Mike Rendell's collection of min-biographies is well-research, well-written, and entertainingly informative. I found that I learned a lot about the time period and the men history has overlooked or overshadowed from this work.

I’m always a bit wary of group biographies as sometimes they can be somewhat superficial and reductive, but this one is extremely well-written and manages to be concise yet at the same time comprehensive in each of its potted biographies of the lesser known or nearly forgotten movers and shakers who shaped our modern world, the inventors and industrialists whose names have been overshadowed to some extent by their more renowned peers. This entertaining and informative book is an ideal introduction to the Georgian world and its development and is a great read.

Mini biographies of men overlooked by history or overshadowed by other family members. Fascinating read, entertaining and informative.

Rendell’s latest “Trailblazers” history tells the story of a number of the almost-rans in Georgian England. His focus in on the thinkers and inventors whose names didn’t necessarily make the history books, but whose work powered the great industrial revolution of the period.

Even though I found myself skimming some of the engineering details that Rendell does so well, I was fascinated by these men and their work. I look forward to walking in their footsteps on my next trip to England and looking with a more discerning eye at some of their constructions.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Good introduction to a number of men in a few different areas of study or entertainment. One right after the other, a brief biography and work life. Some primary imagery and text to go along with pretty much all of them.

This is a very readable collection of pen portraits of about 30 lesser-known, forgotten or over-shadowed inventors with a wide variety of interests who were active in the late seventeenth and eighteenth century Britain, the "Age of Enlightenment". 
The passage of time, personal qualities and situation of these men, their contemporaries and, for some, their descendants have not been kind to them; during their life times they did not get much recognition and by now they are largely forgotten. In many instances, for example, contemporary innovators who took advantage of the inventions and were wealthy enough to patent their model had the financial benefit, the fame and, now, have the place in our history books.
It is important to remember that developments in ideas during the Enlightenment were not restricted to certain places, areas of interest nor social groups. One of the most characteristic aspects of that era was the increasing interest in the cross-fertilisation of ideas between people and across places. There were many cogs in that wheel of intellectual, social and practical change; this book outlines some key players that should be added to the conventional hall of fame.
"Trailblazing Georgians" is an ideal introduction for anyone studying Georgian Britain and the Enlightenment. It would be an excellent addition to the history curriculum for UK schools.
With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.