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!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book started out slow and drawn out. It is written in a very simplistic fashion- almost like you are reading a children's book- and things are unnecessarily repetitive. If it wasn't for NetGalley, I probably would have quit and moved onto something different. However, about half way through, it picked up speed and got more interesting. I was vested in finding out what came next and how all the characters were going to tie together. The story was predictable, but in the end, enjoyable. I enjoyed the characters of Harriet and Six Thirty very much. I stand for everything Elizabeth was fighting for and motivating her fans to stand up and see their worth! She stuck to her guns, though it made life difficult. It was a cute fluff read.

I looked up some other reviews and this was stated as "for fans of Where'd you Go Bernadette". For what it's worth, I did not enjoy the style of that book either, but did enjoy that book when I read it again for book club. I would say these two books would appeal to the same audience.

I join a long list of reviewers who give this book 5 enthusiastic stars. Like these reviewers, I, too, was drawn deeply into this quirky and charming book. I also immediately contacted one of my reader friends to exhort them- “you gotta read this book!” This is truly a special story. I will say though, that the cover mislead me and I can’t imagine that the main character, Elizabeth Zott, would have approved of it. Yes, it’s attractive, but the cover made me think this was a rom-com. Elizabeth would never read, yet alone appear, in a romantic comedy.

Character driven, with a bit of magical realism, this book is about Elizabeth, chemist, mother, tv star. As fascinating as Elizabeth is, it’s the dog in the story who steals the show and who truly keeps his human family going. Another unforgettable character is Elizabeth’s young daughter, “Mad”. She seems like a genius, but according to Elizabeth, she is not- she’s just well-taught (by Elizabeth). Most reviewers mention these three characters only, but let’s not forget several other endearing characters: Elizabeth’s interfering but stalwart neighbor, Elizabeth’s TV boss, and Wakely the minister. OK, I’ll also give a shout-out to Elizabeth’s obstetrician and all the rowers. And then there’s Evan.

With humor, wit, heart, and earnest naivety, Elizabeth takes on the world of the 1950’s-60 in California. She is a chemist, who knocks out her kitchen to make a lab, and who brews coffee in a twenty-step process using a Bunsen burner. Not surprisingly, her world is not ready for an independent, scientific, slightly off-kilter woman. As you read, you may get caught up in the wit and humor, and Elizabeth’s whirl as a TV cooking show host is fabulous. But there are serious themes in this book. Many reviewers mention the discrimination of women, but hardly any mention the criticism of God and religion.

I also agree that this book deserves to be a top book of 2022. Highly recommended! Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.

This book is absolutely outstanding.

Elizabeth Zott has, in the early 1960s, managed to earn a masters degree in chemistry. She leaves grad school without a PhD after being sexual assaulted by a professor and then being denied justice. She ends up at Hastings Research Institute, where she finds the love of her life, a Nobel-nominated chemist.

Life happens, though, and she ends up creating and hosting a wildly popular television cooking show.

Much of the unfairness and inequality that Elizabeth faces can still be seen now, 60 years later. The honest reader can recognize every single act of jealousy, bias, and inequality that is portrayed in the book. (And I am a man who is willing to admit that I am almost certainly tone-deaf to many of the more subtle injustices that women experience daily.)

But do not think this is a tedious sermon on misogyny. I found myself laughing aloud at numerous places throughout the book. And there are wonderful characters in addition to Elizabeth, and many of the women find that they are more than what they have been told they are. (I must state, too, that Six-Thirty is a dog who deserves a great name.)

Any woman who has ever experienced discrimination on her job will identify with Elizabeth Zott, chemist. Growing up in a totally dysfunctional family, she managed to educate herself by going to libraries in the various towns in which her family lived. She had hoped to enter a PhD program, but when she is assaulted by her mentor, she takes a job at a small lab where women are barely accepted as professionals. She meets the golden boy of chemistry Calvin Evans and they become friends. Naturally everyone things he is assisting her advancement and she denies it. No one believes a woman can succeed on her own merits. Elizabeth proves them wrong and in the process becomes a celebrity chef on TV empowering millions of women. A terrific book about the power of a single woman in changing the status quo

I'm so confused about this book, if I enjoyed it or not. It's probably the oddest book I can remember reading - but it was really interesting, too. For some reason, I just didn't connect to these characters - and the dog seemed to have the most feeling.

It took a while to get into the story - it drags a bit in the beginning, after the two main characters meet - but it makes sense to draw it out, because it's all part of their personalities. I'm partially frustrated for Elizabeth fighting so hard to be recognized for her science work and equally frustrated that she let it continue to happen. But she does adapt well to the changes in her life and has a straight forward approach to life.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital, temporary ARC in return for my review.

I was reminded of the work of Sor Juana De La Cruz in reading this fantastic novel about how a woman is able to discover and practice science in her life, against all odds. There is sadness in the story, but Garmus's sense of humor shines through the entire story and makes for enjoyable reading throughout. As Elizabeth says, "Once women figure out chemistry, they'll be able to figure out the rest of the world." Hooray for Elizabeth and hooray for Bonnie Garmus and this amazing novel!

Elizabeth Zott is trying to break into chemistry in the 1950s when women are not scientists. She meets Calvin Evans, a reclusive prize winning chemist who shares her social awkwardness and a bleak childhood. The two fall in love but tragedy strikes. Five years later Elizabeth is an unemployed single mom. When she can’t find work in a lab, she hosts an afternoon cooking show,Dinner at Six. She teaches cooking as if it’s chemistry and encourages women to follow this dreams. Bonnie Garmus has created an outstanding group of characters as well as recreating what life was like in 1960. Elizabeth’s daughter, Mad Zott, is my favorite. She brings poignancy but also hilarity to the novel. Even the dog, Six thirty, has a well developed personality. Most of the characters are principled and likable. This story is original and the writing is straightforward. I taught chemistry so I enjoyed the science based lessons. I highly recommend it. I thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This one gets you. For the longest time I couldn't figure out how the book was going to turn and then when I thought I had it just hit me in all the feels. The character development of Elizabeth had me at times wishing how the author could be so cruel throwing another thing at her. I'm not if this is a true story or based on a true story but the details and events were so realistic I could imagine everything happening to a female scientist in the 1960''s as described.
Although this books follows a female chemist- Elizabeth Zott- don't dismiss this as a book about science. There are some fantastic life lessons learned by the characters throughout the novel.

You'll cheer, cry, be angry, and perhaps ultimately feel triumph as you journey on the highs and lows and learn a few things about chemistry.

TW: violence against women and suicide

A throughly wonderful book about a uniquely extraordinary woman Elizabeth Zoltan. Smart, honest and completely original. When being a chemist doesn’t work she becomes a star of a cooking show much to her own displeasure, rolling with life’s ups and downs this heroine is not to be ignored.

Elizabeth Zott is a scientist, a chemist. The problem is that she is living in the late 1950s to early '60s when no one took a woman scientist seriously. We are brought into her world of sexual harassment and abuse, her ideas and accomplishments being ignored, and her work being stolen by men, but Elizabeth is not one to be toyed with. With her, we experience an uncompromising ride through a misogynistic world.

With humor and wonderful characters, including a child reading Faulkner at age 5 and a dog who knows over 900 words, the author makes us care deeply about Elizabeth and understand the plight of the women of the time.

It is a glorious book that I could not put down.