I. Jerusalem - Prelude & Book One: The Boroughs | Alan Moore

[@FR3nkly]

15:18 - the Linton project Annotated Jerusalem really helps with the book. They made it halfway through second book before going on hiatus. 22:30 - as far as worldviews go, its no more insane as any other. 28:24 - may the emperor shine his light upon you 🤣 33:53 - keep reading 😆 45:00 - Take a look at Ernest's dream again. What does the person behind the portrait say to him? 49:28 - Even bread has a 'culinary afterlife' 51:50 - The first chapter whose title is a reference to Blake's poem. Completely missed that on my first read. 1:06:49 - Impressionism, the reaction to Photography. Multiple Picasso references, the one in book two made me look at [The Artist and his Muse] differently. 1:14:28 - Rough Sleepers is dense. If you read it over again after finishing, there is so much more going on. I feel like a good chunk of this book is closed off for the first trip through. A reward for the folks that make it through. 1:23:40 - the methodology of moving through eras is fleshed out a bit more in the second book. 1:34:32 - the genius Loci of this part of town. 1:39:29 - Precisely. 1:46:17 - i read voice of the fire after Jerusalem. There are many references, though i don't think its required reading to understand the novel. I particularly appreciated the chapter on John Clare. Stiltz shows up as a background character later on. St. Ragana's bit gets more than one, and we find out who that Angle was. 1:48:23 - Yep that's Freddy. 1:54:09 - 😅😬 2:14:52 - not quite but close 2:16:36 - Friday May 26th, 2006. 2:22:50 - See 'Location Location Location' in Alan Moore's Illuminations for how it could go down. 2:23:01 - In the poem, the industrial revolution, the dark satanic mills are the same kind of destruction that you mentioned Benedict observing about his The Boroughs. Daring to dream that we could still make heaven on earth despite the waste of the destructor. The never ending mental fight. 2:28:17 - I look at Ernest as the necessary intermediary bridge. He goes round the bend when he receives his exploded education and still maintains enough sanity to communicate most of it to Snowy and Thursa. It would be like knocking the second domino to start the chain instead. 3:08:17 - Some leave with the thunder, some with trumpets, others only mother silence. There's not enough content on this book. I've seen only one piece of fanart since reading it. Thank you for making this.

[@auxiliarystatements]

These notes are hugely helpful, thanks for taking the time to write them up. I feel the same about there not being nearly enough work done on this book. I wonder if it would be different if it were published as a trilogy. Personally I appreciate that everything is just right in front of me, as massive as it is. I'll bring some of these notes up in the next episode. Bummer Annotated Jerusalem cuts out soon, I had no idea. I'll be in uncharted waters by then. I like what you say in your note at 2:23:01 about the poem representing a kind of progressive, utopian romanticism. Something that is very often hard to find in and amongst all the reactionary romanticism. But the same is true for modernism - a whole lot of reactionary and elitist attitudes to be found amongst the modernists. Moore's fusing of the two is one of the most impressive achievements of this book so far to me. The podcast Elder Sign has some great episodes on Voice of the Fire if you're interested too 👍

[@josephanthony2865]

I stumbled on this review a few hrs after finishing book one. Stellar deep dive. And how felicitous to learn there are some specific resources on this insanely gorgeous writing. Looking forward to diving into those and to hear yer thoughts as you read on. Well done!

[@auxiliarystatements]

Cheers! Book Two is phenomenal so far, but very different. Looking forward to discussing it.

[@Starduckvalley]

This is great! Never read anything but watchmen but this has me ready to start