A great read, really gave you a sense of place.
Loved the dog - six thirty was a brilliant character.

Reading on my Kindle, at just 9% of the way through, I already decided I didn’t want this story to end. And what a story!

Elizabeth Zott, an extremely clever, gifted chemist, is determinedly pursuing a career in science, despite her difficult upbringing with nightmare parents, and despite encountering the uncompromising sexism of the 1950s and 1960s. I was rooting for her every step of the way as she fought to have her work taken seriously and acknowledged. I was frustrated and infuriated at the obstacles and injustices she faced, rejoiced when she found her soulmate in Calvin Evans, cheered her on when she found success in an unexpected (and unwanted) career in TV, cleverly using her airtime to encourage her audience to appreciate the significance of what they do, recognise their own worth and dare to strive for their dreams. I feared for her when once again she faced spiteful opposition, and admired her unwavering steadfastness and commitment to what she felt/knew was right, come what may.

We know from the beginning that Elizabeth is a single mother of a young daughter, Mad (Madeline); we just have to bide our time a little until we discover the circumstances which brought this about. As we might expect from her character, her style of parenting is unique; I particularly loved the little notes she left in Mad’s lunchbox.

Elizabeth is a very serious-minded person, and there is much to be serious about in her story, but it is told with a seam of humour running right through. The account of how Mad gets her name is just gorgeous!

Although the book is written in the third person, the characters’ own voices are expressed in such a way that it feels like first person writing – we’re right there inside their minds. I especially loved how the dog’s viewpoint is given in just the same way as the humans’.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Elizabeth and will definitely keep an eye out for more books by Bonnie Garmus.

In 'Lessons in Chemistry' Bonnie Garmus takes us to 1960’s America as we join the staff at Hastings Research Institute. We meet Elizabeth Zott and learn of the strife and resilience of women in the workplace as she forges ahead with her scientific ambitions despite the best efforts of some (though not all) to thwart them. Offering insights into chemistry and social history, Lessons in Chemistry is by turns comic and tragic. The cast of characters is quirky and the plot well rounded and satisfying. This is an ultimately uplifting read and I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

Elizabeth Zott is a single mother in 1960's America. By accident she becomes the host of a daytime cookery show. Using her background knowledge as a chemist as part of her cookery demonstrations, Elizabeth offers a wake-up call to thousands of under appreciated housewives.

Elizabeth Zott is a wonderful character; beautiful, intelligent, outspoken and refuses to conform to societal norms. Unfortunately Elizabeth lives in 1950's/1960's America where the role of women is to run the home. Throughout the novel Zott refuses to conform to cultural stereotypes and despite repeated set-backs she is determined to succeed.

The novel deals with a number of difficult topics, women's role in society, homosexuality, unmarried mothers, sexual harassment and domestic violence to name a few. At times you are screaming because of the way in which society dealt with those issues at the time and then you are questioning how far we've actually progressed in 60 years.

We meet a wide range of characters, some who enhance Elizabeth's life and some who relish the chance to undermine her. In most cases karma is waiting in the wings to deal with each character as they deserve. The way that the characters are introduced over time and then revisited, along with the quirkiness of having asides from a dog, is reminiscent of early John Irving.

Although the story is set in 1950's and 1960's it offers a very modern message, we need more "people who refuse to accept the status quo, who aren't afraid to take on the unacceptable". I predict this book will be a massive hit and it doesn't surprise me that it's been picked up by Apple TV to become a series.

Wow, what a fabulous book! I loved every word.
It’s fabulously quirky and unique and the characters are intriguing.
I had a huge emotional attachment to this book which is very rare. I laughed, sobbed and just loved it.
It’s one that I’ll recommend many times over and a book I’ll definitely come back to again. It will stay with me for a long time and although only January, I know it will be one of my favourite reads this year.

I really enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry.
Set in the 1950’s when a woman’s place was in the kitchen not the science lab!
But not Elizabeth Zott.
She’s developing theories in a chemistry lab even converting her kitchen into a lab at home and taking on rowing as a hobby (with a men’s team no less).
As you can expect, her genius isn’t appreciated by those (men and unfortunately women) around her who don’t like being upstaged.
Who does she think she is?
At times, Lessons in Chemistry reminded me of Mad Men – the misogyny, sexism and attitudes towards women.
Despite the very serious themes (sexual abuse, death, sexism, misogyny) there’s many light-hearted and funny moments.

Lessons in Chemistry is about much more than a love story, there’s heartbreak and humour, determination and friendship to name but a few.
Our main character is a woman with a huge passion for science who feels that she shouldn’t have to suffer missed opportunities because she’s female.
I absolutely loved Elizabeth’s dedication and absorption into her profession as a chemist. It was such a pleasure to be drawn into her unique views and sureness of direction.
She suffers many hardships and knockbacks but keeps getting back on her feet and setting an example for her daughter.
I wish I could watch her TV show it sounded brilliant!
The relationship that she builds with her neighbour and her producer despite her best efforts not to in the first instance is really quite wonderful.
I also really loved Six-Thirty and getting his perspective on things – what a clever dog!
If confident, supremely intelligent women protagonists interest you as they do me, then I would absolutely encourage you to read this.

Okay I'm not a fan of historical books, but the fact this was about a single woman in the 60 that ended up being the star of a cooking schow thta incorporated chemistry, I was all for it! I really loved this book, there aren't enough words to describe of praise this amazing woman who began a revolution with a cooking show.

What a brilliant novel. I couldn't stop reading it, resulting in some late starts, long lunches and late nights. The concept is so simple, but the characters are drawn so well and the core of it so heartbreaking there's no stopping till you reach the end.
I say the concept is simple, and when you break it down, it is, but Gamus takes every opportunity to add a twist, to throw in moments of shock, even of horror, and of dark humour that it's like watching a tapestry come together; following the threads and watching them slowly twist together to make a complete whole.
This is one to share with friends, they will thank you for it.

There is so much to say about this book, there's so much going on. Dark and brilliantly funny. Insightful and full of situation comedy. I've chosen to include it in my newspaper column so more to come.

Elizabeth Zott is not your typical protagonist, but this didn’t stop me from becoming caught up in the story. I felt a whole range of emotions whilst reading this – happiness, sadness, anger and hope. Most of all it made me feel grateful that I live in the 21st century and not the 1960’s. It captured the feel of the time for when the world was a very different place for women, though particularly in the workplace. It reminded me that whilst things are still not perfect and that gender equality still exists, it’s a far cry from how it was back then.
The characters are interesting, if not always likeable. Although that is part of what made it feel plausible, as people aren’t likeable all the time. It explores a whole variety of relationships – romantic, family, friendship and workplace.
The author had a style of writing that drew me in from the beginning, fabulous!

Meet Elizabeth Zott, my new favourite female character. Set in California in the 1960s, 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 is Bonnie Garmus’s debut novel and Elizabeth Zott is the undisputed star of the show. ⁣
⁣Elizabeth is a brilliant chemist. She works in the Hastings Institute where she is undervalued as a scientist and expected to make coffee and do the filing. The serious work of science is left to the men. It’s here she meets Calvin Evans, a Nobel Prize nominee, an introvert, a grudge holder and talented rower. Their worlds literally collide. ⁣
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Through a combination of events, after losing her job, Elizabeth starts hosting a cookery-cum-chemistry tv show called 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘵 𝘚𝘪𝘹, where Elizabeth dishes up practical life advice to her female audience, as well as ideas for dinner. It is a huge success. Elizabeth (“𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯”) tells her audience that when women understand chemistry, they begin to understand how things work and how imbalanced society is. She encourages women to recommit to changing their lives and to challenge the status quo. ⁣
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This was a joyful, funny, clever, inspiring novel and I devoured it. It’s a perfect depiction of the blatant discrimination and sexism that women faced in the 1960s. Women were un-represented in science⁣ and their research work was often misappropriated by male colleagues. The novel is full of engaging characters, such as Madeline, her precocious daughter who could read William Faulkner at 5 and a fabulous dog called Six Thirty, who understood 981 words and whom I adored. ⁣
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I adored the original, witty style of writing and Elizabeth in particular. I loved her quirky character and her no-nonsense approach to dealing with the men and obstacles in her life. I loved how she took on the patriarchy and challenged the social norms of the time. Treat yourself, read this book & then come back & share the love! A fantastic debut. ⁣
All the stars 5⭐️⁣
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With thanks to @netgalley & @penguinrandomhouse for the ARC in return for my review.

The description and title of this book do not really do it justice. I will keep this short and simple. You just HAVE to read this book – it’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry, and when you get to the end you will be so disappointed that it’s finished. Absolutely first class. What a truly brilliant author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this unbelievably wonderful story.

Elizabeth Zott has struggled against sexism all her life, she is a brilliant chemist but everyone from her college lecturers to her colleagues at Hastings Research Institute seem to think she's more interested in snagging a husband than cutting-edge chemistry research. As the only woman in the team she is expected to make the coffees, bring equipment to the male scientists and clear up after them, despite being more intelligent and having more insightful research. The only exception is the equally gifted enfant terrible Calvin Evans, Hastings' Noble prize winning chemist, all the other chemists hate him but the two of them fall in love.

Fast forward a few years and Elizabeth is a single mother to an equally gifted daughter, unable to get a job as a research chemist at Hastings, she has somehow been offered a job presenting a daytime cookery show for housewives, but Elizabeth refuses to kowtow to the network's sexist ideas about how she should look, how the set should look, or even what she should say. She's teaching cookery as chemistry.

See that describes the book, and yet it doesn't. There's a whole tragic, almost French farce surrounding Calvin's past which the reader guesses at, but could have changed his whole life if things had gone differently. The style sort of reminded of The World According to Garp, maybe it's just because I rarely read a book written entirely from the view of a third party narrator, but it also had that slightly surreal element to it, especially when we hear Elizabeth's dog's thoughts.

Kooky and quirky don't really hit the mark. I wouldn't say it was loud-out-loud funny, more mildly amusing with a dark underbelly. All of the main characters have something terrible happen(ing) in their lives. Most of the ancillary male characters are just plain awful, and the women aren't much better.

It was slow to start and the unemotional delivery took some getting used to, yet, by the end, I really enjoyed it. Very different.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a quirky book but one that I took to immediately. Elizabeth Zott is a feminist from the word go and in 1960's male dominated society she is a force to be reckoned with. All her life issues are solved logically with her chemist roots at its heart. I have already recommended it to my book group.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the advance copy.

This is such an engaging and wonderful read. Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist, but this is the 1960s and she’s expected to assist in the lab, helping the men until she becomes a wife and homemaker. She refuses to consider those possibilities and encounters sexism and misogyny in her struggle to have her work taken seriously. She meets her match in Calvin Evans, a scientist who works in her department. Despite being in love, she continues to flout societal expectations, refusing to take a back seat to any man.
With her dog, Six-thirty, and her daughter, Mad, and neighbour, Harriet, our heroine confronts sexism, misogyny, and grief and starts a new career as a presenter of a TV cookery show, bringing chemistry to food preparation and enthusing a whole generation of women with a love of science.
This book is funny, moving and unputdownable. I loved it.

Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist, but it's the 1960s and she's constantly under-estimated. Women in chemistry departments are there to be secretaries, to be patronised, hit on and dismissed as unworthy - or grateful to be noticed at all. Then Calvin Evans notices her after she helps herself to beakers in his lab, and they're a brilliant match. It's not a romance though, it's a story of a brilliant woman over-coming sexism and other issues to be herself, and it's also very funny.

Elizabeth ends up a single mother with a TV cooking show - except she's not just talking about food. She's talking about chemistry and the opportunities women have, encouraging them to take time for themselves (shout out for Marjorie, off to pre-med school), to think in different ways. And she's gone from a lone woman with no friends, to having a support network, including the dog, Six-Thirty - who may be one of my favourite characters. Elizabeth's daughter Mad is a great character as well, the product of two brilliant parents who helps to bring about the ending. The ending did feel a little too neat, but the book was a joy to read.

Wonderfully quirky. Took me back in time with a love story set back in the days when women were definitely second class citizens. Elizabeth Zott is a great character but Mad and Six-Thirty stole my heart! Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, the only disappointment was when I finished the last page.

Just wow - where do I even start to explain how good this book is?

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist and an unmarried mother living in the 1960’s.

When she loses her job and becomes a reluctant television star by accident, she shares her feminist views with her audience of housewives. Honest and straight talking, funny without even realising it - what an amazing character Bonnie Garmus has created. I laughed and cried in equal measures as she brought Elizabeth to life with words.

I absolutely loved this book, as it explored the sexist and racist attitudes of the times and how Elizabeth tried to change people’s perceptions and outlook through her programme ‘Supper at Six’.

The author also introduces us to a cast of fabulous characters, including her lover Calvin, neighbour Harriet, her daughter Mad, her producer Walter Pine and her highly intelligent dog, Six-Thirty.

This is definitely going to be a best seller and I’ve already recommended it to many.

With many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant concept lies at the heart of this book and the best scenes by far are when Elizabeth is recording her cooking/chemistry show. I loved the characters and thought the tone was light and fun throughout. It does take quite a while to get into as too much attention is given to the rather melodramatic backstory but overall it’s an enjoyable read.

Protagonist Elizabeth Zott is straight-talking and determined to tell the truth at any cost. She fights to educate her ‘Supper at Six’ viewers, not only in cooking and chemistry, but also in life; empowering them to look at society around them, identify inequality, and demand change. Her allies come in the forms of men and women, adults and children, and even Six-Thirty her dog. She constantly battles adversity throughout the book to make an impact against a misogynistic society and does not hold back when challenged. The book is written in a very matter-of-fact style, which is enriched by the quirkiness and vulnerability of its characters. Lessons in Chemistry is a heart-warming Feminist tale full of hope.