Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant scientist battling deeply ingrained gender-based discrimination and societal expectations of the 1950s. Her journey highlights the harsh reality of what it meant, and still means, to be a woman in a world that often underestimates us. While the story is set decades ago, the themes it tackles remain incredibly relevant today.
I’ve always loved reading about empowered women, and Elizabeth quickly became one of my favorites. Her intellect, perseverance, and tenacity are deeply inspiring. Through her, the novel affirms that we can be exactly who we want to be — whether that means breaking boundaries in science, leading in business, speaking out in media, or dedicating ourselves to the essential and often undervalued work of homemaking. Every role is important. Our efforts matter. We matter.
This book is written in a clever and witty manner, which made reading it incredibly enjoyable. Bonnie Garmus uses sharp, intelligent humor to carry readers through even the most emotional and difficult moments. That emotional balance made the experience both powerful and unexpectedly light. I was especially impressed by how the stories of the secondary characters were woven into the main character’s life. The ending, while bittersweet, left me with a sense of fulfillment and appreciation for Elizabeth’s journey, one that was as inspiring as it was moving.
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.