Book Review Boulevard
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
If you were gifted with both beauty and brains, would it bother you if no one ever looked past the outside package to find the intelligence inside of you?
That is the question behind Marie Benedict's newest historical fiction novel. Benedict, who has also written Carnegie's Maid and The Other Einstein in a similar fashion, lets us in on the life of the infamous Hedy Lemarr. Benedict, as always, does a wonderful job of blending the facts and only "fictionalizing" the conversations and details in which we can only speculate.
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Born Hedwig Kiesler in Vienna, Austia, Hedy was nurtured by a strong father that discussed politics, inventions, history and so much more with his only child. As an adult, Hedy followed two very different passions of acting and inventing.
With World War II raging, Hedy along with her inventing partner, George Antheil, invented a frequency-hopping technology for torpedo accuracy. Although the invention was awarded a patent, it was not used during the war.
This invention, frequency-hopping, although not accepted in its time, is now the basis for secure wifi, bluetooth, cell phone, GPS and military technology.
As stated by the author in her notes:
Hedy Lemarr was a stunningly beautiful woman who lived in a time when society could only see her based on her looks. I will leave you with the author's comment again as a last word on this book.
What do you think? 🤔🤔
If you haven't read this wonderful book yet, please come in and check it out! 🕮
With World War II raging, Hedy along with her inventing partner, George Antheil, invented a frequency-hopping technology for torpedo accuracy. Although the invention was awarded a patent, it was not used during the war.
This invention, frequency-hopping, although not accepted in its time, is now the basis for secure wifi, bluetooth, cell phone, GPS and military technology.
As stated by the author in her notes:
" So when we look at our cell phones - as almost everyone does countless times
every day - we stare directly into the face of a scientific invention made,
in part, upon Hedy Lemarr's invention. It is a tangible reminder of her life,
beyond the films for which she is more famous." (p. 395)
"Perhaps if Hedy's society had viewed her not simply as a blindingly
beautiful creature, but as a human being with a sharp mind capable of significant
contributions, they might have learned that her interior was more interesting
and fruitful than her exterior." (p. 396)
What do you think? 🤔🤔
If you haven't read this wonderful book yet, please come in and check it out! 🕮
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