and industrialism left us seeking mastery of the world around us and always hungry for more when the only thing that could ever satisfy is everything.
We should seek to interact with the world through an effort of imagination and see the wonder that surround us. To see the universe as wholly mechanical is to see it wholly dead. This is good – a certain type of physics could see life in terms of physical interactions and a certain type of evolutionary biologist could see love as simply the working of our selfish genes. Blake would have seen this as monstrous and so do I.
Blake believed in the power of myth and poetry to transform our perspectives. The instructions for a dishwasher may be clear, but they can reveal nothing beyond what they set out to do. Poems, myths and parables give us the sense of a thing without trying to pin down (like a butterfly in a collector’s case) the details and give the reader space to work with an idea and make it their own.
A key insight is to not seek to resolve life’s paradoxes too quickly. A thing can be many things and to set them in opposition trying to resolve them as a single truth is diminishing. Instead sit with life’s difficulties and allow a third thing to emerge from the contradiction.
And here I confess I lost the plot. The book says a lot more than I got. I valued the parts I did understand but the majority I did not. So, the parts I did…
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
Blake believed that the universe was essentially a one and through our imaginations we could reach a better unity with that whole. Newtonian science and industrialism left us seeking mastery of the world around us and always hungry for more when the only thing that could ever satisfy is everything.
We should seek to interact with the world through an effort of imagination and see the wonder that surround us. To see the universe as wholly mechanical is to see it wholly dead. This is good – a certain type of physics could see life in terms of physical interactions and a certain type of evolutionary biologist could see love as simply the working of our selfish genes. Blake would have seen this as monstrous and so do I.
Blake believed in the power of myth and poetry to transform our perspectives. The instructions for a dishwasher may be clear, but they can reveal nothing beyond what they set out to do. Poems, myths and parables give us the sense of a thing without trying to pin down (like a butterfly in a collector’s case) the details and give the reader space to work with an idea and make it their own.
A key insight is to not seek to resolve life’s paradoxes too quickly. A thing can be many things and to set them in opposition trying to resolve them as a single truth is diminishing. Instead sit with life’s difficulties and allow a third thing to emerge from the contradiction.
July 6, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Hurst & Co. for an advance copy of this book that mixes biography, literary studies, history and philosophy to explain the enduring legacy of a creator's works, works that tell us more about the time we exist in, and how to be good people while doing so.
Poetry was something that I came to late in my reading life. However I was familiar with many of the names in the field, even if I did not know much about their work. William Blake was a familiar poet used in many different books, from Alfred Bester science fiction to Thomas Harris serial killer thrillers. Even comics that I had read talked about Blake, from superhero to supernatural. Not just the poetry and the prose, but his paintings, used by many to explain the the unexplainable, be it religious, or magical. To me Blake was one of those old kind of poets, weirdos for their time, who wrote strange stuff, drank bad things and had odd visions. I never gave much credit, to Blake even as I read more and more. So to me, this book was a bit of a revelation, and has taught me much, much that maybe I was to jaded or lost to understand. Awake!: William Blake and the Power of the Imagination by author, philosopher and psychotherapist Mark Vernon is a examination of Blake, his times, his work and motivations and how his creations tell us much about the world we find ourselves in today, a world that is changing almost too fast to keep up, and a time where innocence and being good is considered a detriment.
The book begins with a memorial for a man who passed almost 200 years ago, with a very eclectic cast of mourners, including a heavy metal musician. This is the legacy of William Blake, artist, poet, printmaker and more. As Bruce Dickinson, singer and songwriter for the band Iron Maiden says, Blake thoughts are still alive and still have meaning, even more meaning in this present day. The book works as both a biography and an understanding of what Blake wrote and believed, comparing his changing world, one of war, changes in philosophical and and religious thought. Also changes of status with a growing middle class, one that Blake grew up in, and a death of many things that were considered sacrosanct.
I was familiar with Blake, but again thought of him more as those romantic poets with out much meaning in this world we live in. Vernon however does a very good job of reminding the reader that Blake, while not as famous in his own time, dealt with many of the problems that we are dealing with today. Blake wrote about seeing the world as it was, full of mystery and power, but not too lose oneself in it, to find and hold on to what made you be you. I understood the ideas, or so I thought, but Vernon makes it clear that there was a lot more to Blake, and shows how these works can mean so much to us today. There are a few sections that might take not just careful reading, but careful rereading. Vernon is a very good writer, explaining and showing what he means quite well, and if one gets lost, well keep reading, eventually it will become clearer. And much more affirming.
A book for readers of poetry, people who enjoy reading books on religion from different points of view. and for people trying to make sense of the world. Poetry can do a lot for our souls, and help make sense of what seems unexplainable. This is my first book by Mark Vernon, I plan to look for more.
Poetry was something that I came to late in my reading life. However I was familiar with many of the names in the field, even if I did not know much about their work. William Blake was a familiar poet used in many different books, from Alfred Bester science fiction to Thomas Harris serial killer thrillers. Even comics that I had read talked about Blake, from superhero to supernatural. Not just the poetry and the prose, but his paintings, used by many to explain the the unexplainable, be it religious, or magical. To me Blake was one of those old kind of poets, weirdos for their time, who wrote strange stuff, drank bad things and had odd visions. I never gave much credit, to Blake even as I read more and more. So to me, this book was a bit of a revelation, and has taught me much, much that maybe I was to jaded or lost to understand. Awake!: William Blake and the Power of the Imagination by author, philosopher and psychotherapist Mark Vernon is a examination of Blake, his times, his work and motivations and how his creations tell us much about the world we find ourselves in today, a world that is changing almost too fast to keep up, and a time where innocence and being good is considered a detriment.
The book begins with a memorial for a man who passed almost 200 years ago, with a very eclectic cast of mourners, including a heavy metal musician. This is the legacy of William Blake, artist, poet, printmaker and more. As Bruce Dickinson, singer and songwriter for the band Iron Maiden says, Blake thoughts are still alive and still have meaning, even more meaning in this present day. The book works as both a biography and an understanding of what Blake wrote and believed, comparing his changing world, one of war, changes in philosophical and and religious thought. Also changes of status with a growing middle class, one that Blake grew up in, and a death of many things that were considered sacrosanct.
I was familiar with Blake, but again thought of him more as those romantic poets with out much meaning in this world we live in. Vernon however does a very good job of reminding the reader that Blake, while not as famous in his own time, dealt with many of the problems that we are dealing with today. Blake wrote about seeing the world as it was, full of mystery and power, but not too lose oneself in it, to find and hold on to what made you be you. I understood the ideas, or so I thought, but Vernon makes it clear that there was a lot more to Blake, and shows how these works can mean so much to us today. There are a few sections that might take not just careful reading, but careful rereading. Vernon is a very good writer, explaining and showing what he means quite well, and if one gets lost, well keep reading, eventually it will become clearer. And much more affirming.
A book for readers of poetry, people who enjoy reading books on religion from different points of view. and for people trying to make sense of the world. Poetry can do a lot for our souls, and help make sense of what seems unexplainable. This is my first book by Mark Vernon, I plan to look for more.
September 9, 2025
Mark Vernon’s Awake! William Blake and the Power of the Imagination is a thoughtful exploration of Blake’s vision of life, art, and spirituality, showing how his insights on innocence, contraries, and imagination remain vital today. Vernon presents Blake not as a distant figure but as a guide for how to live more fully, moving beyond materialism and narrow perception toward a deeper awareness of beauty, truth, and the sacred. Through poetry, vision, and reflection, the book invites readers to consider imagination as the essence of human experience and offers a path to see the world with renewed wonder.
January 28, 2026
An earnestly spiritual interpretation of William Blake.
The greatest merit of this book is in its refusal to medicalise or trivialise Blake's visions in relation to his philosophy. It indulges the rich imagination in Blake's art not as an escapist fantasy, but as representing Blake's inner spiritual beliefs. The key to understanding these beliefs cannot be explained in a philosophical tome (as Locke would) but in the liveliness of Blake's poetry and painting. Vernon seeks to draw out this esoteric knowledge mainly through interpretation of Blake's poetry, which is interspersed throughout the book. For me the method of melding a biographical account with poetical analysis lends itself to the obscure subject matter.
Broach matters of the spirit is a brave undertaking, always subject to mockery from today's scientific worldview. This, as Vernon intuits, only makes this book all the more necessary.
The greatest merit of this book is in its refusal to medicalise or trivialise Blake's visions in relation to his philosophy. It indulges the rich imagination in Blake's art not as an escapist fantasy, but as representing Blake's inner spiritual beliefs. The key to understanding these beliefs cannot be explained in a philosophical tome (as Locke would) but in the liveliness of Blake's poetry and painting. Vernon seeks to draw out this esoteric knowledge mainly through interpretation of Blake's poetry, which is interspersed throughout the book. For me the method of melding a biographical account with poetical analysis lends itself to the obscure subject matter.
Broach matters of the spirit is a brave undertaking, always subject to mockery from today's scientific worldview. This, as Vernon intuits, only makes this book all the more necessary.
June 29, 2026
I recently read John Higgs book on Blake "William Blake vs the World" and now I have finished "Awake! William Blake and the Power of the Imagination" by Mark Vernon. Both books have a slightly different emphasis but both writers are clearly enamored with Blake (and for good reason)--
his imagination.
This book goes a bit deeper into his philosophy and psychology, whereas Higgs goes a different route to show how he is relevant to our time.
I liked both. They take Blake at face value, rather than pathologizing him.
Any books that help to expose WB to a general readership are welcome.
I could still read more.
his imagination.
This book goes a bit deeper into his philosophy and psychology, whereas Higgs goes a different route to show how he is relevant to our time.
I liked both. They take Blake at face value, rather than pathologizing him.
Any books that help to expose WB to a general readership are welcome.
I could still read more.
April 29, 2026
I have read several books on Blake and have almost always been disappointed by their conceptual or stylistic limitations. Not here. Vernon writes smoothly and accessibly, but never at the expense of trenchant insight. He perfectly interweaves Blake's art and philosophy with the details of his life (alternately prosaic, colorful, and admittedly apocryphal). I enjoyed every bit of it!
June 22, 2026
The content of the book is interesting enough, but for whatever reason it didn't do a good job of holding my attention. I didn't look forward to reading this book very often, instead I felt I was just making my way through it hoping for something that would be reflective of the inspiration and ecstasy Blake himself expressed. Yet, it certainly wasn't a terrible book either.
June 26, 2026
I'm barely a few chapters in, but after recently reading Blake, this book has triggered such a long chain of introspective thoughts that I'm beginning to believe the author when he says in interviews, "Blake can change your life".
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews