Lessons in Chemistry has my vote for best novel of 2022 so far. The main character is so compelling she all but leaps off the page, and the author does a masterful job of creating a period, that I was literally transported. An excellent novel that I enjoy recommending to all my library patrons, especially those who enjoy historical fiction.

Absolutely loved it! Featured this in the 2022 Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide and of course it's our July MMD Book Club selection:

A life-affirming tale of a chemist ahead of her time, a life-changing love affair, a dog with a huge vocabulary, and the combustible combination of chemistry, cooking, and afternoon television. Elizabeth Zott only ever wanted to be a scientist—but because she’s a woman in the 1960s, she has to go begging for beakers despite being the smartest researcher in the building. After Elizabeth is ostensibly fired for being unwed and pregnant (but really for being smarter than her boss and dating a rival scientist he loathes), she can’t make ends meet. Out of desperation she accepts a job hosting a tv show called Supper at 6. She loves to cook, because cooking, after all, is chemistry. The producers want her to smile and look pretty, but Elizabeth is much more interested in teaching housewives not just how to make dinner, but how to change their lives. Lively and life-affirming, with an unforgettable protagonist.

Even thought I have a beautiful BOTM copy of this, I chose to listen to an audio version. I'm so glad I did, because the narrator, Miranda Raison, was fantastic. She caught all the nuances, voices, and emotions.

And, the story was equally fantastic. It's hard to believe that the 50's is considered historical fiction, but it is and it's also hard to believe how far we've come in women's equality. I think we still have a ways to go, but we are definitely in a different place than we were 70 years ago. Elizabeth Zott is a Chemist. She's also a beautiful woman who is rarely taken seriously in her chosen profession.

I loved Elizabeth Zott and her daughter Mad. The side characters were amazing (I promise 6:30
will be a favorite), and we frequently get their back stories and thoughts. It was really nice to jump from perspective to perspective of what was going on and everyone was unique, intriguing and interesting. And there was also a slight mystery through the story which was engaging. This is definitely a book that I will be recommending! I really can't think of a book to compare it to – I think that was part of the appeal, how unique the story is.

Thanks to NetGalley and DoubleDay for the ARC.

This was such a delightful read with moments of humor and heartbreak.

Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist who finds it difficult to be taken seriously in the 1960s misogynistic climate. Most of her scientific career had met with her research being sidelined or ignored, until she met and fell in love with Calvin Evans, the darling Nobel-prize nominated chemist of Hastings Research Institute. Together, they were the perfect genius couple and the envy of the staff.

Unfortunately their love affair was cut short and Elizabeth soon finds herself a jobless, single-mother to a very precocious daughter and an unusually smart dog. Having few options, when given the opportunity to host a televised cooking show, Elizabeth took it and added her own little twist. With every meal she prepped, she gave a lesson in chemistry and gave her audience the idea of possibility.

As I said earlier, this story has some humor and heartbreak. There are some serious trigger warnings like suicide, rape, domestic abuse and death. I also suspect Elizabeth is neurodivergent.

LessonsinChemistry #NetGalley.

Lessons in Chemistry is the debut novel by Bonnie Garmus. I loved this book! I gave it 4 1/2 stars! The strong female character is Elizabeth Zott, who is a chemist in the 1960's. She is a single mom who lands a tv cooking show where she is able to incorporate science. This book showed how far women have come and how much work there is still left to do. I am looking forward to the tv adaptation of this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

What an outstanding book! Elizabeth Zott is one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever read. She’s smarter than almost anyone around her but the 1960s time frame and men’s attitudes towards women hold her back.
She finally meets her intellectual equal and is happy, until his death makes her a single mother of a daughter named Mad. Elizabeth is no-nonsense and single-minded in her quest to support her family, and ends up as the host of a very popular cooking show that explains how cooking is chemistry. I love to cook and never thought of it quite like that, but it’s true, good food is the chemical reaction to ingredients and temperature.
I must mention six thirty, a truly extraordinary dog who knows close to 1000 words and watches over his family like a hawk.
This book is touching and funny and definitely won’t be what you expect, it will be much better. 5 stars.

Synopsis:

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with--of all things--her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America's most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth's unusual approach to cooking ("combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride") proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn't just teaching women to cook. She's daring them to change the status quo.

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.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An enjoyable feminist story. It is challenge experiencing Elizabeth Zott's struggles with not being recognized and respected as a scientist. Unfortunately, I feel that this was a realistic account of how women scientists were treated in the 60's and before. I like how the author pictured her experiences, even the uncomfortable and infuriating sexual assault scene, so to not sugar-coat what life could be like for women like Elizabeth in a man's world. Overall, the book was enjoyable with enjoyable along with despicable characters. Her love Calvin, the loyal and intelligent Six-Thirty (the dog), the precocious Mad, and her helpful neighbor provided good chemistry all around!

What is this? A romantic comedy? A feminist history? A science lesson? Yes. And I LOVED it!

Set in the world of scientific research and TV cooking shows of the late 1950’s/early 1960’s, the novel follows the marvelous Elizabeth Zott. Elizabeth, a research chemist, has a very firm grasp of her talents but unfortunately, because she is a woman in an era where women were not valued, her light has been firmly shoved under a bushel by the men she works with. But then she meets Calvin Evans, meteoric star in the Chemistry firmament and these two odd ducks fit together like puzzle pieces.

After a tragedy swipes Elizabeth’s life off course, she ends up as the host of an afternoon cooking show, Supper at Six. After all, cooking is chemistry. Elizabeth refuses to talk down to her audience, teaching them both about the science of the kitchen and nutrition, and she uses it as a platform to encourage women not to accept the status quo and to pursue their dreams.,

There is so much to enjoy in this novel. Elizabeth herself boldly marches on, refusing to acknowledge or accept the prejudices that she’s facing, and her lack of self-doubt sets her up for much success but also some truly unpleasant backlash from men who feel they are her superior in every way. Her daughter, Mad(eline) is an unusually smart young girl and the interactions between Elizabeth and Mad’s teacher, Mrs Mudford, are comedy gold as well as teeth-grindingly frustrating. There is also their delightful dog, Six-Thirty, who understands way more than a dog is typically given credit for, and who protects his family in many surprising ways.

I’m sure many young women will read this book and wonder to themselves “was it really as bad as this?” and the answer is “yes, it was.” The author mostly puts a comic spin on the hideous misogyny of the era and the power that many men flexed unthinkingly, but there is also a dark side to it that she does not look away from. Though Elizabeth powers on and lays the path for other women to do so too, she cannot ignore the way her ambitions are blocked and she is violated both physically and intellectually. The author does a terrific job of balancing the tone between rage and absurdity.

Now, as the sign off for the show goes: “Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself.”

Thanks to Doubleday and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

Five stars for getting to read about an unapologetic woman and her career - what a treat. There were a few minor things I didn't absolutely love, but overall LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY made my woman-in-a-male=dominated-field heart sing.

Set in the 1960s, the book stars chemist Elizabeth Zott, who deals with more trauma and tragedy than one should have to endure. The characterization is a delight; from the obstetrician and rowing team captain Mason to Elizabeth's neighbor Harriett. And Six-Thirty! I daresay the writing and characterization outshines the plot in this one.

& as Kirkus put it, "A more adorable plea for rationalism and gender equality would be hard to find."

This delightful, unintentionally funny debut historical fiction novel is in the running to be one of my favorite books of 2022 and left me wanting to go out and conquer the world! It's fresh, unique, and actually lived up to its pre-publication hype. Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in 1960’s California with an all male team, eventually finds herself a single mother and the reluctant host of a cooking show on TV. But, she’s teaching more than just cooking. Elizabeth is one of the most memorable characters I've ever read...she's a woman pushing against the constraints of her time and says things many women think, but may not say out loud. This story is a random collection of worlds thrown together (Rowing, chemistry, cooking, dogs)…yet, they feel seamless. This story is for dog lovers, lovable curmudgeon fans, and readers who love books about found family. And, it's filled to the brim with meaning.

A thoroughly enjoyable book that is tacitly about being true and honest with yourself. A book that looks at the different forms of chemistry both from a scientific and personal level. A book that lays out succinctly why it is hard to be a woman. I see a movie option here!

This is a delightfully witty read that's filled with heart and smarts. Elizabeth Zott is a fascinating character in the vein of Beth Harmon from 'The Queen's Gambit,' and the period elements of the book help build a fully immersive world.

Elizabeth Zott is not like any chemist you’d meet, she doesn’t let her bosses push her around, takes charge of her life by switching careers, and has a marvelous dog and daughter along for the ride. A lot of laugh out loud parts in this story. A good book club selection and one that will be recommended.

This was such a quirky, entertaining story with a lot of heart. My favorite character was hands-down Six-Thirty (yes, the dog) with Mad and Elizabeth coming in a close second. I could see both of their characters in the children that I serve as a gifted coordinator/teacher, which was really fun for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday for the opportunity to read this one!
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

This was a really cute, laugh out loud funny book! I buzzed it around my library pre-pub. I loved that it was historical, funny, and a nice love story. Elizabeth Zott will be a character to remember for sure. A solid debut author!

Well, I wanted to like this book but I disliked it intensely. In fact, I hated it.

Lessons in Chemistry became progressively more difficult to pick up and I ultimately did not finish reading it after reading 70% of the book. Here are some of the major issues I had with the book:

⚠️ THIS BOOK IS THE EMBODIMENT OF WHITE FEMINISM ⚠️

As a woman of color (and honestly just a human being), I found this book insulting.

❌ Being a housewife and feeling under-appreciated or unable to reach your potential because of societal expectations is NOT comparable to legalized slavery.

For one, slavery WAS legal. And I don’t have time for your White tears about how being a privileged White lady and staying home with your kids in suburbia is so horrible. It might suck but it is NOTHING compared to slavery.

❌ Five Years with the Congo Cannibals. Why the author felt the need to have the 5 year old daughter, Mad, read this book is beyond me. Africans and African Americans are not the butt of your jokes or for your shock value. And, certainly not for you to perpetuate harmful stereotypes about. Really? The only mention of Africans is to portray them as cannibals?

❌ Black women were so obtusely ignored throughout the whole book and then Madeline (a White little girl) wants to put Sojourner Truth & Nefertiti on her family tree to illustrate how we’re all the same?! WHAT IN THE COLORBLIND HELL.
If this book is about feminism then why not compare yourself to men to illustrate how women shouldn’t be treated differently based on sex instead of, once again, using Black women as a prop.

Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse, @doubledaybooks, @netgalley for the e-ARC of this book. That’s my honest feedback of this e-ARC.

Lessons in Chemistry is truly a lesson in writing a strong female character who doesnt ever compromise who she is for anyone else. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist turned TV star but she refuses to dumb it down for her audience and knows that women are always capable of more than they are allowed to be. I loved her and her story even though it was hard to read at times. I would have loved to read more about Harriet and Mad, they are true standout characters who support Elizabeth and add so much life and depth to her. Don't miss our on this.

Absolutely loved this book, and have already started recommending it to others. Will be a fun summer read pick for sure.

I loved the characters in the book (except for 6:30, the dog), I liked the way they spoke, the situations they got in and got out of, I thought the ending was great, even though I kind of could see it coming, that was OK==I was right. But the best parts of the book were the theme of the story--what it was like for a women in scientific research in the 50s/60s, but even overriding that, is the love story. Although I thought the book was wonderful, I did get irritated with the dog. I don't mind the dog being i the story, but I really didn't care what was in the dog's mind. For me, it was just a gimmick too far...

📚Book Review📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Often the best way to deal with the bad is to turn it on end—use it as a strength, refuse to allow the bad thing to define you. Fight it.” -Elizabeth Zott

After reading @shawntaye1 review of this book, I knew I had to pick it up. After the first chapter, I was hooked. Elizabeth Zott is a female scientist fighting sexism in the workplace during the 1960s. The male scientists believe she is only there to be their secretaries and only when she makes great discoveries do they recognize her long enough to steal her work. One day she meets Calvin Evans, a brilliant, famous scientist, who recognizes the amazing chemist Elizabeth is. However, life happens, and her male colleagues win, and Elizabeth ends up the host of an afternoon cooking show where she helps change the lives of all her viewers one meal at a time.

Elizabeth Zott is a character that is true to herself. She faces all adversities thrown her way with dignity and bravery. She has a truly amazing support group including her beloved dog, Six-Thirty (the absolute best book dog there is).

The writing is perfectly witty. It was a book I couldn’t put down. When it came close to the end, I just couldn’t finish it. I didn’t want the book to end.

Growing up I heard stories of the discrimination my mom faced in the 70s as she dreamed to be a doctor. Women like Elizabeth Zott helped paved the way for all future women as they broke barriers in male dominated fields. This is a book that will always stay with me.