<sod>The story develops over centuries, mostly set in the Boroughs, [http://www.springlaneschool.co.uk/6.html the most ancient neighbourhood in Northampton].  The colophon states that the book is based on a true story; it concerns a large collection of characters: some mythical, some fictional, and some historical.  Along with personal experience and familial history, Moore's research sources included a collection of interviews entitled “In Living Memory — Life in ‘The Boroughs,’ ” published by the Northampton Arts Development in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/11/books/review/alan-moore-by-the-book.html|title=Alan Moore: By the Book<eod>
<sod>The story develops over centuries, mostly set in the Boroughs, [http://www.springlaneschool.co.uk/6.html the most ancient neighbourhood in Northampton].  The colophon states that the book is based on a true story; it concerns a large collection of characters: some mythical, some fictional, and some historical.  Along his family's oral traditions, and ideas (such as [[Eternalism (philosophy of time)|eternalism]]) that he had [[Alan Moore bibliography|explored in other writings]], Moore's research sources included a collection of interviews entitled “In Living Memory — Life in ‘The Boroughs,’ ” published by the Northampton Arts Development in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/11/books/review/alan-moore-by-the-book.html|title=Alan Moore: By the Book<eod>