Was Blake mad or one of the sanest people of his time? Or is it better to think of him rather as a well-read, astute Cockney visionary? In this new biographical study John Beer weighs the evidence, including new discoveries about his religious upbringing, and elucidates his best writings in an attempt to show why they still appeal to us two centuries after the urgency of his prophetic message was first delivered to a bemused readership. Covering Blake's early career, his major works (such as Songs of Innocence and of Experience) and his work as a visual artists, this new study will be a must for all students, scholars and general enthusiasts of Blake.