Lessons in Chemistry

Owning who you are.

I was excited to start reading “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus in early 2023. But I happened to pick it up immediately after finishing “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin, which I loved so much — a top ten of all-time for me for sure. I was so completely in the world Zevin created that when I first dove into “Lessons in Chemistry,” I found the voice and everything about it slightly jarring, and I had to put it down.

A few weeks later, I got into the rhythm of it, like many, many others. The novel was published in April 2022 and as of today it’s still available in Hardcover only (I had snagged a copy of the high-end Canadian paperback version over the Christmas holiday). And I couldn’t put it down.

If you’ve not yet read “Lesson in Chemistry,” it’s set in the 1960s and tells the story of Elizabeth Zott. She’s a brilliant chemist who holds a research position at the Hastings Research Institute, surrounded by an all-male team of scientists. The only other women working at Hastings are in the secretarial pool and Human Resources. Her research is focused on physical chemistry, with a particular emphasis on chemical reactions and the study of molecular structures. Her work puts everyone, including her boss, on notice. And, as you can imagine, she faces some pushback when she has a breakthrough idea she’s passionate about and wants to pursue.

Without giving too much away, Elizabeth leaves the prestigious lab position and becomes the reluctant host of a cooking show called "Supper at Six." Her approach to cooking is, well, technical. She transforms the cooking program into a platform for preparing dinner and much more. She teaches her audience about recipes and, inadvertently, about chemistry and empowerment. And yes, eating well.

Oh, and there’s a thinking and talking dog. Elizabeth comes across the stray rummaging around her trash bins and keeps him. She names him Six-Thirty because that’s when he showed up at her doorstep.

Apple TV released an 8-part series based on the book in October 2023. And yes, I watched that too. Brie Larson nailed Elizabeth Zott.