Member Review
Review by
Wendy W, Reviewer
Every once in a while, a book comes around that just stuns me. I can’t even put into words how much I loved Lessons in Chemistry. It is refreshingly different, historical, and highlights the struggles of women scientists in the late 1950s.
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is a very unusual woman, even by today’s standards, but back in the late 1950s, she was even more unusual. A brilliant scientist who was ahead of her time, she eschewed conformity and lived her life by her rules as much as she could.
Elizabeth falls in love with fellow scientist Calvin Evans, and they share a love of their work at the Hastings Research Institute. Calvin is the only man at the institute who believes she is as intelligent as the men, and he helps her navigate the male-dominated workplace.
All too soon, Elizabeth finds herself a single mother, and out of her job at the institute. She finds an opportunity to host a cooking show named Supper at Six. After all, cooking is nothing more than chemistry. Her oddball approach to hosting the show angers the producers and sponsors, but charms the housewives of Los Angeles and eventually the housewives of the country.
I just loved this story. It was not what I was expecting, and instead, I found quirky characters, a fascinating premise, and a history lesson. I was both infuriated and entertained as Elizabeth navigated the world around her, in her own, unconventional way. Intelligent, stubborn, and extremely self-sufficient, Elizabeth lives by her own rules and doesn’t care about the world around her. I loved her, but my favorite character was Six-Thirty, a very large, ugly mutt, who was trained by Elizabeth and Calvin and is an extremely intelligent dog.
If you’re looking for something a little bit different, that will charm and entice you, Lessons in Chemistry is the book for you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is a very unusual woman, even by today’s standards, but back in the late 1950s, she was even more unusual. A brilliant scientist who was ahead of her time, she eschewed conformity and lived her life by her rules as much as she could.
Elizabeth falls in love with fellow scientist Calvin Evans, and they share a love of their work at the Hastings Research Institute. Calvin is the only man at the institute who believes she is as intelligent as the men, and he helps her navigate the male-dominated workplace.
All too soon, Elizabeth finds herself a single mother, and out of her job at the institute. She finds an opportunity to host a cooking show named Supper at Six. After all, cooking is nothing more than chemistry. Her oddball approach to hosting the show angers the producers and sponsors, but charms the housewives of Los Angeles and eventually the housewives of the country.
I just loved this story. It was not what I was expecting, and instead, I found quirky characters, a fascinating premise, and a history lesson. I was both infuriated and entertained as Elizabeth navigated the world around her, in her own, unconventional way. Intelligent, stubborn, and extremely self-sufficient, Elizabeth lives by her own rules and doesn’t care about the world around her. I loved her, but my favorite character was Six-Thirty, a very large, ugly mutt, who was trained by Elizabeth and Calvin and is an extremely intelligent dog.
If you’re looking for something a little bit different, that will charm and entice you, Lessons in Chemistry is the book for you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
