Summary of John Higgs' William Blake vs. the World

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The English lawyer Henry Crabb Robinson met the English painter and printmaker William Blake at a dinner party in London in 1825. Over the course of the evening, he became fascinated by Blake s casual conversation about his relationship with the spirit world.#2 Robinson was initially confused by Blake, but he couldn t bring himself to dismiss him as a simple madman. He felt there was something important and vital about his worldview, even if it was frustratingly obscure.#3 The story of the clash between the world and William Blake seems straightforward. Blake had lacked the ability to respond to the pressures and challenges of contemporary life and society, and as a result, he spent his life impoverished and misunderstood.#4 In 2018, people went to the grave of William Blake to pay their respects to his memory. The Blake Society had raised money for a flat piece of Portland stone, carved by the stonecutter Lida Cardozo Kindersley, which was set into the grass.