Book Review
The Only Woman in the
Room
Marie Benedict
Book Description:
She possessed a
stunning beauty. She also possessed a stunning mind. Could the world handle
both?
Her beauty almost certainly saved her from the
rising Nazi party and led to marriage with an Austrian arms dealer.
Underestimated in everything else, she overheard the Third Reich's plans while
at her husband's side, understanding more than anyone would guess. She devised
a plan to flee in disguise from their castle, and the whirlwind escape landed
her in Hollywood. She became Hedy Lamarr, screen star.
But she kept a secret more shocking than her
heritage or her marriage: she was a scientist. And she knew a few secrets about
the enemy. She had an idea that might help the country fight the Nazis...if
anyone would listen to her.
A powerful novel based on the incredible true
story of the glamour icon and scientist whose groundbreaking invention
revolutionized modern communication, The Only Woman in the Room is
a masterpiece.
Buy now on:
My Five-Star Review:
Hedy Lamarr—when you hear this name you think of the glamorous
actress who commanded the silver screen. But she was much more than a pretty
face or a talented actress. Raised by a father who appreciated her intelligence
and encouraged her in all things, married to a man who was in bed with the
Third Reich, and refugee from Austria right before her home country is taken
over by Hitler, she had an incredible past that forged her future; helping her
accomplish her greatest achievement of all.
The Only Woman in the
Room is a wonderful story that depicts just how intelligent and inventive
she was. She was a strong woman who stood up to movie executives most people
feared and the U.S. military that rejected her ideas because she was a woman. The
author knows her history well and mixes Hedy’s story amidst the outbreak of
World War II, keeping the reader entertained and informed throughout. I highly
recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical biographical fiction.
About the Author:
Once a New York City lawyer,
Marie Benedict had long dreamed about a fantastical job unraveling the larger
mysteries of the past as an archaeologist or historian -- before she tried her
hand at writing. While drafting her first book, she realized that she could
excavate the possible truths lurking in history through fiction, and has done
so in THE OTHER EINSTEIN, the story of Mileva Maric, Albert Einstein's first
wife and a physicist herself, and CARNEGIE'S MAID, the story of a brilliant
woman who may have spurred Andrew Carnegie toward philanthropy. Her upcoming
novel, THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, will release in January of 2019. She is a
graduate of Boston College and the Boston University School of Law, and lives
in Pittsburgh with her family.
If you enjoyed this novel about
Hedy Lamarr, I also recommend the novel, Beautiful
Invention: A Novel of Hedy Lamarr by Margaret Porter. It is a comprehensive
historical fiction story of Hedy’s life that you will find intriguing. Read my
review here.
