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Wilhelm's Way: The Inspiring Story of the Iowa Chemist Who Saved the Manhattan Project
Winner of the Minnesota Book Award
Recipient of the Excellence in Iowa History Award
The untold story of the humble man whose scientific innovation helped end World War II
In February 1942, leaders of the Manhattan Project had a to prove a controlled nuclear chain reaction was possible, they needed pure uranium—tons of it and in less than ten months. With only a few grams in existence, there was little hope anyone could achieve such a feat. Harley Wilhelm, a chemistry professor at Iowa State College, rose to the challenge.
A sharecropper’s son and former college basketball coach, Wilhelm was an unlikely character to impact the course of world history. Nevertheless, he and his small, dedicated team of scientists and technicians surpassed anyone’s wildest expectations.
Wilhelm’s Way reveals the life and times of this unsung hero who helped America win the race to build the atomic bomb and end World War II.
Recipient of the Excellence in Iowa History Award
The untold story of the humble man whose scientific innovation helped end World War II
In February 1942, leaders of the Manhattan Project had a to prove a controlled nuclear chain reaction was possible, they needed pure uranium—tons of it and in less than ten months. With only a few grams in existence, there was little hope anyone could achieve such a feat. Harley Wilhelm, a chemistry professor at Iowa State College, rose to the challenge.
A sharecropper’s son and former college basketball coach, Wilhelm was an unlikely character to impact the course of world history. Nevertheless, he and his small, dedicated team of scientists and technicians surpassed anyone’s wildest expectations.
Wilhelm’s Way reveals the life and times of this unsung hero who helped America win the race to build the atomic bomb and end World War II.
420 pages, Paperback
Published January 8, 2022
22 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 23, 2023
A rich and page-turning tale. This book is an excellent one for anyone interested in history, science, or even sports. But the heart is in the family history so lovingly told by Teresa Waldof. The titular Wilhelm is her grandfather, and yet the book is also much more than family memories. Waldof has researched diligently and thoroughly to provide a living, colorful picture surrounding the character of her grandfather, who was just an old farm boy from Iowa. And yet he means so much more to her, and now also to me and anyone who reads Wilhelm's Way.
May 16, 2022
Wilhelm's Way kept me interested to the very end, a fascinating story about the development of production processes that ultimately ended WWII. Teresa Wilhelm Waldorf is a talented author and I encourage her to continue writing and publishing work for everyone to enjoy. I highly recommend this book, it is full of interesting facts about how invention is encouraged and happens in the United States, and the characters involved in the early production of Uranium.
January 22, 2026
Excellent!
February 25, 2024
WILHELM’s Way by Theresa Wilhelm Waldorf
The true account of Harley Wilhelm who was a chemist and solved the question of how to purify U238 and scale the production to enable the atomic bomb. He worked in Ames Iowa in a university (University of Iowa) under much stress and secrecy. The author is his granddaughter and obviously pulled the account of his work and his life from diaries and newspaper accounts. There is a lot of very specific chemistry and technical data presented month by month as the scientists tried different approaches to the problem. I am a chemist and worked in the nuclear field and I found it tedious. There is also a lot of superfluous info on his upbringing. For example, did I really need to know that his mother won the nail driving competition at the local fair?! There is also a lot about Harley’s sports success throughout high school and college. Do I really need to know Harley’s scoring record of every season and every sport in which he participated?! Do we really need to know that only one foul was called on Harley his entire college basketball career?! I get that the author has this info and is proud of her grandfather but much of this could have been condensed into a single chapter on how sports shaped Harley Wilhelm.
Other ideas are skimmed over such as the use of the concept of heuristics. The author states it enabled Harley to solve the U problem in a short time. How? What is heuristics? No other info on this is offered. Why do we need to know about the “stone woman” at the Chicago World’s Fair? The sewing machine salesman? It’s as if the author needs to dump everything from Orpha and Harley’s diaries and any newspaper clippings into this book. These weird facts are littered throughout. I finally had enough at about 75% complete. And I NEVER DNF a book! It was a tedious slog.
The true account of Harley Wilhelm who was a chemist and solved the question of how to purify U238 and scale the production to enable the atomic bomb. He worked in Ames Iowa in a university (University of Iowa) under much stress and secrecy. The author is his granddaughter and obviously pulled the account of his work and his life from diaries and newspaper accounts. There is a lot of very specific chemistry and technical data presented month by month as the scientists tried different approaches to the problem. I am a chemist and worked in the nuclear field and I found it tedious. There is also a lot of superfluous info on his upbringing. For example, did I really need to know that his mother won the nail driving competition at the local fair?! There is also a lot about Harley’s sports success throughout high school and college. Do I really need to know Harley’s scoring record of every season and every sport in which he participated?! Do we really need to know that only one foul was called on Harley his entire college basketball career?! I get that the author has this info and is proud of her grandfather but much of this could have been condensed into a single chapter on how sports shaped Harley Wilhelm.
Other ideas are skimmed over such as the use of the concept of heuristics. The author states it enabled Harley to solve the U problem in a short time. How? What is heuristics? No other info on this is offered. Why do we need to know about the “stone woman” at the Chicago World’s Fair? The sewing machine salesman? It’s as if the author needs to dump everything from Orpha and Harley’s diaries and any newspaper clippings into this book. These weird facts are littered throughout. I finally had enough at about 75% complete. And I NEVER DNF a book! It was a tedious slog.
August 2, 2022
This book has received endorsements from:
Cynthia Kelly, President of the Atomic Heritage Foundation: “Wilhelm’s Way is a delightful and important addition to the annals of the Manhattan Project. The engaging book relates the improbable story of Dr. Harley Wilhelm and his young team of scientists at Iowa State College who produced pure uranium metal for the Manhattan Project.”
Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, President of Iowa State University: “An amazing story of ingenuity, determination and moxie. . . A fascinating story of Iowa State University’s little known but essential contribution to the end of World War II, which I highly recommend!”
Cynthia Kelly, President of the Atomic Heritage Foundation: “Wilhelm’s Way is a delightful and important addition to the annals of the Manhattan Project. The engaging book relates the improbable story of Dr. Harley Wilhelm and his young team of scientists at Iowa State College who produced pure uranium metal for the Manhattan Project.”
Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, President of Iowa State University: “An amazing story of ingenuity, determination and moxie. . . A fascinating story of Iowa State University’s little known but essential contribution to the end of World War II, which I highly recommend!”
February 24, 2023
This is a story important to world history, to WWII history, to Iowa history, to the history of Iowa State University. But it's also a masterfully written family story of the humble man who indeed influenced the outcome of WWII. His efforts were too late for my mother's three brothers, but my dad--the commander of a B-29 Superfortress with orders for Saipan in September 1945 was spared combat.
Wilhelm's Way also includes photos, extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index.
Wilhelm's Way also includes photos, extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index.
December 27, 2023
2.75 ⭐️
While it was fun to read about the history of my college and the department of which I’m majoring in, I felt like the book jumped around way too much, especially between paragraphs and within chapters. Made it hard to enjoy reading the book.
Dr. Wilhem’s story is so cool though.
While it was fun to read about the history of my college and the department of which I’m majoring in, I felt like the book jumped around way too much, especially between paragraphs and within chapters. Made it hard to enjoy reading the book.
Dr. Wilhem’s story is so cool though.
November 26, 2023
Wonderful and well researched story
I found this to be a very well written and researched story of historical importance. Everyone knows the larger story of the Manhattan project, but this truly gives new insight into all the particulars that were going on leading up to it, and how much spunk and ingenuity that needed to occur across the nation. As an Iowa State graduate, I am very proud of Harley’s drive, ingenuity and intelligence, as well as all of Iowa State’s contributions to the advancement of science into the end of World War II.
I found this to be a very well written and researched story of historical importance. Everyone knows the larger story of the Manhattan project, but this truly gives new insight into all the particulars that were going on leading up to it, and how much spunk and ingenuity that needed to occur across the nation. As an Iowa State graduate, I am very proud of Harley’s drive, ingenuity and intelligence, as well as all of Iowa State’s contributions to the advancement of science into the end of World War II.
September 15, 2025
I can't adequately say how much I enjoyed this biography of a man who contributed as much to the Manhattan Project as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Leslie Groves. As a man born and raised in southern Iowa, Harley Wilhelm's self-effecing and humble demeaning came naturally. I know, my grandparents who farmed in Wayne County Iowa were the same.
April 3, 2026
Interesting history, but the author is a bit overstated and repetitive in her claims about Wilhelm's impact on the war. In big ventures like the Manhattan project if one person doesn't figure something out, someone else will. It might just take longer. Also, the middle third of the book about Wilhelm's early life and interest in sports was a bit longer than it needed to be.
October 24, 2023
Well written book about a very technical subject. I am not one to read this type of book, but I really liked it! Teresa came to our church to speak about her book. She was fascinating to listen to!
January 16, 2023
Really liked this book, probably could rate it as amazing! So much information about Wilhelm's work and life and Iowa in general.
July 20, 2023
Lorna Livingston's father.
July 30, 2023
Interesting read...having worked at Ames Lab in the 1970's, the names were recognizable.
September 30, 2025
Accurate, relevant and a must read for any Iowa State University graduate.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews