Lessons in Chemistry

A Novel

By: Bonnie Garmus

Narrated by: Miranda Raison, Bonnie Garmus, Pandora Sykes

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 GLOBAL BESTSELLER WITH MORE THAN 6 MILLION COPIES SOLD • 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.

©2022 Bonnie Garmus (P)2022 Random House Audio

A would that I had lived my life more like this.

A delight to listen to. I am 82 and cannot go back and relive my ml life but if I could, this novel would be a guide. Delicious, and thought provoming. was smart enough to reach HS chemistry but not BOLD enough to teach even higher.

Loved this book

I recommend this book to all women who love a good seriously themed but lightly told story, whoever were required to neglect any part of themselves to have a place in our patriarchal society. Empowering, truthful, entertaining and warm. And to men brave enough to weigh their own complicity in the not so subtle lowering or diminishing of the intellectual power of the full half or more of our species' potential.

Incredible story and well written!

I am so happy that I read this book it is such a unique story and so wonderfully written. I am very thankful that I was lucky enough to read this book. I highly recommend it to anyone!

Loved

Very good read. Loved the characters and story line. Learned about rowing which was interesting.

Engaging from start to finish.

I nearly failed chemistry. but this book had me riveted from the start. Elizabeth Zott is a great character!

A must

An excellent book that makes us take consience of the social changes that slowly had happened in society. Even i got mad a lot of the time, because of the terrible people that encounter our main characters, you know they exist to this day. It’s a book about hope, dreams and doing your best to leave the world a better place

Ditch the last few chapters

Overall, this was ok and might have been pretty darn good if the author hadn’t tried to build more into the backstory than necessary. The adoption angle was distracting and totally unnecessary.

Not what I expected

Such a good book, but not at all what I expected. It was a bit slow to develop and follow along at first, but it drew me in. Great characters and message.

Must read

I loved the the storyline I would recommend this to my daughter, all women actually. Uplifting, encouraging,

Fantastic

Finished in record time. Couldn’t stop listening. Would highly recommend if you like strong female characters in your stories.