What is s woman scientist/single mom to do when she isn't taken seriously in a man's world of the 1950s? She creates her own world. And cooks up some very special relationships, meals, and situations along the way. This book is so different from most of the books I've read lately. Its funny, I laughed out loud. It gave me a new perspective on cooking. I found it very relatable since I live with a husband who is a chemist. I recommend this book as every enjoyable.

I throughly enjoyed this book. Ms. Garmus’ writing is filled with wit, humor and a clear picture of what women faced in the 50’s & 60’s. I loved how parts of the story were told through the dog Six-Thirty. The story is a reminder to women to go for your dreams, do not dumb yourself and fight for what is right. It is also a love story, true love on equal levels. And, it is a story of the love for a family even if it is not a biological one.

Thank you#NetGalley, #Doubleday,#PenguinRandomHouseL.L.C. and #BonnieGarmus for the copy of the book for my honest review.

Lessons in Chemistry cover kinda lead you to think the story was a RomCom not so much. There is a strong female friendship between Elizabeth and Harriette. If it weren't for that I might have given up on the book. There was a lot of focus on the charters looks and that they were "ugly" which really did not support the storyline. Several of the reviews said it was out loud funny. I think they missed their mark.

I thought this was a riveting story with a unique plot unlike any other. It is unapologetically feminist in nature with a theme of women fighting for their own voice in the sciences. It doesn't gloss over the struggles faced prior to the 1960's, some of which we still deal with today. In fact, girls and women are still facing social pressures to be more feminine and less intelligent these days. Hopefully, this book will light a spark amongst all the young women who read it. I look forward to reading more interesting books from Bonnie Garmus in the near future.

Wow. I have to be really honest. I was super loving it in the very beginning and could not wait to tear through this. Then the thing happened. It definitely needs a trigger warning so it is a very brutal rape scene. I have visceral and physical reactions to those types of scenes, whether in movies, books, TV, news, etc. They make me very shaky and my tummy starts turning. Luckily it was one small scene that really set the stage on where this books was going.

What a book. I cannot say enough good things about it. It will be in my top reads this year. Well done, well done, well done. 5 huge stars from me. I love the writing style and I just wanted more after it ended. Devoured in about 6 hours.

Any story with a brilliant woman as the main character is an automatic read for me!

This book is so popular and I can absolutely see why. It was smart, funny and so entertaining!

The challenges that Elizabeth had to face made her stronger. She’s a great role-model.

The only thing I didn’t enjoy was the dog POV that would pop up now and again. And I’m a dog lover! But it just didn’t feel like a good fit to me and was a distraction.

Otherwise a fabulous story with an amazing MC!

I loved loved loved this book about a quirky female scientist trying to make fit into an extremely male-dominated career. It is one of the better books I've read this year. Give it a try.

Short synopsis: Elizabeth Zott is a chemist working to make some big discoveries, but when she pushes the limits in the science community she instead finds herself as the host of a cooking tv show.

My thoughts: I feel like the book is intentionally written in a way that we as the reader are uncomfortable. We are seeing the world through the eyes of a very intelligent woman. Elizabeth Zott is an unusual woman. She’s very literal and to the point and I think the writing shows that.

I liked how REAL this book was, and shows us how little progress have been made in male dominated careers since the 70s. I liked to see how Elizabeth Zott tried to make changes to advance women in her own special way, under everyone else’s nose.

There were a couple of parts in the story that confused me, and messed with the flow. One second she’s a chemist, then on tv? Huh?

The ending wrapped up perfectly and I did not see it coming at all!

Read if you’re a sucker for:
* Cooking shows and leafy greens
* Hydrogen bonds
* No-nonsense
* Desert dry humor

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.