Making Darkness Light: The Lives and Times of John Milton

Making Darkness Light is a book by Adam Phillips that explores the complexities and contradictions of John Milton, showing how his fascination with oppositions defined him and influenced his work. It retraces Milton's footsteps through seventeenth-century London, Tuscany, and the Marches, bringing his world to life and illustrating the profound influence of his work on writers from William Blake to Virginia Woolf.

Format: Hardback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2021
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton General Division

Making Darkness Light is an illumination of the life and work of John Milton, a figure often relegated to the dusty realms of English literature as a grim puritan, detached from the realities of the world in his pursuit of higher ideals. However, a deeper exploration reveals an extraordinary and complex human being. Revolutionary and apologist for regicide, writer of propaganda for Cromwell's regime, defender of the English people, and passionate European scholar, Milton embodied a multitude of contradictions.

Adam Phillips' sympathetic yet challenging account of Milton's life will undoubtedly win him new readers, and for that, a chorus of Hallelujahs is warranted. In his book, Phillips delves into how these complexities and contradictions played out in Milton's fascination with oppositions, most notably in his epic poem Paradise Lost. Through a meticulous exploration of seventeenth-century London, Tuscany, and the Marches, Phillips vividly brings Milton's world to life, offering a fresh perspective on his key works and ideas surrounding creativity, time, and freedom of expression. He also illustrates the profound influence of Milton's work on writers ranging from William Blake to Virginia Woolf, James Joyce to Jorge Luis Borges.

This is not merely a book about Milton; it speaks to the very essence of why we read and what transpires when we open ourselves up to the lives and words of others. It challenges our preconceptions and expands our horizons, forever altering our perception of this influential figure. By retracing Milton's footsteps and delving into his complexities, Phillips invites us to embark on a transformative journey of intellectual exploration and personal growth. Making Darkness Light is a testament to the power of literature to illuminate, inspire, and transform our understanding of the world.

Weight: 706g
Dimension: 177 x 241 x 47 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529364286