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Beneath Its Pink Cover, ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ Offers a Story About Power

The best-selling debut author Bonnie Garmus created Elizabeth Zott, a chemist battling a sexist 1950s establishment, as the role model she craved — and found that readers wanted the same.

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book reviews lessons in chemistry

By Sadie Stein

There’s a scene early on in Bonnie Garmus’s novel “Lessons in Chemistry” in which Elizabeth Zott, a redoubtable chemist thwarted at every turn by a hidebound 1950s establishment, is given career advice by a male colleague: “Don’t work the system. Outsmart it.” Zott, for her part, “didn’t like the notion that systems had to be outsmarted. Why couldn’t they just be smart in the first place?”

The ascent of “Lessons in Chemistry” — a book whose success is the stuff publishing dreams are made of — begs the same question.

The United States edition, with its bubble gum pink cover bearing a stylized woman’s face peering over a pair of cat-eye sunglasses, reads as overtly feminine, a light beach read for a day off. One can, of course, read any number of things at the beach. But some readers, at least, have been surprised to open it and find the story of Zott, a brilliant woman whose fetching chignon is secured by a sharp No. 2 pencil also intended to ward off sexual assault.

Although she’s not interested in celebrity, Zott becomes the face of a cooking show through which she educates her viewers in chemistry, self-worth and agency. Ultimately, she triumphs through hard work and pragmatism, and by using the media available to women of her era to new ends. It is hard not to read “Lessons in Chemistry” and wonder if Zott’s creator has achieved something similarly subversive, offering readers more substance than some, at least, expected — and changing their lives in the process.

Aiming the novel at a female readership is “a bit pigeonholing,” said James Daunt, the chief executive of Barnes & Noble. But ultimately, he added, “the book has dominated the cover.”

In its brief life — “Lessons in Chemistry” was released in April, in the United States and Britain, by Doubleday — the book has become an international success, with six months on best seller lists in the United States and rights sold in 40 countries. Last week it was named Barnes & Noble’s book of the year, and this week, one of Amazon’s top 20 books of the year. There is a series in production on Apple TV+, starring and executive-produced by Brie Larson. It is on track to be the best-selling debut novel of 2022.

The dissonance between the implicit promise of the book’s American cover and its contents — besides its serious themes, the book contains a good deal of rowing, to say nothing of the sections narrated by the family dog, Six-Thirty — has meant Garmus has, at times, had to answer questions from readers. The covers in other markets (primary colors in Britain, sober in Germany, surreal in Estonia) paint a different picture.

Despite its candy shell, the book is “not sweet,” said the elegant and soft-spoken Garmus, 65, in an interview during a whirlwind November trip to New York from London, where she lives with her husband.

She has received “hate mail” from a few indignant readers who expected something different, she recalled, laughing. “They were like, ‘You’re the worst romance novelist ever!’”

On its face, “Lessons in Chemistry” might look like an overnight success story: A career copywriter experiences some “garden variety misogyny” one day at work, takes her anger out on the page and catches the eye of an agent, who offers representation on the strength of three chapters. The book goes to auction; bidding wars ensue; the novel comes out and surpasses expectations.

“I sent it out on a Tuesday,” Garmus’s agent in Britain, Felicity Blunt, said of the manuscript, “and by Wednesday morning I was getting emails that were coming in faster, faster, faster.” Blunt had to forbid Garmus from stress-exercising on her rowing machine — a habit the author shares with her main character — so that she could be reached.

In fact, it all took a great deal of work. “Part of the reality behind the myth of an overnight success,” said Garmus’s American agent, Jennifer Joel, “is that most people have actually been toiling, laboriously and diligently, in an unseen way, for years.”

Garmus had endured nearly 100 rejections of prior projects. Blunt, who worked with Garmus to massage the manuscript and gave the title a crucial tweak — it was originally called “Introduction to Chemistry” — to broaden its reach, credits Garmus’s many years as a copywriter for the precision of her prose and her ability to work collaboratively.

“She had gone over each of those lines,” Blunt said, “but you couldn’t see the cracks because it hadn’t been overworked.”

Many of those involved in the process, from agents to her editor, Lee Boudreaux, to the booksellers who’ve enthusiastically hand-sold copies across the country, expressed a similar reaction: They immediately wanted to share the book with people they knew. For Boudreaux, it was with her mother-in-law; for Daunt, the Barnes & Noble chief executive, it was with his daughters. “So many people say, ‘I gave it to my mother, my husband, my children’ — it’s a book for everyone,” said Todd Doughty, senior vice president of publicity and communications at Knopf Doubleday.

Garmus spent the bulk of her childhood in Riverside, Calif., before her father’s work as an entomologist took the family overseas. Before becoming a homemaker, her mother had been a nurse. “I hadn’t really appreciated how many limits had been imposed on that generation until I started doing the research,” Garmus said, describing how she became aware of what it meant to women, “giving up your career, and then being called average all the time.”

Garmus is adamant that the uncompromising Zott — glamorous, tough, relentlessly logical — is not based on any one person, but said that the book is something of “a love letter to scientists and the scientific brain.” She never wanted to be a scientist herself, she said, but worked for a few years at a science textbook company, and “admired the fact that they were going after this world that we hadn’t yet understood.” Garmus’s husband is a scientist, as well.

The title also communicates the author’s genuine enthusiasm for pedagogy. “We should treat science education like we do reading,” she said, and “have kids experimenting and failing at an early age and getting used to getting past failure.”

For this novel, Garmus learned chemistry from a 1950s text written several years before the novel’s setting, to avoid anachronisms. “Bonnie has such integrity,” Blunt said, “and absolute discipline and very high standards. She’s happy to own that. She’s right, without embarrassment.”

While there’s an element of luck to any such commercial triumph, the timing seems to have been crucial to this one. Whether it’s the book’s characters, its messaging or the escape to a time when the feminist discussion was less fraught, readers are hungry for it.

“Look, there have been a lot of hard things about our lives these past couple of years,” Joel said. “And the little bit of escapism that comes from walking around in somebody else’s shoes for a little while and seeing them rise and overcome and sort of get justice and find happiness … Perhaps we could use more of it.”

As Garmus puts it, she wrote the character she needed. “I felt like I was writing my own role model, and so she came easily.”

Based on the letters Garmus receives, “Lessons in Chemistry” has struck a chord with a wide swath of readers, although the American cover might have scared off a few men. Garmus recalls talking to an all-male book group whose members were initially dissuaded by the novel’s Jordan-almond palette.

“But as I’m fond of saying,” Garmus said, “the book isn’t anti-men, it’s anti-sexism.”

The irony, as some readers have pointed out to Garmus, is that Zott would have hated being portrayed looking coyly flirtatious. Ultimately, Garmus said, “I think you have to listen to your publisher, and they have a lot of experience.”

“Lessons in Chemistry” is a book that defies easy categorization and which, depending on which of its suitors had won, or which direction the winning house had decided to take, might have gone a number of ways. For the same reason, it appeals to a range of readers. And whether because of the cover or in spite of it, the book hit its mark; sales are off the charts. Even the kind of rowing machine Zott uses has seen a spike in sales. And the book is now being added to syllabuses: One high-school teacher, says Garmus, is making her students read “Lessons in Chemistry” for a class on the American dream.

What surprised Garmus the most about the book’s success, she said, has been readers’ reports of how “Lessons in Chemistry” spurred them to change their lives.

“People have quit their jobs and gone back to school or people have gotten divorced because they recognize themselves,” Garmus said. “Sometimes I want to say, ‘You know it’s fiction, right?’ But on the other hand, it was what I was trying to get across. You can really do what you need to do. You just have to dig in really hard and not expect it to be very easy.”

Zott is a catalyst, she adds. “She’s actively breaking and creating new bonds. And that is chemistry at its most basic.” And the U.S. paperback’s cover, she said, will “look different.”

An earlier version of this article misstated Bonnie Garmus’s age. She is 65, not 58. Also, the original title of the book was “Introduction to Chemistry,” not “Chemistry Lessons.” 

An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of an actor; she is Brie Larson, not Larsen. The error was repeated in a picture caption.

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clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

At age 64, debut novelist Bonnie Garmus makes the case for experience

Garmus’s novel ‘lessons in chemistry’ delivers an assured voice, an indelible heroine and relatable love stories.

book reviews lessons in chemistry

Like Laura Ingalls Wilder and Judith Krantz , Bonnie Garmus is a latecomer to the literary scene. This week she publishes her first book — the sparkling novel “ Lessons in Chemistry ” — days shy of her 65th birthday. Hurray for this! If we’re going to continually fuss over newly minted MFA wunderkinds landing two-book deals, let us also raise a glass — or, better yet, Garmus’s book — in honor of this rarer breed of first-time novelists.

With “Lessons in Chemistry,” Garmus, a venerable copywriter and creative director, delivers an assured voice, an indelible heroine and several love stories — that of a mother for her daughter, a woman for science, a dog for a child, and between a woman and man.

We need comic novels more than ever. So where are they?

At the center of the novel is Elizabeth Zott, a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention, “a woman with flawless skin and an unmistakable demeanor of someone who was not average and never would be.” (Is it any wonder that Oscar-winner Brie Larson is set to play her in an Apple TV Plus “Lessons” series that she will also executive produce?)

The novel is set in the early 1960s in the mythical Southern California town of Commons where, it appears, few people are. Being a woman in science is a hard, lonely road. Elizabeth becomes a national somebody not in the lab but as a kitchen savant on a local afternoon television show called “Supper at Six.” Her nutritious dishes are doused in chemistry with a heaping side order of female empowerment.

“When women understand chemistry," she explains to a reporter, “they understand how things work." Science offers “the real rules that govern the physical world. When women understand these basic concepts, they can begin to see the false limits that have been created for them.” It’s better living through casseroles.

A decade earlier, Elizabeth met Nobel-nominated chemist and master grudge-holder Calvin Evans at the Hastings Research Institute, where he is a star and she is not because, well, sexism. They fit because they don’t anywhere else. Garmus has packed her novel with rowing (“As any non-rower can tell you, rowers are not fun. This is because rowers only ever want to talk about rowing”), heartache, corporate malfeasance and, that most relished and rarest of real-life events, a humiliating comeuppance.

Women are over the underwire bra

Elizabeth is a feminist and modern thinker. She has little talent for ingratiating herself with other people. It is Elizabeth, not her equally eccentric and stubborn swain, who refuses to wed “because I can’t risk having my scientific contributions submerged beneath your name.” Her obstinance, becoming an unwed mother at a time when they were shunted elsewhere, creates a heap of trouble for her in a world nowhere ready for her mind, character or ambition.

There is an infectious absurdity to the book and its hero. Here’s Elizabeth discussing the hydrogen chemical bond on a show ostensibly about dinner: “I call this the ‘love at first sight’ bond because both parties are drawn to each other based solely on visual information: you like his smile, he likes your hair. But then you talk and discover he’s a closet Nazi and thinks women complain too much. Poof. Just like that the delicate bond is broken. That’s the hydrogen bond for you ladies — a chemical reminder that if things are too good to be true, they probably are.”

Then, with her knife, she takes a “Paul Bunyan swing” at an onion. “It’s chicken pot pie night,” she declares. “Let’s get started.”

Could “Lessons” have been a few instructions tauter? Certainly. Garmus knows her characters from the initial pages. There’s little need to keep informing readers how exceptional they are or how adamant Elizabeth is in pursuing her truth. Also, every dog may have its day, but that doesn’t mean he need scamper through a novel as an astute fictional character. “ Welcome to life on the outside! How was your trip? Please, come in, come in! I’ve got chalk! ” These are the musings of Elizabeth’s dog, Six-Thirty (a nod to the time he joined the family) as he welcomes baby Madeleine into his world.

Still, Garmus manages to charm. She’s created an indelible assemblage of stubborn, idiosyncratic characters. She’s given us a comic novel at precisely the moment we crave one. Perhaps, in her next effort, Garmus will provide a heroine who is more her peer, someone who would be a perfect role for, say, Emma Thompson or Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Karen Heller is national features writer for Style.

Lessons in Chemistry

By Bonnie Garmus

Doubleday. 400 pp. $29

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book reviews lessons in chemistry

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LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY

by Bonnie Garmus ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2022

A more adorable plea for rationalism and gender equality would be hard to find.

Two chemists with major chemistry, a dog with a big vocabulary, and a popular cooking show are among the elements of this unusual compound.

At the dawn of the 1960s, Elizabeth Zott finds herself in an unexpected position. She's the star of a television program called Supper at Six that has taken American housewives by storm, but it's certainly not what the crass station head envisions: “ 'Meaningful?' Phil snapped. 'What are you? Amish? As for nutritious: no. You’re killing the show before it even gets started. Look, Walter, it’s easy. Tight dresses, suggestive movements...then there’s the cocktail she mixes at the end of every show.' ” Elizabeth is a chemist, recently forced to leave the lab where she was doing important research due to an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Now she's reduced to explaining things like when to put the steak in the pan. "Be sure and wait until the butter foams. Foam indicates that the butter’s water content has boiled away. This is critical. Because now the steak can cook in lipids rather than absorb H2O.” If ever a woman was capable of running her own life, it's Elizabeth. But because it's the 1950s, then the '60s, men have their sweaty paws all over both her successes and failures. On the plus side, there's Calvin Evans, world-famous chemist, love of her life, and father of her child; also Walter Pine, her friend who works in television; and a journalist who at least tries to do the right thing. At the other pole is a writhing pile of sexists, liars, rapists, dopes, and arrogant assholes. This is the kind of book that has a long-buried secret at a corrupt orphanage with a mysterious benefactor as well as an extremely intelligent dog named Six-Thirty, recently retired from the military. ("Not only could he never seem to sniff out the bomb in time, but he also had to endure the praise heaped upon the smug German shepherds who always did.") Garmus' energetic debut also features an invigorating subplot about rowing.

Pub Date: April 5, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-385-54734-5

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022

LITERARY FICTION | GENERAL FICTION

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DEMON COPPERHEAD

by Barbara Kingsolver ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022

An angry, powerful book seething with love and outrage for a community too often stereotyped or ignored.

Inspired by David Copperfield , Kingsolver crafts a 21st-century coming-of-age story set in America’s hard-pressed rural South.

It’s not necessary to have read Dickens’ famous novel to appreciate Kingsolver’s absorbing tale, but those who have will savor the tough-minded changes she rings on his Victorian sentimentality while affirming his stinging critique of a heartless society. Our soon-to-be orphaned narrator’s mother is a substance-abusing teenage single mom who checks out via OD on his 11th birthday, and Demon’s cynical, wised-up voice is light-years removed from David Copperfield’s earnest tone. Yet readers also see the yearning for love and wells of compassion hidden beneath his self-protective exterior. Like pretty much everyone else in Lee County, Virginia, hollowed out economically by the coal and tobacco industries, he sees himself as someone with no prospects and little worth. One of Kingsolver’s major themes, hit a little too insistently, is the contempt felt by participants in the modern capitalist economy for those rooted in older ways of life. More nuanced and emotionally engaging is Demon’s fierce attachment to his home ground, a place where he is known and supported, tested to the breaking point as the opiate epidemic engulfs it. Kingsolver’s ferocious indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, angrily stated by a local girl who has become a nurse, is in the best Dickensian tradition, and Demon gives a harrowing account of his descent into addiction with his beloved Dori (as naïve as Dickens’ Dora in her own screwed-up way). Does knowledge offer a way out of this sinkhole? A committed teacher tries to enlighten Demon’s seventh grade class about how the resource-rich countryside was pillaged and abandoned, but Kingsolver doesn’t air-brush his students’ dismissal of this history or the prejudice encountered by this African American outsider and his White wife. She is an art teacher who guides Demon toward self-expression, just as his friend Tommy provokes his dawning understanding of how their world has been shaped by outside forces and what he might be able to do about it.

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-06-325-1922

Page Count: 560

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 13, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022

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FLIGHT BEHAVIOR

THE MAN WHO LIVED UNDERGROUND

by Richard Wright ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 20, 2021

A welcome literary resurrection that deserves a place alongside Wright’s best-known work.

A falsely accused Black man goes into hiding in this masterful novella by Wright (1908-1960), finally published in full.

Written in 1941 and '42, between Wright’s classics Native Son  and Black Boy , this short novel concerns Fred Daniels, a modest laborer who’s arrested by police officers and bullied into signing a false confession that he killed the residents of a house near where he was working. In a brief unsupervised moment, he escapes through a manhole and goes into hiding in a sewer. A series of allegorical, surrealistic set pieces ensues as Fred explores the nether reaches of a church, a real estate firm, and a jewelry store. Each stop is an opportunity for Wright to explore themes of hope, greed, and exploitation; the real estate firm, Wright notes, “collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent from poor colored folks.” But Fred’s deepening existential crisis and growing distance from society keep the scenes from feeling like potted commentaries. As he wallpapers his underground warren with cash, mocking and invalidating the currency, he registers a surrealistic but engrossing protest against divisive social norms. The novel, rejected by Wright’s publisher, has only appeared as a substantially truncated short story until now, without the opening setup and with a different ending. Wright's take on racial injustice seems to have unsettled his publisher: A note reveals that an editor found reading about Fred’s treatment by the police “unbearable.” That may explain why Wright, in an essay included here, says its focus on race is “rather muted,” emphasizing broader existential themes. Regardless, as an afterword by Wright’s grandson Malcolm attests, the story now serves as an allegory both of Wright (he moved to France, an “exile beyond the reach of Jim Crow and American bigotry”) and American life. Today, it resonates deeply as a story about race and the struggle to envision a different, better world.

Pub Date: April 20, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-59853-676-8

Page Count: 240

Publisher: Library of America

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021

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BookBrowse Reviews Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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Lessons in Chemistry

by Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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book reviews lessons in chemistry

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A charming, funny debut novel about a chemist turned cooking show host

Bonnie Garmus's debut, Lessons in Chemistry, introduces readers to an exceptional woman struggling to succeed in a male-dominated field. When we first meet 30-year-old Elizabeth Zott, the year is 1961, and we quickly learn she's the single mother of a precocious child and the unlikely star of a wildly popular weekday cooking show, Supper at Six. We also discover that behind her TV persona, she's a talented research chemist who has taken what she feels is a demeaning position solely as a means of supporting her daughter. The narrative then rewinds to 1952 to explain how Elizabeth got to this point in her life. Garmus sets her novel in the days before the Equal Rights Amendment and the #MeToo movement, when most men — and many women as well — believed that any woman who dared to enter a traditional men's profession was either "a lightweight or a gold digger," in the author's words. Worse, attractive single women in the workplace were often seen by powerful men as mere prey. Elizabeth experiences the worst of the worst: she's sexually assaulted; she's given a lab coat with her initials — "EZ" — rather than her last name; her work is openly ridiculed by her peers who then plagiarize it; and when her employer uses those breakthroughs to lure investors, they're told the discoveries were made by a "Mr. Zott." And that's just a small sample of the inequities this resilient woman must overcome. Given the difficult subject matter at its core, one might think the novel is a dark, weighty exploration of the sexual discrimination rampant during the 1950s and early 1960s. Amazingly, it's really not; although the book's substance depends largely on this theme, its overall tone is positive and affirming. Garmus's narrative reads a bit like a fable, often employing a simple, straightforward writing style and using repetition:

[Harriet Sloane] was unattractive and she knew it. She also knew that [Elizabeth's partner] was unattractive, and the sloppy dog Elizabeth brought home one day was unattractive, and there was a good chance Elizabeth's future baby would be unattractive too. But none of them were — or would ever be — ugly. Only Mr. Sloane was ugly, and that was because he was unattractive on the inside.

There's something comforting about a cadence like this — a subtle reassurance that all will be right in the end. The writing is also frequently quite funny. At one point, for example, Elizabeth's producers insist she feature one of their sponsor's canned soups on her program. It looks like she's agreed when she holds up the soup can and, on live TV, tells her audience it's a real time-saver:

"That's because it's full of chemicals," she said, tossing it with a clunk into a nearby garbage can. "Feed enough of it to your loved ones and they'll eventually die off, saving you tons of time since you won't have to feed them anymore."

What truly makes the book work, though, is the main character. In addition to being smart, Elizabeth is endlessly logical, practical and clear-headed; she simply refuses to be undervalued. "The reduction of women to something less than men…is not biological: it's cultural," she tells her audience as she proceeds to ignore the boundaries some would impose on her because of her sex. We fall in love with her not so much for the fact that she pushes back against these limits but because she points out their irrationality and proceeds accordingly. The book does have a few flaws, partially stemming from its overall storybook feel. The author's simplified writing style is especially apparent in the novel's first chapters, which almost read as if they were pitched to a young adult audience. The technique is less noticeable as the narrative proceeds, but some readers may be turned off before the story really gets rolling. In addition, the characters who surround Elizabeth lack nuance; with few exceptions, the "good" characters are all very intelligent and supportive while the bad characters are stupid and evil. Finally, much of the plot — including its fairytale ending — relies heavily on coincidence. Some might conside Lessons in Chemistry "chick lit," but I think that label does the book a disservice. Although its audience will likely be predominantly female, its themes are weighty and relevant, and any romance in it is much like Elizabeth herself: logical, analytical and not at all "frothy." The novel's exploration of gender roles will make it a good choice for book group discussions, and its unforgettable heroine and feel-good ending will almost certainly garner the author a host of avid fans.

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Beyond the Book:    A Short History of the Cooking Show

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Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

book reviews lessons in chemistry

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is a dazzling story about one woman’s fight against misogyny.

I try to read many of the celebrity book club picks and after finishing True Biz by Sara Novic (Reese’s April Book Club Pick), I decided to try Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (GMA April Book Club Pick). I’ve seen so many glowing reviews for the novel and my expectations were sky high. And it delivered. I quite enjoyed it and I thought the ending is extremely satisfying.

But I will say it did take me a bit to get into the story. Longer than I expected. I actually felt the story really took off when the TV cooking show part began.

What’s the Story About

Lessons in Chemistry follows Elizabeth Zott: a one-of-a-kind scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.

Elizabeth has dealt with it all. Plenty of misogyny and people doubting her skills. All she wants to do is work on her scientific research but the patriarchy keeps standing in her way. Everything changes for Elizabeth when the most unlikely event happens—she falls in love with a fellow scientist, Calvin. 

But as life is unpredictable, Elizabeth eventually finds herself as a single mother and without a job. Through an extraordinary set of events, she ends up becoming the host of a TV cooking show. And while she takes cooking very seriously, she also embarks plenty of lessons to her mostly female audience.

Elizabeth’s Story

Elizabeth is such an engaging protagonist. I don’t think I’ve ever read one quite like her before. She’s extremely serious and to the point. She’s very intelligent and tired of dealing with other people’s bad behavior. Elizabeth shows her vulnerable side only on rare occasions.

While the story is quirky and the writing is clever and humorous at parts, there are some serious topics addressed. Including a couple scenes that deserve a trigger warning, which I did not anticipate. I do think the cover, while cute, is a bit misleading in some ways.

I liked reading about Elizabeth’s journey and what she is able to overcome is inspiring. However, I would have liked to have seen more scenes with her daughter. And I do think it took too long to arrive at the TV show component.

I will say, the supporting cast is outstanding—probably one of the best I’ve read in a long time.

Supper at Six

You’ll be entertained by how Elizabeth got herself a cooking show! And she does not want to follow any direction from her producer, Walter. She takes matters in her own hands and combines her love and knowledge of chemistry to teach her audience how to cook and much more. Each episode serves as a life lesson of some sorts.

I felt this part was so vivid that it almost felt like it was a real show! I can’t only imagine the impact if a show like this had existed in the ’60s.

All in all, I really liked the novel. Not a perfect execution but I do think it’s a unique and very entertaining story.

For book clubs, check out my discussion questions here .

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book reviews lessons in chemistry

Thursday 13th of July 2023

There should be a way to raise $ for girls in America,so they can read, go to school,college,and travel making a good life for themselves and their children,if they choose. Idiots are making $ on crap,and don't give a damn about these kids in mediocre to awful situations. A collection plate for any kid that wants a better education and life in America, esp in these impoverished poor school systems. Earned scholarships for girls,all they have to do is want it. (Their fairy godmothers will pay for 75-90%.).July2023.not 1923.

Paula Moroz

Friday 4th of November 2022

The show became so real I almost began to search the TV schedule for the time! I liked the "Children set the table" sign off.

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Book Review

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

A Timeless Tale of Ambition and Resilience

Title: Lessons in Chemistry

Author: Bonnie Garmus

Publisher: Doubleday Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Setting: Commons, California (United States)

Characters: Elizabeth Zott, Calvin Evans, Mad Evans

First Publication: 2022

Language:  English

Book Summary: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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.

Book Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus tells the story of one woman’s journey pursuing her dreams in 1960s America, when society severely limiting the roles available to women. Published in 2022, this debut novel instantly became a sensation for its vivid characters, gripping plot, and fascinating blend of science and social commentary. At just over 300 pages, Lessons in Chemistry pulls readers deeply into the world of its protagonist Elizabeth Zott and keeps them enthralled until the very last page.

The story is set in Northern California in 1960 . We meet Elizabeth as a single mother working as a assistant at a gas station, trying to support her young son Calvin despite having a PhD in chemistry. With few good job opportunities available to a woman in her position at the time, she reluctantly accepts a role hosting a local TV cooking show. However, Elizabeth has grander ambitions, and soon revolutionizes the program by incorporating fun chemistry experiments and lessons into her demonstrations.

“Sometimes I think,” she said slowly, “that if a man were to spend a day being a woman in America, he wouldn’t make it past noon.”

Through this unexpected new venue, Elizabeth is finally able to pursue her passion and share her knowledge of science with viewers. Her lively on-air manner and incorporation of real chemistry shakes up the traditionally feminine constraints of cooking shows. Elizabeth’s journey navigating society’s expectations while staying true to her calling makes for an utterly captivating protagonist. Readers can’t help but root for her success against the pervasive sexism that tries to hold her back.

Garmus populates the novel with a rich supporting cast with realistic flaws that bring 1960s California vibrantly to life. From Elizabeth’s charismatic but troubled young son Calvin to her collection of quirky coworkers, every character feels deeply human. Scenes between Elizabeth and Calvin in particular brim with genuine raw emotion that lingers with the reader. Meanwhile, the inclusion of historical figures like scientist Linus Pauling lend an aura of verisimilitude to the setting.

“Because while musical prodigies are always celebrated, early readers aren’t. And that’s because early readers are only good at something others will eventually be good at, too. So being first isn’t special – it’s just annoying.”

Most impressive is Garmus’ ability to weave factual chemistry content seamlessly into the storytelling. As Elizabeth demonstrate concepts like exothermic and endothermic reactions on the show, lay readers gain a fundamental understanding of chemistry. Detailed explanations of scientific processes never feel infodumpy but rather deepen the readers’ appreciation for Elizabeth’s expertise and passion. Her on-air experiments from extracting vanilla from beans to separating eggs fascinate with their blend of entertainment and education.

The period details are equally rich, conveying daily challenges of gender norms, home life and workplace that shaped American society in the 1960s. Yet many struggles Elizabeth faces, from being maternally punished for her ambitions to facing different standards as a working mother, still unfortunately echo today. Striking this balance of specificity in time yet universality in themes is a testament to Garmus’ nuanced storytelling prowess.

“Whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change – and change is what we’re chemically designed to do. So when you wake up tomorrow, make this pledge. No more holding yourself back. No more subscribing to others’ opinions of what you can and cannot achieve. And no more allowing anyone to pigeonhole you into useless categories of sex, race, economic status, and religion. Do not allow your talents to lie dormant, ladies. Design your own future. When you go home today, ask yourself what YOU will change. And then get started.”

As the plot races toward its climax, Garmus ratchets up the drama through Elizabeth’s unconventional personal life choices that ruffle uptight 1960s sensibilities. Conflict with disapproving neighbors, clashes with the TV station’s director and family turmoil all propel the page-turning intrigue. Yet through it all, Elizabeth’s unwavering spirit and deep caring for her son sustain hope that a more fair future may lie ahead. The satisfying resolution brings a sense of optimism without wrapping everything up too neatly.

Lessons in Chemistry has garnered widespread praise for good reason. Bonnie Garmus demonstrates a rare gift for crafting immersive historical fiction that educates as it entertains. While set over half a century ago, the book tackles issues of gender barriers, work-life balance and the social risks of defying expectations that feel startlingly fresh. With its charm, humor, well-drawn characters and seamless blending of science and cultural commentary, it will appeal to a wide audience. This debut announces Garmus as an author to watch, and readers will eagerly anticipate whatever she produces next. For a vibrant, moving and thought-provoking read, Lessons in Chemistry earns the highest recommendation.

“Some things needed to stay in the past because the past was the only place they made sense.”

In conclusion, Bonnie Garmus has crafted an unforgettable work of historical fiction in Lessons in Chemistry. Not only does this debut novel tell a gripping human story of one woman’s perseverance against the cultural constraints of her time, it does so while educating readers on real scientific principles. Through vivid characters and period details, Garmus transports readers to 1960s California, bringing the era’s challenges and opportunities to bright life. But perhaps most impressively, the book taps into issues of gender roles, work-life balance and nonconformity that maintain relevance today. Lessons in Chemistry deserves its wide acclaim for outstanding storytelling that both entertains and leaves readers with new insights long after the last page. Bonnie Garmus has established herself as an author to eagerly anticipate in the years to come.

I’m very excited about the upcoming series adaptation of Lessons in Chemistry, which is set to premiere on Apple TV+ on October 13th. Starring Oscar winner Brie Larson as the brilliant scientist Elizabeth Zott, the 1960s-set show will follow her journey fighting for a place in a male-dominated field under the direction of Sarah Adina Smith. Larson leads a stellar cast that includes Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King, Stephanie Koenig, Patrick Walker, Thomas Mann, Kevin Sussman, and Beau Bridges. As a fan of Bonnie Garmus’ bestselling and well-written book about a woman refusing to give up on her dreams, I’m confident that the talented cast and crew, including executive producers Larson, Sarah Polley, Andrea Arnold, and Lee Eisenberg, will do it justice in bringing this heartwarming story to life on screen. Audiences are surely in for a treat with this promising adaptation.

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book reviews lessons in chemistry

Book Review: ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Garmus

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 so I was delighted to be granted a review copy – thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

The story is about a highly gifted Chemist, Elizabeth Zott, who is carrying out important research at the Hastings Research Institute – even though her efforts are often belittled and her work stolen by the men around her. After all, it’s the early 1960s and women can’t expect sexual equality – except Elizabeth Zott absolutely does. Her uncompromising stance gets her into trouble but also attracts the attention of older, Nobel-prize-nominated Calvin Evans. An unconventional relationship ensues – one that leaves Elizabeth with a dog, a daughter, and a hit TV cooking show. Things don’t work out as planned at all, but Elizabeth has the strength to work with whatever is thrown at her.

This book has received a lot of hype for its humour, feminist messages and strong female lead – and I can absolutely see that the plaudits are well deserved.

Elizabeth Zott is a fabulously strong and resilient central figure. She cannot understand why women are treated as second class citizens in 1960s America and seeks to correct the balance. She isn’t preaching feminism – she is living it. With each setback thrown at her, she picks herself up and finds a way to thrive – for example, building her own chemistry lab when she is at home with the baby. Even when horrendous things happen to her – and she isn’t immune from sexual predators, loss and prejudice – she faces it with fortitude and resilience. This makes her a formidable opponent for anyone trying to place limitations on her – and I loved the various ways that she dealt with them!

Although the book does have some tragic elements and is genuinely shocking in terms of the sexual politics, it is also packed with humour. Elizabeth Zott is, on the one hand, hugely intelligent and astute, but the humour lies in her contrastingly slightly naive and uncompromising views – she cannot understand why she has to conform to societal expectations and often leaves those who try to stop her floundering in her wake. There’s also delightful humour in the shape of Six-Thirty, the dog, and Mad, Zott’s equally clear-sighted daughter.

I personally loved the fact that Elizabeth is absolutely herself, whatever the situation. If this means presenting a cookery show in chemical terms (something the audience love as it means they aren’t being patronised) then so be it! Similarly, she is happy to row on a men’s team, make coffee in scientific equipment and teach Six-Thirty an extensive vocabulary. All absolutely normal to her – so why compromise?

As mentioned, Elizabeth’s life isn’t easy and the real warmth in this book comes from the characters who become her support network. There is a fabulous neighbour, Harriet, and poor long-suffering Walter, the producer on the cookery show who has to deal with some of Elizabeth’s more controversial moments on TV. In the face of Zott’s sometimes superhuman resolve, it’s lovely to see some more human and flawed characters.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes inspirational stories about women who defy the odds to achieve something amazing. The 1960s gender politics is shocking for a modern reader – in some ways showing how far we’ve come, although always with an undercurrent of ‘some things (sadly) don’t change’. I believe too that this is shortly to become a TV series, so now is definitely the time to read this book ahead of seeing it on screen.

If you’d like a copy of this fabulous book, please use my affiliate link below. Thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases.

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Why Lessons in Chemistry Is the Biggest Debut Novel of the Past Year

The same ingredient that makes some readers recoil from this bestseller is also what makes it so delicious..

Bonnie Garmus’ debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry , has become one of those books you see everywhere: in the hands of subway passengers and waiting room idlers, on the nightstands of book group members, all over the realm of TikTok known as #BookTok, as Barnes & Noble’s Book of the Year for 2022, and, last but not least, on the New York Times bestseller list for 58 weeks and counting. Last November, the Times noted that it was “on track to be the best-selling debut novel of 2022,” and it seems to have only sold better since. There’s also good reason to believe that it’s only going to get bigger: In October, Apple TV+ will premiere a TV series based on the novel, starring Brie Larson. Garmus, who is 66 and wrote Lessons in Chemistry after a long career as a copywriter, is living every first-time novelist’s dream.

What’s the fuss about? Chances are: not what you think. As the Times article observed, the novel’s American cover is misleading, a cartoon image of a woman side-eyeing coquettishly over a pair of cat-eye glasses against a pink background. Paired with the title, this image shouts “ STEMinist romance novel ,” a currently booming genre. But Lessons is only incidentally about romantic love. Instead, it’s the story of Elizabeth Zott, a woman chemist and single mother confronting sexism and other tribulations as she tries to pursue her vocation in the early 1960s. She stumbles into a gig hosting a chemistry-centric cooking show on daytime TV and becomes a celebrity in syndication.

Lessons in Chemistry belongs to a genre of literary fiction that could be called the quirky tragicomedy. The novel it’s most often likened to is 2012’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette , by Maria Semple, about a daughter trying to understand her mother’s abandonment. In these books, the main character has amusingly eccentric traits or interests and suffers undeniably serious losses, but the overall tone remains light, with a touch of rueful melancholy and a whole lot of brave soldiering on. After a boom in the 2000s, this style of fiction seems to be increasingly uncommon, which explains why some of today’s readers, raised on plots that milk trauma for all it’s worth, find the novel’s tone confusing.

Elizabeth, who appears to be neurodivergent in some way, gets peeved when a male colleague suggests that she learn to “outsmart” the system, because she can’t see why systems can’t just be “smart in the first place.” She knows that she lives in “a patriarchal society founded on the idea that women were less,” but she indignantly refuses to acknowledge the dictates of that society. After Elizabeth becomes pregnant out of wedlock by one of the few decent men in the novel, and the head of her lab tries to fire her on moral grounds, she seems genuinely astonished, as if she is only just now finding out about the sexual double standard.

Much of the humor in Lessons in Chemistry comes from the collision of Elizabeth’s stubborn scientific rationalism with the unthinkingly conventional attitudes of everyone else. Elizabeth herself has no sense of humor. Her daughter, Madeline, is a similarly brainy prodigy who reads Norman Mailer in kindergarten, shocking her sourpuss teacher, and can’t understand why she gets in trouble for insisting that human beings are animals.

Garmus has an impressive ability to maintain a Campari-like balance of the bitter and the sugary. Elizabeth endures harrowing setbacks, not just a wall of sexism in her career but also a sexual assault and the deaths of loved ones. Trauma abounds in the sympathetic characters’ backstories. Elizabeth’s father, a charismatic religious charlatan, is in prison, and her gold-digger mother is out of the picture, run off to Latin America with her latest rich husband. Madeline’s father, an orphan, grew up in a grim Catholic boys’ school. Elizabeth’s helpful neighbor Harriet has a vile, abusive husband who expects her to tidy up his dirty magazine collection. All of Elizabeth’s bosses (with the exception of the meek producer who makes her a TV star) are insulting, domineering lechers. A more vulnerable woman would be utterly downtrodden by all this, but Elizabeth’s determined single-mindedness and indifference to what other people think of her—the same qualities that tend to alienate her colleagues—provide a kind of shield.

In counterbalance, there are Elizabeth’s improbably studious multitudes of fans, housewives who watch her show, Supper at Six , with notebooks in hand, jotting down her explanation of the hydrogen bond’s role in the cooking process. Elizabeth delivers on-screen pep talks about subsidized child care and encourages one live audience member to follow her dream and apply to medical school, to the cheers of the crowd. There is an absurdly anthropomorphized dog named Six-Thirty (for the time when Elizabeth found him on the street), a noble creature who understands hundreds of words and assists Elizabeth in her home lab. Even readers who don’t care for the rest of the novel—every very popular book inevitably reaps some detractors—adore Six-Thirty.

Call me a cat person, but Six-Thirty seems a calculated bid for reader sympathy designed to shore up the novel’s sentimental side against the harshness of Elizabeth’s life. There are sensitive readers who feel so overwhelmed by the cruelty of Elizabeth’s persecutors—complaints about the lack of trigger warnings are common—that they profess bafflement that anyone could call Lessons in Chemistry a comic novel.

But I’d argue that the novel’s bad guys are the real secrets to its success. Were all men in authority in the early ’60s so comprehensively horrid, a rogues’ gallery of bigots, rapists, plagiarists, and gaslighters? No, but a popular fairy tale—which Lessons in Chemistry most certainly is—needs a thoroughly hateable villain, and this book has several corkers. The dastardly, smug baddies of Garmus’ novel are the engines that drive her plot like a locomotive. You keep reading as much to see them defeated as to see Elizabeth win. To make that happen, Garmus resorts to a final reveal that is pure Dickens—the furthest thing from the collective action that actually made scientific careers possible for women like Elizabeth. Then again, as every Lessons in Chemistry critic ought to bear in mind, too much reality does not a bestseller make.

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  • <i>Lessons in Chemistry</i> Feels Like a Remedial Course in Feminist History

Lessons in Chemistry Feels Like a Remedial Course in Feminist History

book reviews lessons in chemistry

E lizabeth Zott is not like other girls. In fact, maybe don’t call her a girl. The heroine of Lessons in Chemistry is an adult woman and a brilliant chemist whose relentlessly logical mind demands precision. Also, with good reason, she doesn’t take kindly to being infantilized. Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s story—as told in Bonnie Garmus’ wildly popular 2022 novel and a new, eight-part Apple TV+ series starring Brie Larson —takes place in the 1950s. So you can be sure she’ll have to endure a whole heap of sexism to get the respect, let alone the career, she deserves.

Your enjoyment of Apple’s sometimes charming but more often didactic, weirdly unfocused adaptation, premiering Oct. 13, is likely to vary depending on whether you find stories about plucky underdogs triumphing over adversity inspiring or exhausting. Personally, I’m not sure American women are in a position to look back at the overt misogyny (and, elsewhere in Chemistry , racism and homophobia) of the recent past as an obstacle course we can congratulate ourselves for clearing. Then again, maybe that’s not the show’s intention at all. For all its preaching to the converted—and all its invocations of elemental conflicts, like science vs. religion and self vs. community— Chemistry leaves its most ambitious questions unanswered.

To the extent that series works, it’s because Larson so thoroughly inhabits Elizabeth. A genius with little use for social conventions or niceties, the character is confident without being arrogant, and somewhat awkward in disposition but ultimately charming in her authenticity. (Many readers have speculated that Elizabeth is on the autism spectrum.) Her stiff comportment loosens up as her initially lonely existence gives way to a number of meaningful relationships. This subtle transformation, even more than her rise from disrespected lab tech to unlikely cooking-show sensation, forms the through-line of a narrative prone to clumsy digressions.

book reviews lessons in chemistry

Although we’ll eventually witness her sad childhood as a preacher’s daughter in ’30s Alabama, Elizabeth’s story begins at the Hastings Research Institute in Southern California. A chemist with a Master’s from UCLA, she performs menial lab chores for mediocre men whose dialogue comes straight out of Ye Olde Chauvinist’s Book of Commonplaces : “A smile once in a while wouldn’t hurt.” “Sweetheart, I could use another cup o’ joe.” Etc. They all but force her to compete in a humiliating “Little Miss Hastings” beauty pageant. As if that wasn’t enough oppression for one woman, Chemistry piles on a layer of sexual trauma. It turns out that Elizabeth never got her PhD because she refused to apologize to the advisor she stabbed (with a pencil) to thwart his (nauseatingly energetic) attempt to rape her (after a qualifying exam).

Things finally start to look up when she meets Hastings’ other oddball. A chemist of national renown, Calvin Evans ( Outer Range ’s Lewis Pullman) has the influence to indulge his eccentricities—hence the private lab, where he hops in the safety shower after jogging to work. Like Elizabeth, he speaks the terse language of the constitutionally rational. And he sees that the research she’s surreptitiously conducting has the potential to break ground. He’s baffled to learn that sexism has kept her from advancing in a supposedly meritocratic field. “Why would someone discriminate based on something as intellectually non-determinative as gender?” Calvin wonders. (Why indeed!) So he invites her to work alongside him. Soon, they fall in love.

book reviews lessons in chemistry

Fast-forward seven years and several spoiler-y twists of fate, and an unemployed Elizabeth—a talented cook who treats the kitchen like a lab—stumbles upon a big opportunity. A local TV station needs a cooking-show host, and though she doesn’t exactly crave fame, she needs the money. Her presence on Supper at 6 , where she calls ingredients by their chemical names and takes the preparation of food seriously as work, is something utterly new. And she usually has the fortitude to defy a piggish executive (played by Rainn Wilson ) who wants her to endorse shoddy sponsor products and has ideas like: “At the end of each show, she should make her husband a cocktail.” Men tend to hate Supper , but women love it. Elizabeth becomes a celebrity.

This is easily the most intriguing facet of her story. In one memorable scene, during an on-air Q&A with her adoring studio audience, a housewife asks a perceptive question about human biochemistry. Elizabeth senses that the woman has the aptitude to become a physician, and tells her so. Months later, the fan returns to say she’s enrolled in medical school. While this particular sequence of events feels a bit pat, the show is most original when it’s imagining the effect a woman as intelligent, self-assured, and liberated as Elizabeth might have on less extraordinary women, who may be too ensconced in their gender roles to aspire to a life outside the home. But Chemistry hops around too much to explore this aspect of her fame in any depth.

Episodes meander away from one another, cordoned off by puzzling one-off stylistic and structural decisions. One is narrated by Elizabeth’s dog, Six-Thirty (he’s named after the time at which he wakes her up every morning). Another spends an inordinate amount of time with a little girl we’re led to believe is someone she turns out not to be; the payoff of this misdirection is negligible. A coincidence-driven dive into Calvin’s childhood derails Elizabeth’s arc too late in the series, which has the effect of rushing the central story towards an overly tidy conclusion.

book reviews lessons in chemistry

This lack of focus extends to characters and themes, as well. A woman introduced as a traitor to her gender returns, fully reformed, a few episodes later. Calvin’s neighbor Harriet Sloan (Aja Naomi King from How to Get Away With Murder ) comes into the picture early. A bright legal aide, she’s organizing members of their largely Black, middle-class enclave in a campaign to stop the construction of a freeway through the community—one that local politicians have labeled “blighted” despite its obvious affluence. Yet neither her crusade nor her family are well integrated into the central narrative. Often, her presence feels like a test of Calvin or Elizabeth’s allyship. “You’re always talking about the things that keep women down, but who does that include?” she asks Elizabeth. It doesn’t help that the end of her story line is so abrupt.

Chemistry clearly wants to wrestle with big, important ideas. But if Greta Gerwig ’s Barbie was Feminism 101, this adult-oriented drama is teaching lessons about social justice better suited to middle school. Unlike the fascinatingly flawed heroine of The Queen’s Gambit , another exceptional-woman saga set in the mid-20th century, Elizabeth comes across as too perfect, too good, too pure. The same goes for Harriet. They are women’s liberation and, in Harriet’s case, the civil rights movement, run through the fine-mesh sieve of respectability politics. Elizabeth and Calvin’s empirically minded atheism is often challenged by Christian characters—some generous true believers and others cruel charlatans. But the show never satisfyingly synthesizes these conversations. It lets the question of how faith and science can coexist hang.

In the end, Elizabeth does a lot of talking about “the inevitability of change.” This takeaway suggests that the outlandishness of many twists—and the series’ hyperactive structure—were intentional. I don’t doubt it, but TV drama is a narrative medium, and a better show would have found a way to craft a cohesive one about the randomness of life. It would have made space to fully investigate complicated themes, instead of dropping them into the void. It would’ve given us a complex protagonist, not an avatar of righteousness designed to star in adversity porn. Maybe that’s expecting too much from the TV adaptation of last year’s biggest beach read. Something tells me, though, that Elizabeth Zott would prefer honest scrutiny to polite condescension.  

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Lessons in Chemistry

By bonnie garmus, by bonnie garmus read by miranda raison , bonnie garmus and pandora sykes, category: literary fiction, category: literary fiction | audiobooks.

Apr 12, 2022 | ISBN 9780593556672 | 6-1/8 x 9-1/4 --> | ISBN 9780593556672 --> Buy

Apr 05, 2022 | ISBN 9780385547345 | 6-1/8 x 9-1/4 --> | ISBN 9780385547345 --> Buy

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Aug 08, 2023 | 720 Minutes | ISBN 9780593862407 --> Buy

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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Apr 12, 2022 | ISBN 9780593556672

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Apr 23, 2024 | ISBN 9780385551151

Apr 05, 2022 | ISBN 9780385547376

Apr 05, 2022 | ISBN 9780593507537

716 Minutes

Aug 08, 2023 | ISBN 9780593862407

720 Minutes

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About Lessons in Chemistry

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • Meet Elizabeth Zott: “a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention” ( The Washington Post ) in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show. • STREAM ON APPLE TV+ This novel is “irresistible, satisfying and full of fuel” ( The New York Times Book Review ) and “witty, sometimes hilarious…the Catch-22 of early feminism” (Stephen King, via Twitter). A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek 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.

An elegant, deluxe edition of the #1 New York Times bestseller—marking the 2nd anniversary of its publication—that will make the perfect gift or treat for yourself. Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out there is no such thing. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. When she finds herself unwed and pregnant, she’s forced out, reluctantly taking a job as the host of the TV cooking show Supper at Six. But Elizabeth has no intention of sticking to the recipe. Instead, she teaches women what they’re really made of – at the molecular level. And in doing so, dares them to change the status quo.

Listen to a sample from Lessons in Chemistry

About bonnie garmus.

BONNIE GARMUS is a copywriter and creative director who has worked for a wide range of clients, in the US and abroad, focusing primarily on technology, medicine, and education. From Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and… More about Bonnie Garmus

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GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Elle, Oprah Daily, Newsweek, GoodReads, Bookpage, Kirkus ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Bustle, Real Simple, Parade, CNN, Today, E! News, Library Journal “In Garmus’s debut novel, a frustrated chemist finds herself at the helm of a cooking show that sparks a revolution. Welcome to the 1960s, where a woman’s arsenal of tools was often limited to the kitchen—and where Elizabeth Zott is hellbent on overturning the status quo one meal at a time.” — The New York Times “Strikingly relevant…Darkly funny and poignant… Lessons in Chemistry ’s excellent experiment [is] quirky and heartwarming.” — The Atlantic “The most delightful novel I read this year—fresh and surprising—was Lessons in Chemistry : a fish-out-of-water story about a feminist hero who never stops pushing for what’s right. (I laughed out loud!)” — Philip Galanes , The New York Times “Elizabeth Zott is going to be an important character to a lot of people . . . Absolute chemistry.” — Scott Simon, NPR “An irresistible buoyancy, along with a deliberately sharp bite. Garmus’s novel focuses on a female scientist whose ambitions are impeded—and then rerouted—by a world not yet ready for her.” — Frank Bruni , The New York Times “[Garmus] delivers an assured voice, an indelible heroine and relatable love stories…At the center of the novel is Elizabeth Zott, a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention…Elizabeth is a feminist and modern thinker […] in a world nowhere ready for her mind, character or ambition…[Garmus] charm[s]. She’s created an indelible assemblage of stubborn, idiosyncratic characters. She’s given us a comic novel at precisely the moment we crave one.” — Washington Post “Feminism is the catalyst that makes [ Lessons in Chemistry ] fizz like hydrochloric acid on limestone. Elizabeth Zott does not have ‘moxie’; she has courage. She is not a ‘girl boss’ or a ‘lady chemist’; she’s a groundbreaker and an expert in abiogenesis…To file Elizabeth Zott among the pink razors of the book world is to miss the sharpness of Garmus’s message. Lessons in Chemistry will make you wonder about all the real-life women born ahead of their time—women who were sidelined, ignored and worse because they weren’t as resourceful, determined and lucky as Elizabeth Zott. She’s a reminder of how far we’ve come, but also how far we still have to go.” — New York Times Book Review “Between the outrageous sexism and the bitter misfortune that thwart our heroine at every turn, this may not sound like a comic novel, but it is. Full of charm, energy and hope—and featuring a really great dog—it’s one to savor.”  — People Magazine “Darkly funny and poignant, Lessons in Chemistry paints an extraordinary portrait of an unusual life in 1960s California…Irresistible, a gorgeous tribute to resilience and the many types of love that sustain us.” — Oprah Daily “A kicky debut, this book tackles feminism, resilience, and rationalism in a fun and refreshing way.” — BuzzFeed “It’s the world versus Elizabeth Zott, an extraordinary woman determined to live on her own terms, and I had no trouble choosing a side. Lessons in Chemistry is a page-turning and highly satisfying tale: zippy, zesty, and Zotty.” — Maggie Shipstead , author of Great Circle “ Lessons in Chemistry is a breath of fresh air—a witty, propulsive, and refreshingly hopeful novel populated with singular characters. This book is an utter delight—wry, warm, and compulsively readable.” — Claire Lombardo , author of The Most Fun We Ever Had “On par with Beth Harmon of The Queen’s Gambit , Elizabeth Zott swept me away with her intellect, honesty, and unapologetic selfhood. Lessons in Chemistry is a story for all the smart girls who refuse to dumb themselves down despite a culture that demands otherwise. Though a creation of the 50s & 60s, Zott is a feminist icon for our time.” — Rachel Yoder , author of Nightbitch “A fun, feminist charmer, Bonnie Garmus’s novel Lessons in Chemistry follows singular single mother Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist in a man’s world—1960s America—as she becomes an unlikely cooking-show host and the role model her daughter deserves.” — Martha Stewart Living “[A] delightful debut…Elizabeth Zott, Garmus’ unflappable heroine, is no cheerily lilting [Julia] Child…[Garmus] skillfully moves her narrative forward and backward, filling in the empty spaces in Elizabeth’s story. It’s a novel full of dark moments…and yet Lessons in Chemistry feels richly funny…Elizabeth Zott is a unique heroine, and you find yourself wishing she wasn’t fictional: A lot of us—perhaps even Julia Child—might have enjoyed watching ‘Supper at Six.’” — The Seattle Times “ Lessons in Chemistry catalyzes science, cooking, and humor…Elizabeth [Zott]—determined, practical, uncompromising—shines brightest.” — Christian Science Monitor “[Garmus] presents a rollicking feminist tale full of humor and hope even as she doesn’t shy away from life’s ugliness. Clever and sharp, Lessons in Chemistry has a winning formula.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune “Find this runaway hit where history meets humor. The book follows a chemist in the 1960s who doesn’t get the respect she deserves. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes the host of a famous cooking show. With her platform, she encourages viewers to push the boundaries the same way she did at work.” — Today.com “A bold, smart, and often hilarious look at the value of so-called women’s work.” — Real Simple “Garmus tells a familiar story in a completely original voice in her delightful debut novel…Zott is an unforgettable protagonist, logical and literal and utterly herself…The novel deftly mixes comedy and tragedy, with only one very clear villain: the patriarchal culture of mid-20th century America, the days of which are numbered because of women like Zott…For those who admire a confident, bone-dry, and hilarious authorial voice, this novel achieves the difficult task of being both sharply satirical and heartwarming at the same time.” — Historical Novels Review “If you can imagine Julia Child channeling a little bit of Lucille Ball, and all of the science edginess of Madame Curie, then you’ll have a really good idea of the humor and the wit and the warmth that just shine through this entire novel.” — Minnesota Public Radio News “I loved it and am devastated to have finished it.” — Nigella Lawson , author of Cook, Eat, Repeat “Garmus’ writing is extraordinary, and her insightful commentaries on life, religion, bigotry, misogyny and stupidity result in passages that are absolutely worth sharing…Be prepared to laugh, grieve, and root for Elizabeth.” — BookReporter “[An] energetic debut…A more adorable plea for rationalism and gender equality would be hard to find.”  — Kirkus (starred review) “Indefatigable and formidable, Elizabeth pushes the bounds of how women and their work are perceived in this thoroughly engaging debut novel.” — Booklist “Like a woman-centric “Mad Men”…A witty and sharp dramedy about resilience and found families…Readers won’t be able to get enough of Elizabeth and her makeshift family. Lessons in Chemistry is a story to return to again and again.”  — BookPage “While the novel focuses on serious themes of misogyny, feminism, family, and self-worth, it never gets didactic. The characters are rich and original, the story sarcastic and humorous, and the novel with all its twists and turns, difficult to put down. Zott is aloof and amazing, rational and revolutionary. Like Garmus, you may even find yourself channeling Elizabeth, asking ‘Now what would Elizabeth Zott do?’” —LA Daily News “A smart, funny, big-hearted debut combining chemical elements into what seems a winning formula—one whose breakneck pace and gently ironic tone should appeal to readers of literary-commercial hits by American authors such as Katherine Heiny, Emma Straub and Curtis Sittenfeld.” — Sunday Times (UK) “Elizabeth Zott is the smart, fierce star of Garmus’s witty debut…Brilliant.” — Mail on Sunday (UK) “The enchanting story of Elizabeth Zott never belittles the offence of sexism, but neither – miraculously – does it ever take you more than a few sentences away from a smile, a chuckle, or a laugh out loud. Bonnie Garmus’ gift is to expose the sting and injustice of being a woman in a man’s world with a feather light touch that keeps our spirits buoyant and our hearts strong. I honestly don’t know how she does it. This is a remarkable book by a remarkable writer.” — Jo Browning Roe , author of A Terrible Kindness “A fabulous novel. Compelling, satisfying, a real page-turner.” — Nina Stibbe , author of Reasons to Be Cheerful

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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

  • Publication Date: April 5, 2022
  • Genres: Fiction , Historical Fiction , Humor
  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Doubleday
  • ISBN-10: 038554734X
  • ISBN-13: 9780385547345
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INSIDER

8 major changes 'Lessons in Chemistry' has made from the bestselling book (so far)

Posted: October 13, 2023 | Last updated: October 13, 2023

<ul class="summary-list"> <li>Apple TV+'s "Lessons in Chemistry" is based on Bonnie Garmus' 2022 novel of the same name.</li> <li>We rounded up the biggest differences between the adaptation and the bestselling book.</li> <li>Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the book and episodes that have aired so far.</li> </ul><p>The new <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-streaming-service">Apple TV+</a> show "Lessons in Chemistry" remains in many ways faithful to Bonnie Garmus' <a href="https://www.insider.com/most-recommended-books-tiktok-2021-3">bestselling book</a> of the same name.</p><p>Both the series and the book tell the story of the uncompromising and unconventional Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson), a scientist on the verge of a major breakthrough in DNA research whose life trajectory changes after she meets and falls in love with one of her research institute's top scientists, Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman).</p><p>Elizabeth's relationship with and support from Calvin brings her closer than ever to making a splash in the science community, but after an unforeseen change in circumstances, she finds herself ousted from her position at the lab and reluctantly accepts a job as a host on a cooking program.</p><p>Making the most of the opportunity, Elizabeth decides to teach her audience of housewives and mothers the chemistry of cooking, empowering them to go beyond society's expectations of them, sparking a revolution.</p><p>Not every detail from the show has been included in the book and some aspects, characters, and storylines from the show have been altered, condensed, or replaced with others.</p><p>Here are the biggest differences between the book and the episodes of the show that have aired so far.</p><div class="read-original">Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/lessons-in-chemistry-apple-tv-key-changes-between-book-show-2023-10">Insider</a></div>

  • Apple TV+'s "Lessons in Chemistry" is based on Bonnie Garmus' 2022 novel of the same name.
  • We rounded up the biggest differences between the adaptation and the bestselling book.
  • Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the book and episodes that have aired so far.

The new Apple TV+ show "Lessons in Chemistry" remains in many ways faithful to Bonnie Garmus' bestselling book of the same name.

Both the series and the book tell the story of the uncompromising and unconventional Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson), a scientist on the verge of a major breakthrough in DNA research whose life trajectory changes after she meets and falls in love with one of her research institute's top scientists, Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman).

Elizabeth's relationship with and support from Calvin brings her closer than ever to making a splash in the science community, but after an unforeseen change in circumstances, she finds herself ousted from her position at the lab and reluctantly accepts a job as a host on a cooking program.

Making the most of the opportunity, Elizabeth decides to teach her audience of housewives and mothers the chemistry of cooking, empowering them to go beyond society's expectations of them, sparking a revolution.

Not every detail from the show has been included in the book and some aspects, characters, and storylines from the show have been altered, condensed, or replaced with others.

Here are the biggest differences between the book and the episodes of the show that have aired so far.

<p>In the book, Elizabeth brazenly enters Calvin's lab at Hastings Research Institute one day in search of some equipment for her own undersupplied lab. </p><p>During their terse exchange, Calvin insults Elizabeth by assuming that she is a secretary, leading to her marching out with a box of beakers. Several days later, Calvin finds her and apologizes but Elizabeth shows no interest in making amends.</p><p>This is slightly altered for the show which shows Elizabeth working on her abiogenesis research after work hours. She sneaks into Calvin's locked lab and swipes a bottle of ribose from his shelves. </p><p>The next day she finds herself confronted by Calvin, who mistakenly assumes she's a secretary and accuses her of stealing the bottle to sell on the black market. He even calls her a "fibber" when Elizabeth tells her she's a chemist, just like him. It's only when Calvin puts in a formal complaint about Elizabeth to Miss Frask (Stephanie Koenig), that he realizes she isn't lying.</p>

The way Elizabeth Zott and Calvin Evans first meet has been slightly altered.

In the book, Elizabeth brazenly enters Calvin's lab at Hastings Research Institute one day in search of some equipment for her own undersupplied lab. 

During their terse exchange, Calvin insults Elizabeth by assuming that she is a secretary, leading to her marching out with a box of beakers. Several days later, Calvin finds her and apologizes but Elizabeth shows no interest in making amends.

This is slightly altered for the show which shows Elizabeth working on her abiogenesis research after work hours. She sneaks into Calvin's locked lab and swipes a bottle of ribose from his shelves. 

The next day she finds herself confronted by Calvin, who mistakenly assumes she's a secretary and accuses her of stealing the bottle to sell on the black market. He even calls her a "fibber" when Elizabeth tells her she's a chemist, just like him. It's only when Calvin puts in a formal complaint about Elizabeth to Miss Frask (Stephanie Koenig), that he realizes she isn't lying.

<p>In the book, there is no mention of the Little Miss Hastings pageant, which Elizabeth is begrudgingly forced to participate in as "Miss Aminos" after she receives a formal warning about her behavior.</p><p>It's while grabbing her coat and making an early exit that Elizabeth encounters Calvin again, who at that very moment vomits on her.</p><p>In the book, this second meeting between Calvin and Elizabeth takes place at a theater following an opera performance the two both happen to be at, and it's Calvin's reaction to a date's perfume, rather than Mrs Donatti's that makes him nauseous.</p><p>Rather than be a serendipitous encounter as it is in the book, in the show Calvin reveals that he had actually attended the pageant to see Elizabeth and gift her the bottle of ribose as an apology for his rude remarks.</p>

The Little Miss Hastings pageant is entirely made up for the adaptation.

In the book, there is no mention of the Little Miss Hastings pageant, which Elizabeth is begrudgingly forced to participate in as "Miss Aminos" after she receives a formal warning about her behavior.

It's while grabbing her coat and making an early exit that Elizabeth encounters Calvin again, who at that very moment vomits on her.

In the book, this second meeting between Calvin and Elizabeth takes place at a theater following an opera performance the two both happen to be at, and it's Calvin's reaction to a date's perfume, rather than Mrs Donatti's that makes him nauseous.

Rather than be a serendipitous encounter as it is in the book, in the show Calvin reveals that he had actually attended the pageant to see Elizabeth and gift her the bottle of ribose as an apology for his rude remarks.

<p>The first episode introduces viewers to Harriet Sloane (Aja Naomi King), who doesn't appear until much later on in the book. Calvin's neighbor doesn't come into the story until after Elizabeth has moved in with Calvin. In fact, readers do not see Calvin interact with her at all.</p><p>But in the show, Harriet is shown to be a part of Calvin's daily life — in fact, it's shown that he even babysits her children sometimes. </p><p>Her role in the series has been expanded to introduce a new storyline about the neighborhood where she and Calvin live being under threat of being demolished to make way for a new freeway.</p>

Harriet Sloane, Calvin's neighbor, plays a much larger role in the show.

The first episode introduces viewers to Harriet Sloane (Aja Naomi King), who doesn't appear until much later on in the book. Calvin's neighbor doesn't come into the story until after Elizabeth has moved in with Calvin. In fact, readers do not see Calvin interact with her at all.

But in the show, Harriet is shown to be a part of Calvin's daily life — in fact, it's shown that he even babysits her children sometimes. 

Her role in the series has been expanded to introduce a new storyline about the neighborhood where she and Calvin live being under threat of being demolished to make way for a new freeway.

<p>The second episode of "Lessons in Chemistry" opens with a flashback to Elizabeth's days studying at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and audiences learn the reason why she never managed to get her PhD. </p><p>Shortly after submitting her proposal, she finds herself on the receiving end of unwanted sexual advances from her professor and personal mentor, Dr. Bates, a character who has been invented for the show. When she tells him she doesn't see him that way, he forces himself on her.</p><p>However, in the book, it is the older, lecherous Dr. Meyers who rapes Elizabeth in a brutal attack after finding her running last-minute tests on his latest research project late at night in the university lab.</p><p>In both the book and the adaptation, Elizabeth is able to stop her assailant by stabbing them in the gut with a pencil but pays the consequence of losing her place on her course when she refuses to offer a statement of regret.</p>

Elizabeth is sexually assaulted by someone she considers a friend and a mentor, rather than an old and lecherous professor.

The second episode of "Lessons in Chemistry" opens with a flashback to Elizabeth's days studying at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and audiences learn the reason why she never managed to get her PhD. 

Shortly after submitting her proposal, she finds herself on the receiving end of unwanted sexual advances from her professor and personal mentor, Dr. Bates, a character who has been invented for the show. When she tells him she doesn't see him that way, he forces himself on her.

However, in the book, it is the older, lecherous Dr. Meyers who rapes Elizabeth in a brutal attack after finding her running last-minute tests on his latest research project late at night in the university lab.

In both the book and the adaptation, Elizabeth is able to stop her assailant by stabbing them in the gut with a pencil but pays the consequence of losing her place on her course when she refuses to offer a statement of regret.

<p>Shortly after she is transferred to Calvin's lab so she can focus on her abiogenesis research, Elizabeth requests to be moved back after an exchange with Calvin brings up memories of her attack.</p><p>When she isn't allowed to, she decides to set up boundaries in their shared lab and begins acting coldly towards him.</p><p>None of this occurs in the book, but it helps underscore Elizabeth's apprehensive about growing close to Calvin, in case he turns out to be like other men she has encountered, or it jeopardizes her position at Hastings.</p>

This change to the story plays a role in Elizabeth's decision to distance herself from Calvin when she realizes that there is more than friendship between them.

Shortly after she is transferred to Calvin's lab so she can focus on her abiogenesis research, Elizabeth requests to be moved back after an exchange with Calvin brings up memories of her attack.

When she isn't allowed to, she decides to set up boundaries in their shared lab and begins acting coldly towards him.

None of this occurs in the book, but it helps underscore Elizabeth's apprehensive about growing close to Calvin, in case he turns out to be like other men she has encountered, or it jeopardizes her position at Hastings.

<p>In the second episode, Elizabeth finds a stray dog sniffing around the trash cans in her backyard, and taking pity on him, makes him a plate of fresh food. Later on, it's made clear that she's adopted him when she brings him to Calvin's house. </p><p>When asked what his name is, Elizabeth says it's Six-Thirty "after the time he wakes me up in the morning. It's like clockwork."</p><p>In the book, Six-Thirty shows up in the story after Elizabeth and Calvin have begun living together and decide to get a dog together.</p><p>He follows Elizabeth home from a nearby deli and gets his humorous name after Calvin asks Elizabeth who her friend is and, mishearing him, Elizabeth looks at her watch and reads him out the time.</p>

Six-Thirty appears earlier in the story in the show, and there's a different reason why he has his unique name.

In the second episode, Elizabeth finds a stray dog sniffing around the trash cans in her backyard, and taking pity on him, makes him a plate of fresh food. Later on, it's made clear that she's adopted him when she brings him to Calvin's house. 

When asked what his name is, Elizabeth says it's Six-Thirty "after the time he wakes me up in the morning. It's like clockwork."

In the book, Six-Thirty shows up in the story after Elizabeth and Calvin have begun living together and agree to get a dog.

He follows Elizabeth home from a nearby deli and gets his humorous name after Calvin asks Elizabeth who her friend is and, mishearing him, Elizabeth looks at her watch and reads him out the time.

<p>In the book, Six-Thirty is described as "tall, gray, thin, and covered in barbed-wire-like fur," which brings to mind a dog like a Lurcher.</p><p>However, in the adaptation the failed bomb detection dog is shown to be a <a href="https://people.com/labradoodle-who-plays-six-thirty-in-lessons-in-chemistry-incredibly-lovable-exclusive-8347564" rel="noopener">Goldendoodle</a> — a cross a Golden Retriever and a Poodle that <a href="https://www.purina.co.uk/find-a-pet/dog-breeds/goldendoodle#:~:text=The%20Goldendoodle%20is%20one%20of,in%20order%20to%20learn%20more." rel="noopener">didn't come about until the 1990s</a>.</p>

Six-Thirty is depicted as a Goldendoodle, a breed that wasn't actually around in the 1950s.

In the book, Six-Thirty is described as "tall, gray, thin, and covered in barbed-wire-like fur," which brings to mind a dog like a Lurcher.

However, in the adaptation the failed bomb detection dog is shown to be a  Goldendoodle  — a cross a Golden Retriever and a Poodle that  didn't come about until the 1990s .

<p>At the end of the second episode, Elizabeth lays out the reasons why she never wants to get married or become a mother: for her, it would mean giving up everything else.</p><p>Calvin thanks her for letting him know and reassures her that "as long as I have you and you're happy that is enough for me."</p><p>These events unfold very differently in the book; even though Elizabeth has made her feelings about marriage clear, Calvin still tries to propose to her with a ring over lunch one day at Hastings.</p><p>He also has a hard time understanding why she's so opposed to not only marrying him but changing her last name to his and reveals that he has already added the name "Elizabeth Evans" to the deed of their home.</p>

The show's version of Calvin accepts that Elizabeth doesn't want to get married without question.

At the end of the second episode, Elizabeth lays out the reasons why she never wants to get married or become a mother: for her, it would mean giving up everything else.

Calvin thanks her for letting him know and reassures her that "as long as I have you and you're happy that is enough for me."

These events unfold very differently in the book; even though Elizabeth has made her feelings about marriage clear, Calvin still tries to propose to her with a ring over lunch one day at Hastings.

He also has a hard time understanding why she's so opposed to not only marrying him but changing her last name to his and reveals that he has already added the name "Elizabeth Evans" to the deed of their home.

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‘Her old laboratory will surely be a museum one day’: Katalin Karikó in 1989

Breaking Through: My Life in Science by Katalin Karikó review – real-life lessons in chemistry

This vivid account of the Hungarian biochemist who endured decades of derision before pioneering Pfizer’s Covid vaccine is a tribute to her tenacity and self-belief

I n May 2013, Katalin Karikó turned up for work at her laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania and found her belongings piled in the hallway. “There were my binders, my posters, my boxes of test tubes,” she recalls. Nearby a lab technician was shoving things into a trash bin. “My things!” Karikó realised.

Despite having worked at the tiny lab for years, the scientist – then in her 50s – was cast out, without notice, for failing to bring in “sufficient dollars per net square footage”. In short, she had not attracted enough grants to justify the meagre space she occupied.

“That lab is going to be a museum one day,” Karikó hissed at the manager who had ousted her. These were odd but prophetic words, as is made clear in this engrossing, touching tale of the tribulations of a scientist now recognised as one of the world’s greatest biochemists, a woman who helped create the vaccines that saved millions during the Covid-19 pandemic .

Karikó comes from a humble background in central Hungary, growing up in a single-roomed house that was heated in winter by a solitary stove and had no running water. Her father had to work as a labourer when he was dismissed from his job as a master butcher after falling foul of local Communist party officials.

It was a harsh life but a loving one, as Breaking Through reveals. Her family was close-knit and the state at least encouraged education. And Karikó was a worker. “I don’t consider myself especially smart, but what I lacked in natural ability, I could make up for in effort,” she says.

A vial of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine

She took summer science classes, became a biology student at Szeged University and eventually obtained a PhD there. Aged 22, she fell in love with Béla Francia, a trainee mechanic five years her junior. They married, and in 1982 Karikó gave birth to their daughter, Susan. Two years later they moved to the US with their entire savings – about £900 – that were sewn inside Susan’s teddy bear to avoid Hungary’s currency restrictions.

By this time, Karikó had become obsessed with messenger RNA (mRNA), the material responsible for translating our DNA into proteins, the molecules from which we are constructed. Crucially, mRNA is extremely difficult to work with because it is fragile and short-lived. But Karikó was convinced it could play a major role in medicine and constantly fought for it to be a research focus. Few colleagues agreed, dubbing her “the crazy mRNA lady”.

Such epithets were a minor headache, however. At Temple University, in Philadelphia, where she began her work in the US, her chief, Robert Suhadolnik – after initially being supportive – tried to have her deported because she had had the temerity to seek a post at another university.

Eventually she moved to the University of Pennsylvania. Again, things went well at first, but as she maintained her mRNA obsession, the university began criticising her failure to attract grants. She was demoted, refused tenure, had her pay cut and finally found her possessions dumped in a hallway.

Fortunately for Karikó – and the rest of the world – her obsession with mRNA was now shared by several other scientists and she was snapped up by the German company BioNTech to begin work on mRNA medicines.

The rest is scientific history. When Covid-19 struck, BioNTech and Karikó realised they were in a prime position to tackle the pandemic, and with the backing of the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, developed a vaccine that played a key role in helping to protect the planet against the worst vicissitudes of coronavirus.

How this success affected Karikó is explained in one of the most moving moments in Breaking Through . She returned to Penn to be given one of the first Covid shots to be administered in the US. Karikó was spotted in the crowd and she was hailed, as a vaccine inventor, with roars of approval. “My eyes grew misty,” she recalls.

This is a vividly written, absorbing memoir of a life filled with triumphs (including her daughter Susan’s own successes as an Olympic gold medal-winning rower) over near-constant adversity. The precise reasons for the continual undermining of her research and academic prestige are left open, though Breaking Through hints that science today suffers because it requires its practitioners to publish papers in numbers rather than merit and to seek grants for safe research, as opposed to risky but potentially groundbreaking work. Quantity not quality has become a career driver.

Ironically, the last laugh for Karikó is missing from Breaking Through . Along with Drew Weissman, she won the Nobel prize for physiology in October 2023 – too late for inclusion in her book. What those who thwarted her research must think about this final success can only be guessed. One thing is clear, however. Her old laboratory may not yet be a museum, but it surely will be one day.

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COMMENTS

  1. Book Review: "Lessons in Chemistry," by Bonnie Garmus

    100 Notable Books Advertisement Group Text She Moved From the Chem Lab to the Kitchen, but Not by Choice In Bonnie Garmus's debut novel, "Lessons in Chemistry," a woman who has been banished...

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    Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus 4.30 1,145,798 ratings103,652 reviews Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2022), Winner for Best Debut Novel (2022) Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780385547345.. Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman.

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    Lessons in Chemistry, by former copywriter Bonnie Garmus, is that rare beast; a polished, funny, thought-provoking story, wearing its research lightly but confidently, and with sentences so...

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    Review by Karen Heller April 5, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT (Doubleday; Serena Bolton) Like Laura Ingalls Wilder and Judith Krantz, Bonnie Garmus is a latecomer to the literary scene. This week she...

  6. LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY

    New York Times Bestseller IndieBound Bestseller Two chemists with major chemistry, a dog with a big vocabulary, and a popular cooking show are among the elements of this unusual compound. At the dawn of the 1960s, Elizabeth Zott finds herself in an unexpected position.

  7. Book Review: 'Lessons in Chemistry' by Bonnie Garmus

    Fortunately that wasn't the case for Bonnie Garmus' incredibly buzzy 2022 novel, Lessons in Chemistry (which Apple recently adapted into a series starring Brie Larson, FYI) — I finally got around to reading it this month and was in love with the book by the end of the first chapter. Garmus' writing has such style, which is mainly what sucked me in.

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  9. Book review of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

    Read our starred review of the audiobook edition of 'Lessons in Chemistry.' When the life that Elizabeth has painstakingly forged goes heartbreakingly off-kilter, Lessons in Chemistry becomes a witty and sharp dramedy about resilience and found families. Elizabeth takes a job as the host of a cooking show that's steeped in science, and ...

  10. Review of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

    A charming, funny debut novel about a chemist turned cooking show host. Bonnie Garmus's debut, Lessons in Chemistry, introduces readers to an exceptional woman struggling to succeed in a male-dominated field. When we first meet 30-year-old Elizabeth Zott, the year is 1961, and we quickly learn she's the single mother of a precocious child and the unlikely star of a wildly popular weekday ...

  11. Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel

    243,762 total ratings, 7,867 with reviews From the United States Jennifer An enjoyable read showcasing a woman in STEM in the early 1960s Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023 Verified Purchase Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Historical Fiction

  12. Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

    A book club pick by GMA, Lessons in Chemistry is a novel about a one-of-a-kind scientist who becomes a TV cooking show host and teaches her audience life lessons. The reviewer praises the protagonist, the writing, and the ending, but criticizes the cover and the length of the story.

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    Book Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus tells the story of one woman's journey pursuing her dreams in 1960s America, when society severely limiting the roles available to women. Published in 2022, this debut novel instantly became a sensation for its vivid characters, gripping plot, and ...

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    Book Review: 'Lessons in Chemistry' by Bonnie Garmus This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 so I was delighted to be granted a review copy - thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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    Bonnie Garmus' debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, has become one of those books you see everywhere: in the hands of subway passengers and waiting room idlers, on the nightstands of book...

  16. Lessons in Chemistry Is a Shallow Portrait of Genius: Review

    7 minute read Brie Larson in Lessons in Chemistry Apple TV+ By Judy Berman October 13, 2023 7:00 AM EDT E lizabeth Zott is not like other girls. In fact, maybe don't call her a girl. The...

  17. Lessons in Chemistry (novel)

    Lessons in Chemistry is a novel by Bonnie Garmus.Published by Doubleday in April 2022, the novel is Garmus's debut novel. It tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, who becomes a beloved cooking show host in 1960s Southern California after being fired as a chemist four years earlier. The book was adapted into an Apple TV+ miniseries that debuted on 13 October 2023.

  18. Book Marks reviews of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

    Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus Buy Now Indiebound Publisher Doubleday Date April 5, 2022 Fiction Literary Set in 1960s California, this debut is the story of a female scientist whose career is constantly derailed by the idea that a woman's place is in the home, only to find herself starring as the host of America's most beloved TV cooking show.

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    About Lessons in Chemistry #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • Meet Elizabeth Zott: "a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention" (The Washington Post) in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.• STREAM ON APPLE TV+ This novel is "irresistible, satisfying and ...

  21. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus- Book Review

    And the book I started after this ( An Affair of Spies) has a female chemist main character as well. Lessons in Chemistry takes place in the 50s and 60s— a time when women in the workplace did not have equality. It's definitely a different feel of a book than Love, Theoretically.

  22. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

    Lessons in Chemistry. by Bonnie Garmus. Publication Date: April 5, 2022. Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor. Hardcover: 400 pages. Publisher: Doubleday. ISBN-10: 038554734X. ISBN-13: 9780385547345. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.

  23. 8 major changes 'Lessons in Chemistry' has made from the ...

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  24. Book Review: 'Lessons in Chemistry' by Bonnie Garmus

    Book Review "Lessons in Chemistry," Bonnie Garmus' fascinating novel, begins on a riveting journey that challenges conventional expectations and honors the power of women's voices.Elizabeth Zott, a bright scientist whose career takes an unexpected turn when she becomes pregnant, is at the core of the plot.

  25. Diane Klajbor's review of Lessons in Chemistry

    4/5: Let me start by saying that I did like this book and thought it was well written. But it wasn't what I had expected. The blurbs on the dust cover and summary said it was funny, quirky and hilarious. I found it to be sad, depressing and the main character Elizabeth could be very annoying. Her work as a chemist was not valued or respected. Most men either ignored her or tried to control her ...

  26. Breaking Through: My Life in Science by Katalin Karikó review

    A vial of Pfizer's Covid vaccine. Photograph: Rogelio V Solis/AP. She took summer science classes, became a biology student at Szeged University and eventually obtained a PhD there.

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