Rating: 
Summary: An essential book with the words of a great writer and poet
Review: This is an essential book for those of us who love William Blake for his words as well as for his engravings, drawings, and paintings.I hardly knew anything about Blake before I made several trips to London on business in 1995 - 96. When I began to see his work (for example, at the Tate - now Tate Britain) I was deeply moved. I read the wonderful biography by Ackroyd that was just then published and began to collect affordable editions of the illustrated works. Later, I became aware of this book and purchased it as well. It is very affordable and contains many wonderful things in addition to the primary writings of Blake. For example, we also get Blake's annotations of other writers' works, some of his letters, and textual notes. On the downside, there are a only a few black and white illustrations. This is a book for thinking about Blake's WORDS. Yes, by definition the illuminated works really do require the illustrations to be complete, but it is hard to meditate and think about just the words without being distracted by those amazing drawings. (Princeton University Press publishes fabulous editions of the illuminated works in paperback.) By all means spend a great deal of time with the illuminated works and you will be richly rewarded, but spending time with the words apart is also very wonderful and very helpful. The always rewarding Harold Bloom also provides extended commentary on many of the works in the back of the book. Please put this book in your library and on your shelf - AFTER you read it. Then take it off again to drink of these great words over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: A SIMPLE VIEW
Review: THOUGH I THINK IT IS STILL TOO SOON TO WRITE A REVIEW ON WILLIAM BLAKE ,FOR I HAVEN`T READ MOST OF HIS POEMS , AN URGE WOTHIN ME DRIVES ME TO AND I FEEL THAT I MUST.GOD GAVE BLAKE THE GIFT OF DESCRIBING HIS FEELINGS IN SHORT VERSES AND INTERSTING RHYMING COUPLETS.HIS POEMS ,THOUGH SIMPLE ARE MEANINGFUL AND COULD LEAVE AN IMPACT ON ONESELF .NOT IN THE HAND OF CONVENIANCE BUT RATHER ON THAT OF FEELINGS.I DON`T KNOW BUT WHENEVER I READ ONE OF BLAKES POEMS I FEEL THAT A FEELING IS BOORN WITHIN ME . A SPECIAL INNER VOICE.I THINK THAT`S WHY HIS POEMS IMPRESSED ME.HE`S NOT COMPLICATED NOR IS HE TOO SIMPLE , HE`S JUST A TRUE POET SWIMMING IN THE STREAM OF POETRY AND THE WORLD OF WORDS.THAT WHAT HE POSESSE IS A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FROM GREAT GOD
Rating: 
Summary: A Fine Edition, But not the Best!
Review: When one of my Shimer students saw Mr. Erdman's alternate arrangement of "Auguries of Innocence" he threw his book at a bush. Some of my students think that "Auguries" is one of Blake's greatest poems and I agree with them. Its structure is a key to Blake's vast mythic system. Without that key there's little hope of passing through Jerusalem's wall to the places where heaven and earth coalesce in a cosmic orgasm of intellectual joy. Mr. Erdman is a marvelous scholar, dedicated to Blake. Mr. Bloom is as inspiring as he is informative. But for Blake in its most pure form I prefer Sir Geoffrey Keynes' edition. He was not a professional scholar, but a learned amatuer in the finest sense of the word. When he wasn't busy with his medical practice he was lovingly creating the best complete edition of Blake's poetry and prose...
Rating:
Summary: A Fine Edition, But not the Best!
Review: When one of my Shimer students saw Mr. Erdman's alternate arrangement of "Auguries of Innocence" he threw his book at a bush. Some of my students think that "Auguries" is one of Blake's greatest poems and I agree with them. Its structure is a key to Blake's vast mythic system. Without that key there's little hope of passing through Jerusalem's wall to the places where heaven and earth coalesce in a cosmic orgasm of intellectual joy. Mr. Erdman is a marvelous scholar, dedicated to Blake. Mr. Bloom is as inspiring as he is informative. But for Blake in its most pure form I prefer Sir Geoffrey Keynes' edition. He was not a professional scholar, but a learned amatuer in the finest sense of the word. When he wasn't busy with his medical practice he was lovingly creating the best complete edition of Blake's poetry and prose...
Rating:
Summary: A Fine Edition, But not the Best!
Review: When one of my Shimer students saw Mr. Erdman's alternate arrangement of "Auguries of Innocence" he threw his book at a bush. Some of my students think that "Auguries" is one of Blake's greatest poems and I agree with them. Its structure is a key to Blake's vast mythic system. Without that key there's little hope of passing through Jerusalem's wall to the places where heaven and earth coalesce in a cosmic orgasm of intellectual joy. Mr. Erdman is a marvelous scholar, dedicated to Blake. Mr. Bloom is as inspiring as he is informative. But for Blake in its most pure form I prefer Sir Geoffrey Keynes' edition. He was not a professional scholar, but a learned amatuer in the finest sense of the word. When he wasn't busy with his medical practice he was lovingly creating the best complete edition of Blake's poetry and prose...
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