Here is a great biography for entertaining summer reading.The story of Alfred Lee Loomis (1887-1975) sounds like 1940's Hollywood movie plot, something for the kid's matinée on a Saturday afternoon. Handsome millionaire stock broker Loomis kept a secret laboratory in his fabulous mansion where he met with great scientists to invent devices to save the world from the Nazis. When he wasn't at a night club or on his yacht with attractive women, he was meeting with Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, and Enrico Fermi. According to author Jennet Conant in Tuxedo Park: A Wall Street Tycoon and the Secret Palace of Science That Changed the Course of World War II, this adventure story is true. Loomis really led a double life of financial business by day and developing radar and the atomic bombs by night.
Currently every copy of this exciting book in the SWAN catalog of the Metropolitan Library System is on the shelf. It is time for action! Put it on display and offer it to readers.
Conant, Jennet. Tuxedo Park: A Wall Street Tycoon and the Secret Palace of Science That Changed the Course of World War II. Simon & Schuster, 2002.
2 comments:
I am amazed by this man. It seems that he had a hand in every major scientific advancement between 1930 and 1945. Our country and Europe are eternally indebted to him. He achieved seemingly unprecedented Wall Street wealth in spite of his passion for science. His scientific talent was developed outside of academia and was based on his passion for the discipline, itself . Thank you, Jennet Conant for letting the world know about this little-known, important man!
I just finished the book. If anybody has leads on more info about him, please let me know.
jp, I completely agree with you. Mr. Loomis was an incredible person and he made history! He just recently passed away, on Nov. 14th I think. I found a great post on Peterman's Eye that you might like to read...it talks about his accomplishments, life, ect. Great read.
http://www.petermanseye.com/anthologies/cowboys/358-tuxedo-park
Cheers!
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