Among the most fascinating figures from America’s past are the men and women who performed some singular feat that’s been overlooked or gets only a bare mention in today’s history books. American Trailblazers celebrates a group of lesser-known Americans who left an enduring imprint on their time through their milestone innovations or inspirational accomplishments. These men and women come from every period in our nation’s history and all walks of life. What makes them worthy of note are their memorable life stories. Many of these individuals could be deemed heroes, others colorful iconoclasts. One or two might even be considered controversial, although their attainments were important nonetheless. The characters are organized into two groups representing the fields in which they excelled—Culture and Society or Science and Industry. From the Quaker housewife who was hanged in Massachusetts in 1660 while fighting for religious freedom to the scientist who invented modern forensic toxicology, these trailblazers fix themselves in our imagination with their indelible stories. Meet the Trailblazers. (Gemini Originals, 2018)

“Your prose is wonderful and your information is spot on.” —Ethan P. Bullard, Museum Curator, National Park Service

“Some of my favorite kind of storytelling.” —Lisa Thomas, Publisher and Editorial Director, National Geographic Adult Books

“Terrific! So good to see all those ‘forgottens’ featured. Bless you for your work.” —Louise Minks, Artist, Leverett Crafts & Art Center

“It has one of the marks of a great read in that I was looking for the next chapter when the last one had ended!” —Robert Sutton, M.D.