Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

It's the early 60s and chemist Elizabeth Zott is causing her usual ruckus at Hastings Research Institute. For one thing, she can't be a real chemist for the simple fact that she's a woman. Also, she won't make copies, get coffee, or do any of the other woman's work at the institute, and she's so cold and prickly she doesn't want to be touched or groped and isn't willing to provide "favors". Those are the reasons the men don't like Elizabeth. The women don't like her because she's attractive, she turns the heads of the men, and she doesn't know her place as a woman in a man's world.

Also working at Hastings is Calvin Evans, a brilliant Noble prize nominee who has his very own massive lab where he can do who knows what and win more accolades. No one likes him either. Neither Calvin or Elizabeth care if anyone likes them, they just want to be left alone to do their jobs. But one day Elizabeth needs beakers and she knows Calvin has beakers so she barges into his lab and takes some. It's not love at first sight but it's pretty close and soon Elizabeth and Calvin are a very happy couple to the disdain of everyone who wishes them misery and failure.

Elizabeth and Calvin even get a dog and name him Six-thirty. Then fate intervenes and Elizabeth and Six-thirty are on their own until baby Mad is born. Elizabeth never wanted children and she certainly never wanted to be a single mother. Elizabeth never wanted to be famous for a cooking show that she gets wrangled into hosting, either, but when money is tight, something has to give and now Elizabeth is fighting with her cooking show bosses rather than her Hastings Research Institute bosses. Elizabeth is famous for all the wrong reasons (according to her bosses) while the women who are glued to her show five days a week are seeing all the opportunities they never knew they had, to be more than housewives and mothers.

This is a very funny story, with Six-thirty and Mad winning my heart immediately. It took a lot longer for me to warm up to Elizabeth but I finally did towards the end of the story. Life isn't fair, in fact, it's so unfair as to be criminal, and Elizabeth isn't sure how long she can go slogging along, not doing what she wants to do, which is important research as a chemist. There are a lot of really good side characters, a lot of really horrible side characters, and always, there is Calvin, locked away in Elizabeth's heart and dreams. I did have some issues with the story but overall it is humorous, clever, and allows Elizabeth to shine in all her intelligent glory. Even an afternoon cooking show can't hold her down or make her bend to what she doesn't believe.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

WITTY and WONDERFUL -this is a must read, laugh out loud DEBUT!

Meet Elizabeth Zott.
She is a brilliant Chemist, a staunch Atheist, and a determined Feminist.

Most probably “on the spectrum” ( though this wasn’t recognized as such in the 1960’s) and most DEFINITELY ahead of her time, refusing to accept the status quo.

In need of beakers for her Lab, she dares to take some from the Lab of Hasting Research Institute’s Nobel-prize nominated star-Calvin Evans-a loner who holds a grudge, but the result is nothing that could have been predicted! The two fall in love, adopt “Six Thirty”, the smartest and most resourceful dog EVER, and dare to move in together-out of wedlock. GASP!

But, this isn’t a “Happily Ever After” love story.

Fast forward a couple of years, and Elizabeth is now a single mother, with a PRECOCIOUS 4 year old to support. When she discovers another child is taking advantage of her daughter Mad (the name was accidental) during lunch break at school, she demands a face to face meeting with the little girl’s father.

She leaves with much more than an apology.

SOMEHOW, she has agreed to host a “cooking show” on TV-though she insists that her show is about Chemistry!

The now RELUCTANT star of Supper at Six” refuses to wear sexy dresses, insisting on a lab coat and the #2 pencil ✏️ she ALWAYS wears in her hair, or tucked behind one ear. (See it on the book cover)

And, she won’t even recite the dinner ingredients in layman’s terms- yet after the very FIRST episode airs, the station’s phones are ringing off the hook-

All, I can say is “VINEGAR” ! 🤐

Within 2 years, her show is a staple in every household, with those in the studio audience and at home taking notes -jotting down ingredients, recipes and chemical equations! Because Elizabeth, despite her lack of smiles, and her “no nonsense” approach has somehow struck a chord with the “housewives” she thought she had nothing in common with. It seems that she is teaching them to do more than “cook a sensible, nourishing dinner”.

With the help of her “wise beyond her years” child, her overachieving dog, and a community of wonderful supporting characters, Elizabeth Zott-may just “change the world” one “thirty minute lesson at a time”!

Thank You to Doubleday for my gifted copy! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
AVAILABLE April 5, 2022.

historical-novel, historical-research, history-and-culture, misogynistic-era, honesty, love, childhood-trauma, child, dog, 1950s, 1960s, chemist, assault, situational-humor, verbal-humor, falsely accused, family-dynamics, friendship, television, California, rowing*****

Some parts of life come full circle; others create change. This is the story of a woman who generated a lot of change for herself and others during an important segment of her life. There are some parts that are hard to read (triggers), some that are disgusting historical (and current) truths, some deep sadness, and some that are just too funny. It is a great read! I think everyone should read and applaud this work.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Doubleday Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I just absolutely adored this book! The language and story flowed so nicely and it was over way too fast! The MC, Elizabeth Zott, reminded me a bit of Eleanor Oliphant with her constantly-racing thoughts yet less-than-stellar social skills. Her one-liners are awesome and I love the women in STEM component of this wonderful story. And oh my gosh ... the DOG! He is amazing! I love how his character was portrayed. Just enough of his "thoughts" to not be cheesy. Thank you for this awesome work, Bonnie Garmus! I look forward to keeping an eye on your additional books in the future!

I completely, head-over-heels, loved this book: the voice, the story, the women’s lib element—running right smack into the 60s. Same dry sarcastic she-against-the-word as Where’d You Go Bernadette, but very much it’s own world. And, chemistry! Not to mention all the ways the 60s snuck in, so fun (and fraught).

Populated with a number of viewpoints, this helped me bond with multiple characters, though mostly Elizabeth, Madeline, and Six-Thirty. Excellent!!

*Think* What would it have been like if Madame Curie had lived in 1960s America, and this book is the delightful answer. Definitely going on my Not-to-Miss-2022 list!

Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Elizabeth simply refused to accept limits, not just for herself, but for others."

This is one of the top three reads of 2021 for me. I have loved every single moment I spent with it. I loved Elizabeth, I loved six-thirty, I loved Mad, I loved every character in this book. I loved the story. I loved how serious and how light and profound and how enjoyable it was.

"Elizabeth revealed that there were hundreds, maybe thousands of others, and that no human spoke them all. In fact, most people spoke only one—maybe two—unless they were something called Swiss and spoke eight. No wonder people didn’t understand animals. They could barely understand one another."

This is the story of Elizabeth, who is a chemist and then a TV show cooking host. She has a daughter Mad and a dog six-thirty in 1960s California. Her story is sad and harrowing and funny and energizing and deeply deeply inspiring. She is truly one of a kind.

"Chemistry is change and change is the core of your belief system. Which is good because that’s what we need more of—people who refuse to accept the status quo, who aren’t afraid to take on the unacceptable."

The writing and characters in this book were exceptionally well done. The dialogue is sharp and on point. There are some major triggers for rape and a lot of sexism. Some might not resonate with this book or Elizabeth but, for me, it was one of the best I've read.

“Whenever you start doubting yourself,” she said, turning back to the audience, “whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change—and change is what we’re chemically designed to do. So when you wake up tomorrow, make this pledge. No more holding yourself back. No more subscribing to others’ opinions of what you can and cannot achieve. And no more allowing anyone to pigeonhole you into useless categories of sex, race, economic status, and religion. Do not allow your talents to lie dormant, ladies. Design your own future. When you go home today, ask yourself what you will change. And then get started.”

I will not forget this story and Elizabeth for a long long time.

with deep gratitude to Doubleday and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus will forever change the way you look at a sharpened number two pencil.

Elizabeth Zott is a wonderful chemist who could easily change the world, if only people would stop mistaking her for a secretary. Set in the midcentury era in the United States, Lessons in Chemistry is a whirlwind of a book that pulls the reader in from the first sentence and doesn’t let go. Garmus expertly weaves wit and humor into this tale so often full of tragedy, leading the reader through a rollercoaster of emotions.

Elizabeth Zott is most known for her role on the popular television show Supper at Six, but she’s not just a TV chef. In fact, she’s not a chef at all. She’s a chemist, explaining the building blocks of chemistry to under-appreciated housewives while teaching them how to make nutritious and fulfilling meals for their families and maybe also teaching them that they, and their dreams, are worthy and valuable.

But she didn’t start her career on a television set. She has a Master’s in Chemistry, and began her work at Hastings Research Institute, where she battled sexism, plagiarism, and an overtly toxic atmosphere daily just so she could continue her work in abiogenesis.

Don’t let the word chemistry in the title or words like abiogenesis discourage you from picking up this book; it is not your high school chemistry class that made you cry in frustration (that wasn’t just me, right?). Here, the chemistry aids the plot in the best way: it adds depth without making the reader’s eyes blur with incomprehensible words and topics. The presence of chemistry in this book is inherent to the character; it’s how she thinks, how she processes the world, and how she finds the determination to persevere despite the great odds stacked against her.

This book is full of unforgettable characters, from the protagonist to secondary characters to individuals you only meet for a scene or two. Main character Elizabeth Zott is fixed in her ways, resolute, resilient, no-nonsense, and yet immensely likable for it. And the dog! The dog named Six-Thirty, whom Elizabeth decides to teach words to see how many he can learn. I don’t want to spoil any plot points by discussing other beloved characters, but just know this book is chock-full of lovable, unforgettable characters. It is the characters just as much as the plot that make this book un-put-down-able, and one that will be highly re-read-able as well.

This is one of those books where the voice perfectly matches the protagonist. This makes reading an immersive experience, as the reader feels like they’re experiencing Elizabeth’s world firsthand despite the third-person narrator. Even scenes without Elizabeth are told in this voice, leading the reader to interpret this new information as Elizabeth would.

This novel swept me off of my feet and transported me back in time to 1960s California. I learned about things I wouldn’t have purposefully sought out, like chemistry and rowing, and thoroughly enjoyed doing so. I also experienced, via Elizabeth, the power of female friendship, the rarity of finding someone who views you as an equal, and the importance of standing up for what is right and facing the social consequences head-on.

Like your high school chemistry book, this book might make you cry. But with this novel, the crying will be due to catharsis, deep emotional connections and totally worth it. Unlike the authors of your high school chemistry book, Garmus is sure to make you laugh along the way. Not only that, but you’ll see the world differently and be thoughtfully considering Lessons in Chemistry long after you’ve closed the cover.

Lessons in Chemistry will be available April 5, 2022. Thank you to the author, Doubleday, and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy so that I could share my honest review.

I really liked this book.
I am a female chemist. I got a kick out of the science references. The discrimination Elizabeth tolerated was very frustrating. I became angry for her. I wanted her to tell everyone where to stick it. Good writing evokes that type of response. The author apparently researched women's issues in the workplace and brought the situation to life. Well done.
Elizabeth was a fascinating character. I also enjoyed the supporting cast. She is one of the more unusual characters I have encountered recently in fiction. The book itself is well written and funny at times. At other times, it feels a bit disjointed. About 20-30 pages into the story, the author started to narrate from the dog's perspective. Pardon the expression, but I literally thought: "wtf?" As the novel progressed, I accepted the quirkiness and everything started to click. It just got off to a rough start.
The author definitely has a unique voice and I would read her again.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of an aspiring female chemist and her journey to succeed in a world full of prejudice and discrimination. I loved this! As a scientist, as a woman, as a human this was heartbreaking. However despite the hardships and difficulties, this is ultimately a story of strength, resilience, and growth. The writing is sharp, witty, and clever and despite all the tragedy, there were some incredibly funny moments. The balance between sad and happy, strong and weak, frustrating and uplifting is perfect. This book was amazing and I definitely recommend to everyone!

I cannot put into adequate enough of words what I feel about this novel. The emotions it had me feeling. The power behind the written words that were used. The feeling that we are not alone.

I used to be a scientist as a profession. Now, I teach science.

This book and the use of chemistry to explain things were amazing and wonderful and unique to this novel.

The cultural references from the 60s made my heart bleed for women. Not because we had to push to be considered equals but because we are still pushing for equality.

The romance within the story was quirky and gave me a happy feeling.

The relationships within the novel each had a purpose, a story to tell, a puzzle piece to add to the table of what this novel unraveled itself to be - covalent bonds.

Please give me more of novels that are just like this.

I received an ARC from netgalley for an honest review.

I am so glad a friend recommended this book for me to read and review. What a winner. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus was witty and thoroughly enjoyable. Just what I needed to delve into during a stressful holiday season when I needed a diversion. I happily spent an entire afternoon doing nothing but reading this delightful novel and smiled the whole way through.

Set in the 1960's the scenario is the usual (but unacceptable) women are less than men in the workplace and we find the main character Elizabeth Zott, chemist and brilliant woman, being held back in many ways in the man driven world. Quirky to some but lovable to me, Elizabeth finds her way into the world of chemistry and finds love with fellow brilliant chemist Calvin Evans. Circumstances change and as Elizabeth finds herself as a single mom she butts up against discrimination and preferential treatment in a male dominate world she has to come up with some alternate means of income to support herself and her daughter and brilliant dog - Six Thirty. Yes, the dog is named Six Thirty and is probably my favorite character in the entire book.

What transpires next is nothing short of chemistry. A hosting gig on a cooking show called Supper at Six leads to a surprisingly successful career where she sprinkles cooking and recipes with chemistry terms and at the same time empowers the women who are watching the show religiously to do more than be the happy housewife. The themes in this book may be subtle and incorporated into the story but they are definitely there. Discrimination against women and a real questioning of religion and faith are the main items that are included in the novel and were presented quite well, in my opinion..

What a delightful book this was and I found the characters to all be easily loved or hated, the tempo of the story was perfect, and the underlying message of allowing yourself to be yourself the perfect book for me to be reading at this point in my life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the advance digital copy for my honest review.

I requested this book through #NetGalley because of this description: "Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist." But I abandoned the book because it wasn't any of those things. The storyline was anti-religion, anti-marriage, anti-parenthood, anti-male (except for the one character who dies). It was full of sexual assault, suicide, deceit, abandonment of children and hopelessness. The quirky elements, intended to be funny, couldn't overcome the overall heaviness in the character. Reader beware.

I was thoroughly engaged by this book and Elizabeth Zott’s challenges. As a woman of science in the 1950’s, she proceeded as if everyone adhered to the scientific method and was amazed when she met resistance, not due to that, but due to her being a woman. How dare she consider herself equally as smart as the men around her!
By soldiering on according to her own beliefs, Elizabeth was able to overcome much resistance, and fate stepped in to help exact justice for those who were not swayed by her force of personality.
Each character resonated with me and elicited an emotional reaction, whether good or bad. I was enchanted by Elizabeth’s daughter Mad, and her dog, Six Thirty.
Definitely will be on the lookout for more by Bonnie Gamus!

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist trying to live by her own rules in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a sad, yet inspiring story. The characters are flawed and real. And, Elizabeth's struggles are relatable, even in 2021. This book will be recommended to most readers, but especially women and teens who are considered outsiders in some area of their lives. The main character doesn't believe in God, and this may be off-putting for some readers at my library. However, there are lessons for everyone in this book - male, female, young and old. Looking forward to more from this author.

Elizabeth Zott is, truly, the embodiment of the 1960’s feminist movement in America. She is a beautifully brilliant (and brilliantly beautiful) chemist, working against the established misogyny in her field. When Elizabeth finds herself unmarried, pregnant and unemployed, she must make concessions for her daughter, Mad. One such sacrifice is becoming the host of a cooking show, a far cry from working in her research lab. While her presentation style is atypical, she refuses to condescend to her audience and gains a cult following. Deftly written by Bonnie Garmus, Liz jumps off the page with vitality and the other characters in Lessons in Chemistry stand with her toe-to-toe. From her daughter to her irascible producer, every role is complementary and works to create the immensely entertaining world of Zott.

This book was a bit different than others I've read. While the lead character is a female chemist, the book isn't about science, but about some basic life lessons learned. The writing style is far simpler than I'd expect in a book geared toward an adult audience. There was a lot of repetition that could've benefitted from a tighter edit. The pace picked up a bit as the book went on. The story was quite predictable, but it was still enjoyable for the most part. I did like Elizabeth and how she encouraged people to see their worth. This is what I would consider a "fluff read," and sometimes, that's totally fine!

Wow this book brings you through a lot with Elizabeth our main character. We see her trying to make her place in the world, in the workforce, as a mother, and as a woman.
This is a book filled with emotions that I didn't want to end. Elizabeth is funny and brilliant, an outstanding main character!

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Doubleday Books and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A unique book, funny, profound, entertaining. The main Elizabeth is extraordinarily brilliant and fascinating. You’ll be inspired by her and saddened by the climate surrounding her.

This book will make you laugh, cry, catch your breath, and it will inspire you to vow to smash the patriarchy, become your best self, and become a better cook, all at the same time.

In 1961 California, Elizabeth Zott is the star of a local television show called Supper at Six, where she teaches local housewives to cook via the basic principles of chemistry. Elizabeth never wanted to be a chef or a TV star; she wants to be a chemist and still is one in the comfort of her own home, where she tore out the kitchen to create a lab and has trained both her dog and her daughter, Madeleine, to be her assistants.

How did Elizabeth get here? The story will crush you, as it involves predictable and reprehensible instances of sexual assault, discrimination, workplace jealousy, and venomous coworkers at Hastings laboratory who contrive to undermine Elizabeth's position and authority while at the same time stealing her research. But her past also includes the breathtaking story of her affair with brilliant chemist Calvin Evans, a story of true love--or, at least, unparalleled romantic chemistry--and their harmonious partnership in the lab, in the home, and in rowing, too.

When Elizabeth is left with overwhelming grief, an illegitimate daughter, and her exploited position at Hastings, Supper at Six and its producer, Walter Pine, offer her a way to at least engage in some way in chemistry and support her daughter at the same time. There will be fierce opposition from small, petty minds and much general ignorance and cruelty, but there will be saving moments of connection with her neighbor, Harriet Sloane; Walter himself; and Reverend Wakeley, once a confidante of Calvin's who finds himself awkwardly implicated in Elizabeth's life via her all-too-precocious daughter. And by regarding women as human beings and encouraging them to live up to their highest potential, Elizabeth has set in motion a train that can't be stopped, and which will trigger a reconciliation with the past that holds the ability to assuage some of her biggest wounds, though not all.

The writing is riveting in every respect; funny, incisive, insightful, delivering humiliating insights about human nature with levity. Grief is handled with grace; deep emotion is leavened with absurdity; Elizabeth's crushing blows are handled with deft care, and the wry, funny, quietly subversive voice kept me hooked even when I didn't think I could stand one more obstacle. Never have I read a book that handles frequent point-of-view head-popping with such deft ease, and never before have I stayed with a book that uses the point of view of a dog, but in this case, I found Six-Thirty to be one of the most endearing characters.

To say the supporting cast is "quirky" undercuts what Garmus has accomplished in making characters who have unlikable dimensions--some more unlikable than others--but are still readable, relatable, and deeply human. I admit being personally attracted to the chemistry explanations and relating personally to the sexism of being a female encroaching on male terrain (so much of 1950s American sexism is still sadly with us). The scenes of and jokes about rowing were a special delight that anyone who rows or loves a rower will enjoy.

In whole, the book is wonderfully entertaining, gripping, heart-breaking, and joyous, and I actually cried at the end not just because the final reconciliation was so pitch-perfect satisfying but also because I wanted to start reading it again instantly and knew I would never again have the same experience of breathless wonder and surprised delight.

I absolutely loved this book!! The chemistry, the cooking, the feminism!! Just fantastic!! I'd even love to see a series - so, so good!!