Women’s Fiction published by Doubleday 5 Apr 22
As a scientist, I bought this book right when it came out, and then it sat on my cart for ages because I’m a fantasy girl through and through. A little mad at myself for not reading it sooner, because this book is phenomenal!
Elizabeth Zott is everything and I love her character so damn much. She is a powerhouse and I want to be her. While there are other lovable characters, the true star is Six Thirty, dog extraordinaire. Getting his POV is a delight.
There are many times I found myself incredibly frustrated because of the hardships (to put it mildly) Elizabeth faced as a female scientist in the 50s and 60s. But for every bit of anger, there are twice as many lighthearted moments that had me grinning and laughing. Okay, one of the moments that had me howling is not lighthearted at all, but he totally gets what he deserves. 😬 I highly recommend this book!
“Scientists expect mistakes and, because of it, we embrace failure.”
Grade: A
Summary:
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.
Read an excerpt. (Scroll down to description.)
