The New York Times and USA Today Bestseller! 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 … 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.
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When I finish a book and sigh at its amazingness, one of the first things I do is read its lesser reviews (there are always some) and try to figure out the disparity. As expected, there were few that were not glowing and those that were seemed to be disgruntled that there was so much more to Hedy Lamarr than what this book contained. The truth is, the woman was so fascinating that she could not possibly be contained in one book unless one wanted to read 700 pages. And that is rarely the aim of historical fiction – to be utterly thorough. Instead, my favorite historical fiction novels inspired me to want to learn MORE. And THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM did just that. Never did it seem to be the author’s intention to tell the entire story from beginning to end – instead, it is a well-told snapshot of a very specific aspect of a multi-faceted woman. If that method introduces the tale to the wider world, then it’s done its job. And does it well. This one was a page-turner for me and one that certainly had me doing more research as soon as I’d gotten to the last page.
I loved the first person viewpoint and the struggles she overcame to pursue the research for her unique invention. I’ve used frequency hopping in my engineering job — a woman to admire.
Marie Benedict likens herself to an archaeologist digging up facts about women whose life achievements have been minimalized. Such is the case with THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM.
Here, she tells the story of Hedy Lamarr, an actress born in Austria, coming into her own through the turbulent 1930s and ’40s there, then the ’40s and ’50s in America. I grew up knowing her name, but I never knew that she was Jewish. Much of the world did not, and by design. At that time (sadly, now too, in some places), Jewish was a dangerous thing to be. Even in Hollywood, far from Hitler’s reach, Jewish actors, actresses, and directors who had fled their homelands for the safety of America were secretive about their roots.
Hedy Lamarr’s heritage and the extent to which her family went to keep her safe is only half of the heart of this book. The other half is the role women were relegated to playing in those days – from the trophy wife who was expected to be silent and smile to the on-screen actress whose face and body mattered far more than her lines.
But what about her mind? Hedy Lamarr was an inventor, creating not only torpedo-related technology that would eventually be adopted by the US Navy but also technology that would become the basis of cell phone mechanics.
Did you know that? Nope. Me, neither. I only knew Hedy Lamarr as a beautiful face. Marie Benedict corrects that misperception in this book. She also makes Ms. Lamarr’s achievements personal, redemptive for someone who felt that she hadn’t done enough for the millions of Jews in Austria who died at Nazi hands.
I wasn’t wild about the reader of the Audible version. She did multiple roles well, but was overly dramatic, I thought. Also, there was a bit more internal dialogue (as in CARNEGIE’S MAID) than I thought warranted.
Still, the feminist in me gives this book a high rating.
I really enjoyed Marie benedict’s two previous books CARNEGIE’S MAID and THE OTHER EINSTEIN so was looking forward to her take on Hedy Lamarr. I was NOT disappointed as she delivered the compelling story of Hedy Lamarr. Benedict brought to life the little known history of one of the world’s most beautiful women and, more importantly, highly intelligent women.
Hedwig Kiestler was born in Austria to a Jewish mother and father. While performing the role of Empress Sisi, she came to the attention of the munitions magnate Fritz Mandl. After a short courtship, his proposal of marriage was seen as a way to protect Hedy from the growing anti-Semitism of the time.
Mandl spoke openly to Hedy about the armaments and munitions he sold. Always the curious one, Hedy read as much as she could about the arms her husband sold and listened in on conversations he held with business partners. The men never imagined that this beautiful woman had any interest in or understood their conversations.
Mandl became more and more controlling and Hedy knew she had to escape his powerful clutches. She flees to England and then to Hollywood where Jewish actors and actresses were fleeing to as they could not perform in Europe. She quickly becomes one of the highest paid performers and is dubbed the most beautiful woman in the world. But over her hangs a cloud of guilt.
Knowing what she did, could she have prevented some of the senseless deaths of European Jews? She now draws on her scientific knowledge to develop equipment to shorten the war thus saving lives. But her real challenge is getting someone to listen to her.
This is a commanding novel based on the true story of actress Hedy Lamarr whose patented idea laid the foundation for secure communications and cellphone technology.
The story was so riveting I flew through the pages losing all track of time. This is a story not to be forgotten.
I couldn’t put this book down. What an extraordinary and fascinating life! Highly recommended.
historical-figures, historical-novel
Interesting historical novel with a political agenda. Too much novelization for my taste, and the stance that the ONLY reason for the rejection of the plans for the torpedo launching device was that she was female is nonsense. Try the additions that neither she nor her male design partner were military OR possessed of what would be viewed as the appropriate academic degrees (try Why is Science Still a Boys Club). And the odd portrayal of her biological Jewishness without her apparent knowledge is disturbing. I expected better and was disappointed.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from SOURCEBOOKS Landmark via NetGalley.
I loved this book! Strong female character in Ms. Lamar. These books should be introduced to young females as examples of what they can accomplish in their lives. They don’t have to play just one role in life. A true story of perseverance against discrimination. A major lesson taught in this book is to never underestimate a woman. A masterpiece! I never knew that this lady was behind the technology that supports our current cell phones. I love this author’s well developed characters. She envelopes you in their lives and hooks you with reality that connects you to the story. Her books cause me to want to learn and research more about these strong real-life characters that are women!
I thought Reese Witherspoon chose books with strong women characters! Reese, why are these books not on your book club list? These are awesome! Women of all ages need these inspirational books.
Last month I read this amazing historical fiction novel about Hedy Lamarr, a woman who fled Nazi occupied Austria in WWII and became a Hollywood star. She was also a scientist who invented a technology that would later be adapted into all sorts of wireless technology such as the cell phone and wifi. Her story is legendary but this fairly short novel only covers a fraction of her life. I definitely want to know more.
She was a beautiful pioneer in a world where that was not a combination taken seriously. She married young, thinking her husband could keep her safe during the war but his affiliations with Nazis left her no choice but to flee. This book examines the struggle those who fled lived with, leaving loved ones behind. For Hedy, guilt gave birth to an idea, later patented, that had she not been a woman, could’ve changed the war. An amazing story so grand it’s almost impossible to believe. Inspirational women need this sort of memorial.
Definitely a must read for those who love 40s Hollywood, WWII history, and historical females.
Hedy Lamarr’s stunning beauty rocketed her to Hollywood stardom, but her inventive, talented mind was too often relegated to the background. Not only did she escape the rise of the Nazis to successfully make her way to America and become a movie star, but she also applied her mind to the challenges of wartime communication, which helped lay the groundwork for modern technology like Wi-Fi. Marie Benedict gives Lamarr’s brilliance its much-deserved spotlight in this instant bestseller.
Who knew Heddy Lamarr was such an exceptional woman?!? I knew she was lovely, but she was also brilliant, tenacious, and stubborn. While there are occasional info dumps to make sure readers have all the pertinent details, the story itself is riveting. I was holding my breath when she attempted her escape . . . well, you’ll have to read it to see. Plus some interesting insights into old Hollywood.
I love books about women who made a difference, but as usual it is the men who take the credit. Hedy was brilliant and worked hard to make a difference.
Short read but well worth the time.
Pretty good.
The Only Woman in the Room was a well written glimpse into the life of Hedy Lamarr. From her marriage to an Austrian arms dealer before World War Two to her career as an American movie star, she fought to become more than just a pretty face. Marie Benedict’s research into her life shines through! A must for historical fiction fans!
There are some minor spoilers below (if there can really be spoilers in a story based on real-life events…)
3.5 stars
I’ve recently become familiar with the fascinating story of Hedy Lamarr and was excited to get a chance to read this fictionalized autobiography of her life. I can’t speak to the accuracy as I’m not familiar with all the details of Ms. Lamarr’s story, but I thought I noticed a few discrepancies based on what little I have seen/read, but again, I can’t be sure. The first half of the book deals with her life in pre-war Austria starting immediately before she met the man who would later become her husband. There is a lot of time and effort spent on details that, while not necessarily vital to the plot, help set the tone of her life and lifestyle.
The second half of the book seemed to jump large periods of time and mention important events somewhat in passing (e.g. her mother’s leaving Europe for London and later, Canada). Maybe those jumps only seemed more noticeable after the slower, more “detailed” pace of the first half of the book but they felt somewhat jarring to me. Also, the repetitive “could I have stopped the Nazis had I only said something to someone?” mantra seemed a bit ridiculous, self-important and overblown, not to mention repetitive. Maybe it can be classified as survivor’s guilt?
The ending was surprisingly abrupt with no real conclusion. Even a shot “summary” epilogue would have been better than nothing although the author’s note does a little more to wrap things up. If nothing else, I now have a desire to sit down and binge watch several Hedy Lamarr movies and do some more research into her interesting life.
*copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
The marginalization of women’s contributions to science and inventions back in the 1930s and 40s was awful; that it still exists today in unthinkable, but it does. What does that have to do with this book? Well, everything! Hedy Lamarr, an actress in the 1930s and 40s, was known for her beauty. ‘The Only Woman in the Room’ is the story about how a beautiful woman used her appearance to help her achieve what she felt was important in life. She was born a Jew in Austria and experienced Hitler’s rise to power first hand. When a book makes you research parts of history because the story brings it alive for you, well, that’s a great book! I had heard the name Hedy Lamarr before but knew nothing about her life. I really enjoyed this story of a lonely girl who becomes an actress, the wife of an ammunitions dealer, an escape artist, once again an actress, a mother, and an inventor. #netgalley #theonlywomanintheroom
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “The Only Woman in the Room” by Marie Benedict Sourcebooks Landmark, January 8, 2019
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “The Only Woman in the Room” by Marie Benedict, Sourcebooks Landmark, January 8, 2019
Marie Benedict, Author of “The Only Woman in the Room” has written an intriguing, captivating, dramatic, entertaining, suspenseful and intense novel. The Genres for this novel are Historical Fiction and Fiction. The timeline for the story is around World War Two. The story goes into the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The story takes place in Austria, and in Hollywood California. The Author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex and complicated.
Hedy Kiesler is a Jewish actress in Austria. Hedy is described as gorgeous and talented. The time is just before World War Two, and the political feel in Austria is tense. For her safety, her parents are convinced to let her marry a wealthy and political munitions dealer. Her husband is supposed to be a guarantee to protect her from Nazi Germany. He is friends with Benito Mussolini. Hedy and her husband get married in church. Hedy realizes that he is abusive, and as the political climate changes, she tries to escape. There are many things that Hedy hears in the house.
Eventually Hedy arranges to escape, and gets to Hollywood. She becomes Hedy Lamarr.
Hedy Lamarr is one of the most famous and beautiful actresses, but liked to experiment with scientific projects. Some of her ideas were brought to the attention of the United States Navy. They were initially dismissed because Hedy was a woman. It is only years later, that we realize how intelligent and powerful she was.
I loved the way Marie Benedict vividly described the landscape and scenery in Austria, and the Hollywood scene. I would highly recommend this amazing novel for readers who enjoy Historical Fiction. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Marie Benedict shares the amazing story of a woman known mostly for her beauty and not enough for her intelligence, resilience, and compassion. Beautifully written—it captivated me from the start.
This was a Book Club read. It was very interesting and we all learned a lot we did not know. It held my interest with great character background and actual true information about her life. It offered good discussion as well.
Until I read The Only Woman In The Room, the only thing I knew about Hedy Lamarr was that she was a beautiful actress before my time. And now, thanks to Marie Benedict, I know so much more.
Lamarr’s story is fascinating, pursued by an arms dealer where even her father, who loves her deeply, is prepared to sacrifice his daughter in the hope of saving both her and his wife. Although the author doesn’t say this outright, I can’t help but think that Lamarr’s father’s medical problems resulted from the acute anxiety he suffered worrying about his family’s safety.
Sadly, this story is still timely and relevant: a beautiful actress’s invention could save thousands of lives? If only someone would believe her. Could that still happen today?
If you’re looking for excellent historical fiction, read this book.
This was such an interesting book, Hedy LaMarr’s life was much different than I expected. I never realized she was a genius, how wonderful her father was to spend so much time teaching her things that were not available to women. I have no trouble with the fact that her inventions were disregarded by the men in charge just because she was a beautiful woman. It was a very eye-opening life story and I recommend it highly.