The life of Josiah Wedgwood, a pioneering advocate of the Industrial Revolution, is as inspiring and impassioned as his celebrated jasperware craftsmanship. Experimentation, innovation and a desire to take advantage of the latest technology to further the art of pottery, has today made Wedgewood a name synonymous with finest of pottery.
Tristram Hunt's compelling biography, The Radical Potter: The Life and Times of Josiah Wedgwood, is a wonderful introduction to the industrial and artistic worlds that created, and were created by, Josiah Wedgwood.

Inspiration to read: NYTBR including this bit, “…with its yellowed maps and extensive quotations from ye olde correspondence, is both utterly transporting and extremely cozy.” https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/24/books/review-radical-potter-josiah-wedgwood-t...

An interesting and thorough biography of the fascinating character Josiah Wedgwood and his circle, and of the British pottery industry and its rise and fall. Fairly well sourced, with some notable omissions, and I do wonder if the final version will include more images, since I felt their lack in the ARC I read. But generally very good and well done. The epilogue goes a bit further afield and provides an account of the later (mis)fortunes of the Wedgwood firm. ( )

This is a very readable and competent biography of Josiah Wedgwood. Anyone looking for a view into British manufacturing in the 18th century, or a bit of art history, or a bit of Enlightenment discourse will find bits here worth discovering. Hunt tells a good tale, and felt satisfying to finish.

The book's glaring flaw is for a love letter to the most innovative potter in British history, there are no images of the art. Art histories need art on display. Maybe it will be in the final version, but the advance reader's version had but two maps and a family tree. A little wanting in my book. ( )

In Tristram Hunt’s new biography, THE RADICAL POTTER, he looks deep into The Life and Times of Josiah Wedgwood and it is a fascinating story. The 1700s was an exciting era for ideas and industry and Wedgwood was in the center of both, pioneering innovations in manufacturing and marketing and championing political causes like the abolition of slaves.
Hunt draws directly from on Wedgwood archive materials, including business records and correspondence, making the story very real. For readers with an interest in the Industrial Revolution or the history of pottery, THE RADICAL POTTER is a must-read biography of the man who profoundly changed how we work and live.
Read my full review on the blog: https://www.rosecityreader.com/2022/02/the-radical-potter-life-and-times-of.html...