The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
Marie Benedict tells the tale of a talented female scientist who is only known for her good looks.
Her attractiveness most likely kept her out of the growing Nazi party and helped her find love with an Austrian armaments merchant. She was underestimated in every other way, but while by her husband’s side, she overheard the Third Reich’s intentions and knew more than anyone could have imagined. She came up with a scheme to leave their castle while pretending to be someone else, and the quick getaway brought her to Hollywood. She rose to fame as Hedy Lamarr.
She did, however, conceal something more surprising than her family history or her marriage: she was a scientist. And if anyone would pay attention to her, she had a brilliant concept that could transform modern communication while also aiding the nation’s struggle against the Nazis.
The Only Woman in the Room is a masterwork that honours the numerous women in science that history has ignored. It is based on the amazing true story of the glamour icon and scientist.
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
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The late Hedy Lamarr has recently begun to receive some of the recognition that is rightfully hers for the scientific breakthroughs she made during World War II that helped create Bluetooth and other technologies. Based on actual occurrences in Hedy’s life, this is a fictional memoir. Several preconceptions about her—many of which may or may not be accurate—are based on the fact that she was a beautiful woman, an actress, and married to a Nazi supporter. Because it seems as though Marie Benedict is giving Hedy her voice back, she picked the first person for the narration.
By any measure, Hedy was an outstanding lady. I wanted more from this book than Benedict offered, though.
Benedict makes reference to her library and reading time, but she doesn’t go into much depth. This could be because there weren’t enough trustworthy biographical sources, or it could be because of the choices Benedict chose. At what age did she initially become interested in science and engineering, and how did she continually balance or move between the intellectual, scientific Hedy and the worldly Hedy who had to deal with cultural expectations?
She almost claims in this book that the Navy rejected Lamarr’s proposal to use frequency hopping for torpedo guidance. The accusation is explicit in the book itself, but the author softens it a little in the afterword.
The allegation is unsupported by any evidence, and it is more likely that the Navy rejected the concept because they weren’t using radio to direct torpedoes at the time, making Lamarr an innovator. In addition, radio waves don’t go very far in salt water.
Yet, the book was easy to read. Lamarr actually held Louis B. Mayer to a much higher price than he had initially proposed. She might (or might not) have disguised herself as a servant to flee her first spouse. She really used George Antheil as an example of how to use frequency hopping to a real-world issue by utilizing player piano technology.
