Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel

★★★★★ I loved this book. Elizabeth Zott's candor was both refreshing and, in an unexpected way, validating. She is intelligent, direct, and unwilling to pretend to be less than she is simply to make other people more comfortable. The active oppression of women is front and center throughout the story. While the book is set in the 1950s and 1960s, it was difficult not to reflect on the fact that women still face oppression today. The progress has been painfully slow, and at times I wonder whether we have experienced a setback in recent years or whether some of it has simply become more visible. I also loved the cast of characters surrounding Elizabeth and the way those relationships developed. The plot had enough twists and turns to keep me thoroughly engaged, and the ending was extremely satisfying. Smart, funny, moving, and hopeful. An excellent book and an easy five stars for me.

Lessons in Chemistry is a captivating novel that came highly recommended by a trusted friend whose enthusiastic endorsement immediately piqued my interest. The book offers a compelling narrative that seamlessly weaves together elements of love, societal dynamics, and scientific exploration set against the backdrop of the 1960s. Through its nuanced exploration of cultural and religious beliefs of the era, the story provides a rich and immersive reading experience that delves deep into the complexities of human relationships and personal growth. The novel's emotional depth is particularly striking, with its poignant storytelling evoking such profound feelings that I found myself moved to tears by the book's powerful conclusion. This extraordinary work not only entertains but also provides meaningful insights into the social landscape of a transformative decade, making it an unforgettable literary journey that resonates long after the final page is turned. Women will especially enjoy this book. It provides uplifting commentary on many of life's choices.

I love a quirky character, love a woman in STEM, love it even more when those are combined. And the pup, 6:30?? I love him so much 🥺 I loved getting to read his thoughts as well and how insightful he is. This book started off a bit slow for me, but I got more into it as I progressed as it is a largely character-driven story rather than having a crazy plot. Elizabeth was a feminist inspiration without intending to be and without those words being used, simply by being who she is and speaking her thoughts aloud without a filter. Such a fun, thoughtful read with an interesting voice telling the story!

Very well written. It captures life as it was before—and, in many ways, as it still is. Enjoyable, funny, emotional, amusing, and at times deeply sad. I couldn’t wait to pick it up and continue reading whenever I had the chance. I absolutely loved it.

Such a unique fun story. Loved the dog’s perspective. I laughed. I cried. Very entertaining and I would recommend this to anyone.

Elizabeth Zott was something rare in the 1960s, she was a female Chemist, and thus she was never taken seriously as was no woman trying to succeed in any male dominated profession. In fact, Elizabeth was unable to complete her doctorate program due to being raped and then dismissed when she reported the crime to the police. Elizabeth fell in love with Calvin Evan’s who was also a brilliant Chemist, and they literally met in a chemical reaction when he crashed into her and vomited all over her shoes. She took him home and cared for him and the rest was history. Elizabeth refused to marry Calvin because she did not want her work tied to his name, but unfortunately Calvin died and left Elizabeth pregnant and with a multitude of interesting complications along with her broken heart. Real complications for their daughter later in school when she had to deal with her busy-body teacher in the 1960s. Nothing like a child born out of wedlock for juicy gossip at the PTA meetings. Fortunately Elizabeth and Calvin had a dog named Six Thirty, so Elizabeth wasn’t alone when her employer fired her and left her with no job and a child on the way. So Elizabeth and Six Thirty built a lab of her own in what was once her kitchen, and Elizabeth read to her dog believing dogs could learn more words than most people believed with a little bit of effort. This is a story about someone who could have been a real woman in a real life, even though other reviewers didn’t like the parts about the dog. I enjoyed six thirty and his part in the story. For one thing, Evan and Elizabeth were not like anyone else, so why should their dog be a cookie cutter? He was a failed bomb sniffer, mostly because he didn’t want to jump on things that went boom. Pretty smart, really. Elizabeth refuses to not be herself and gets a job doing a cooking show, because she’s gorgeous and she can actually cook. However she annoys the producer by not wearing the sexy clothes they lay out and by using chemical terms and life lessons while cooking. Although the producer hides this from everyone, her show is a hit and sponsors coming out of the woodwork. The front of the book says it’s “darkly funny”. It’s dark, but it isn’t very funny. The sad state of affairs for women if the 1950s and 60s were that you were pigeonholed into certain roles from which there was virtually no escape. You were expected to act and dress a certain way and if a man such as your husband or boss wasn’t happy, it was probably because you didn’t try hard enough to make yourself pretty or to take care of his needs. Woman should all really read this book, we mostly have forgotten how far we have come and who paved the way for us. This is entertaining, but it’s the real deal too. Thank you Bonnie Garmus for reminding us of what we don’t want to forget.

Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant Chemist in the late 50’s/early 60’s when a woman’s “place” was in the kitchen. Her innovative ideas and contributions are continually dismissed by the pompous men in her field. She eventually agrees to host a cooking show in order to financially support her daughter and herself. After all, cooking is chemistry. Elizabeth is ferociously strong and resilient. Her independence and determination make her a wonderful role model for young women. Garmus paints a humorous, colorful story of the oppression women dealt with and how tenacity and perseverance can overcome most challenges. I was invested in Elizabeth’s character from the beginning, but when she rescued Six Thirty, I was done for. Her conversations with this amazing canine are some of the best moments in the story. I love the interactions between Elizabeth, Six Thirty and her daughter, Mads. I rated this 4.5, simply because it felt rushed at the end. However, it was an excellent read that I can highly recommend.

As a former English teacher of twelve years, I loved this book. There were so many well-crafted moments. It was so entertaining and empowering. This is a great book for a book club. I would recommend that you ask each other to highlight a time that made you want to punch someone, a time you wiped a tear, and a time that you cheered. Great job! She wrote the way I tried to teach my students to bring the story back to the beginning in a different way. Very well written. This is on my top 5 book list.

The book arrived in perfect condition but had a bit of dust and dirt on the back. I was able to remove most of it with some wet wipes As for the book itself, I didn’t read it yet

It was an essay about her dog called "Ninety-Nine" that first drew me to the writing of Bonnie Garmus. All I could find was *Lessons in Chemistry*, and I bought it because one can't give up on someone who names her dog Ninety-Nine. *Lessons in Chemistry* is a gem of a novel. It is clever, complex, dense and detailed in its story-line, very funny, and manages to depict every single one of its characters with a shining clarity. Including the dog, this time named Six-Thirty. Please don't miss it!

Set in the 1960s, this is the story of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist by profession trying to navigate the world of research and study filled with men and very few women. This is one of the most original stories I have read about a woman in STEM and the difficulties faced to find her place and make a name. All Elizabeth wanted to do was pursue her research. All the world wanted from her was to dress prettily and stay at home. Calvin Evans, already famous in the field and a Nobel nominee, was the only one who saw her for the brilliant chemist that she was. Calvin was drawn to her as much for her beauty as her mind seeing her as an equal from the moment they started talking. Elizabeth Zott defied the odds and stood out, even when she ended up through various twists and turns as the host of a cooking show on afternoon TV with chemistry as the central focus. She teaches chemistry through cooking and through her dialogue, empowers women to see themselves as more than housewives. This story is mixed with laughter, heartbreak and so many special moments that it draws the reader in right from the first page. The various supporting characters are wonderful and so well thought out that each of them have a very special part to play in taking this story forward. Elizabeth's story would be wholly incomplete without Six-Thirty, her trusty dog, Harriet, her next door neighbour and even Walter Pine to name a few. This is a wonderful story, written in a style that will keep the reader yearning for more, wanting to know what happens next and ensures that the reader is invested in the lives of the characters. Elizabeth is inspiring and refreshing as a protagonist and really made my fall in love with Lessons in Chemistry!

This book has had a huge amount of marketing and appears to have sold a lot of copies which is always great for the writer (and the industry in general). I've also had a few friends read it too and have heard nothing but good. The book is 386 pages split into 46 chapters which makes reading it very easy. I had a look on Amazon before I started and was amused to se that this is the number one book in the "Feminist Criticism" category (there was me thinking it was a novel!). The story starts with Elizabeth as a mother, scientist and TV presenter, juggling her commitments in a way that was unusual for the 1960s. We then go back ten years and begin to understand how she got where she is now. Whilst appearing to be light on the surface, the book quickly moves to much darker territory, showing the sexism and abuse that was accepted as normal. That sums up the beauty of this book - it has an unforgiving hardness at its centre but is wrapped but a thin layer of social predictability making it accessible to read. There is a balance of comedy and serious issues that also makes the book fun. Elizabeth as a character is hard to believe and I thought the author could have softened her more but, let yourself go with the depiction, and she is a great focus for the novel. The story has a big build up before we actually get Elizabeth on TV (which is marketed as the core of the novel) - this feels like a long time but is necessary as it sets the scene. Everyone in the book is a remarkable person for all sorts of reasons - even Six Thirty (the dog) who is taught to recognise hundreds of specific words. Getting further into the book I became more and more aware of how deep the topic is. There is a lot of thought around the equality messages and you can't help but make comparisons to today's society - some problems have been reduced by legislation and gradual society change but many issues are worse than ever. Women appearing on TV today would say that their looks are analysed more than ever before, with the possibilities of feedback not limited to phone calls and letters. Endings of novels are hard to get right but this one is perfectly achieved. There is a lovely amount of emotion mixed in with a good balance of well structured plot.

There is long time that I’ve read something so impactful, interesting and profound. A book that took my attention since the first chapter and make me feel inspired by stories full of encrypted messages and important debates.