Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus

I had this book on our list since 2022, but it's popularity made it difficult to get from the library, so we had to postpone until 2023. But are we ever glad that we read it! If you haven't read it yet and don't want to read the spoilers, make sure you jump to the bottom for our ratings and then read this book!

Lessons in Chemistry takes place in the 1950's and 1960's when women were expected to get married and have babies. They were not expected to get educated beyond going to college to meet a husband. They were not expected or encouraged to have a career. And they certainly weren't expected to have a child out of wedlock. The horror!

Elizabeth Zott did all those things and did not care what anyone else thought. Elizabeth was a chemist. She had a masters in chemistry and had planned to get her PhD, but her advisor instead decided to rape her. She stabbed him with a pencil and when she refused to apologize beyond saying she was sorry she didn't have more pencils, she was not accepted into the PhD program. But she didn't let that stop her. She got a job at Hastings Research Institute where she put up with her stupid male colleagues who continued to be promoted ahead of her because a woman could never be smart enough to be a chemist right?

While at Hastings Elizabeth met Calvin Evans. Calvin was a famous chemist and known to be eccentric and hold grudges. Surprisingly he didn't hold one against Elizabeth when she helped herself to his beakers or when her male supervisor made her return them. When they met again in a movie theatre, they hit it off, even though Calvin threw up on her.

Calvin and Elizabeth had an unusual relationship, but one built on mutual respect. While Calvin wanted to get married, he respected that Elizabeth would never agree to it. So instead of getting married, they got a dog, which they named Six-Thirty. Calvin also wanted to help Elizabeth get ahead in her research so insisted on her getting funding without telling her because Elizabeth was determined to do things on her own. Calvin even introduced her to rowing, one of his favourite pastimes. But sadly, their relationship didn't last. Calvin died after he insisted on running outside instead of inside in ballet slippers like every other man in the 50's, tripped on Six-Thirty's leash (Elizabeth insisted they use a leash after a new town bylaw was passed) and hit his head on the pavement before being run over by a poorly maintained police car.

Soon after Calvin's death, Elizabeth found out she was pregnant. She had never wanted to be a mother, but this was the 50's and there was little she could do about it. So after grieving for Calvin, and then losing her job because she was pregnant, she built herself a lab in her home and prepared virtually nothing for the baby. Mad (short for Madeline) was born and luckily Elizabeth's neighbour Harriet soon steps in to help, another miracle because single mothers were frowned upon. Elizabeth manages to make some money by working as a freelance chemist, helping her stupid former male colleagues. She even enrolls Mad in school a year early so she can try to find some work, even going so far as to go back to Hastings as a lab tech.

Soon after Mad starts kindergarten, Elizabeth learns she is giving her lunch to another girl. Elizabeth tries calling the girl's father Walter Pine, but eventually has to go to his office at a production studio. She berates him for not giving his daughter a healthy lunch, but all he sees is a potential tv star. Soon after, he offers Elizabeth a job hosting a cooking show. Elizabeth agrees because she needs the money and Supper at Six is born. On the first day of shooting, Elizabeth makes Walter regret his decision. And she continues doing so everyday. Elizabeth insists on teaching the chemistry of cooking, she wears pants, she refuses to follow the script, she basically does nothing Walter asks of her. And she is a huge success. Though don't tell that to Walter's boss, who ignores the ratings and the letters from fans. He later has a heart attack after a meeting with Elizabeth, which works out great for everyone else. Walter is promoted, Elizabeth's show is broadcast across the country, and secretaries rejoice that their abusive boss is gone.

It is around this time that Elizabeth begins to miss chemistry. She decides to end the show and hopes that her fame would result in offers from research labs. But this is the early 60's and she's still a woman trying to have a career. This is where we see a bit of a twist. Throughout the book there were hints that Calvin's long lost father was helping out in the background. And we finally get the answer at the end of the book.

I think I included enough spoilers above, so I'll leave that mystery for you.

Before I get to our ratings, I need to include some honourable mentions of our favourite characters that I neglected to include above:

• Six-Thirty - the dog had a voice throughout the book and was surprisingly insightful

• Dr. Wilson - he rowed with Elizabeth, delivered her baby, and became a wonderful friend. What endeared him most to me was when he stopped by after Mad was born and folded laundry, washed dishes, and tidied while giving Elizabeth a pep talk and encouraging her to return to rowing.

• Miss Frask - an enemy at the start of the book, she was jealous of Elizabeth and helped to get her fired, but later became an important ally and almost a friend.

This book also had a lot of quotable moments, my favourite coming from Harriet:

"Like so many undesirable men, Mr. Sloane truly believed other women found him attractive. Harriet had no idea where that specific brand of self-confidence came from. Because while stupid people may not know they're stupid because they're stupid, surely unattractive people must know they're unattractive because of mirrors."

Both Jen and I loved this book and we hope you do too!

Until next time, have a drink, read a book, and be happy!