The latest selection for the Ladies Book Club was the best-selling book âHedyâs Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World.â While meeting recently over coffee and cookies in the Ladies Lounge in the Club, the group enjoyed a lively discussion about Lamarrâs incredible life story, which at times reads more like fiction than non-fiction. Written by Richard Rhodes, the book tells how the Austrian-born Lamarr fled to America at the beginning of World War II to escape her Nazi arms dealer husband. Already an actress, Lamarr went on to become one of the most glamorous stars in Hollywood. But whatâs really remarkable about her tale is that she had another highly usual talent. In 1942 Lamarr, who had a head for science, received a U.S. patent for co-inventing a radio-controlled âspread spectrumâ torpedo-guidance system to be used by the Navy to destroy Nazi U-boats. The governmentâs unexpected reaction to Lamarr, the epitome of beauty and brains, makes the story even more unbelievable. Once a month, the women in Old Palmâs Ladies Book Club meet to discuss fascinating stories such as this. And theyâd love for you to join them.