THE UNSHAKEABLE FAITH OF AN INVENTOR

In this updated memoir of a famous inventor, his daughter offers explanatory notes and commentary on his life.

Otto G. Lellep’s story is just as intriguing as his engineering feats were revolutionary. Born in czarist Estonia and trained in metallurgical mining and engineering, Lellep became a United States citizen following 1917’s Russian Revolution. His research in smelting and cement production resulted in multiple inventions and patents and secured him high-profile partnerships with leading research institutions, such as Columbia University, and businesses, like the International Nickel Company. Following his retirement in the late ’60s, Lellep was encouraged by his daughter, Fernandez, to write a memoir. The result was a book that told a poignant and scientifically important story but was plagued by a prose style inaccessible to the general public. Written by a lifelong scientist born and raised in Europe, the volume referenced Estonian culture, terminology, and history with minimal contextualization and explanation, assuming readers were just as familiar as the author with the regional specificities and peculiarities of the Baltic region. The esoteric descriptions of his scientific research were similarly difficult for those outside his niche technical field, as he “assumed that his readers would share his knowledge of cement, steel, industrial furnaces, and metallurgy.” Recognizing the value of her father’s story, Fernandez (with editor Noda) provides an updated version of Lellep’s memoir that seeks “to preserve and honor Otto’s voice” while presenting readers with detailed, annotated notes to assist in clearing up ambiguities and obscure references. This edition also includes more than 40 pages of introductory material that presents a summation of Lellep’s career, provides historical background on the events in Europe in the early 20th century that intersected with his personal experiences and research, and reflects on his life and legacy “through a daughter’s eyes.”

Despite the volume’s useful commentary and annotations, Lellep’s scientific passages may still have limited appeal beyond those trained in his field. Fernandez and Noda also chose to leave his text alone, including his unique spelling style, which makes for an occasionally disjointed read. While some of the work’s spelling choices may seem odd at first, Fernandez suggests that they may reflect the “Russification” of the Estonian language that Lellep was taught in grade school. And though his scientific endeavors, from nitty-gritty explanations of complex chemical processes to the joys of scientific discovery, are covered in this book, what stands out is his intense passion for humanity. A self-described “citizen of the world,” Lellep traveled the globe for his research, so it is not surprising that “geography figured keenly” in his “awareness and appreciation.” He spent much of his spare time learning about other cultures, from the Sami of Europe’s far north to the Aztecs of Mexico, on an almost spiritual level. This passion was imparted to his daughter, who earned a doctorate in biocultural anthropology from Rutgers University. Complementing Fernandez’s efforts to make her father’s memoir more accessible is the addition of ample maps, family photographs, and diagrams of Lellep’s inventions. Appendix materials include reproductions of letters and other primary sources, a glossary, and a brief reference guide to “recurring names” mentioned throughout the work.

An impressive update of an inventor’s unheralded autobiography.