In 1937 Hedwig Keisler, a famous European actress, was trapped. She was married to a man who produced weapons used by the Nazis. Hedwig (Hedy) hated the Nazis’ cruelty and her husband. She wanted nothing more than to escape both, and in the back of her mind she wanted to find a way to stop the Nazis. After a stealthy escape from Austria, she ended up in Switzerland, then London, and finally Hollywood. Once there, her stage name was changed to Lamarr and she became a top American movie star. At a Hollywood party, Hedy met George Anthiel, a musician. The two played piano together and Hedy was struck with an idea that she thought would help defeat the Nazis. Though they had a great idea which they patented, it was not put to practical use until the 1950s and 60s. Today Hedy’s invention is called “spread spectrum” and is used in cell phones, wireless Internet, satellite guided missiles, and more. This nonfiction book is part of the Capstone Graphic Library and is a graphic novel. This format will not appeal to all, but children who are into brightly colored, action-packed graphic novels and/or video games may find this book more their style and much to their benefit.
One of the best things about being a kid is the ability to come up with the zany, the extraordinary, the impossible, and having the faith to believe it can be made into a reality. And who knows? Maybe the zany isn’t so far-fetched at all. For all the kid inventors out there, here’s a […]