William Blake lived in London for most of his life, and consequently this city serves as the principal setting for Daugherty's biography. The book covers the time period between Blake's birth in 1757 and his death in 1827. The late eighteenth century was a time of great social change brought about by the Industrial Revolution; Daugherty depicts London as a rapidly expanding city, stocked with people who have migrated from the countryside to take advantage of newly created jobs. The city is a bustling and exciting place to live, and for Blake almost anywhere else seems too dull.