Bonnie GarmusBesprekingen

Loved!

So many people claimed that Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus ranked as an exceptional novel. Yes, the book provides questions and answers concerning females in the workforce, but the abundance of chemistry terms in the book repelled me. The story centers on Elizabeth Zott and her quest to promote her skills in chemistry, but her male co-workers and boss all take credit for Elizabeth accomplishments. Then, a glimmer of hope at the end of the rainbow, as Elizabeth becomes a renown television cooking hostess utilizing her chemistry skills. Supporting characters, such as Harriet Sloane, Six-Thirty, Wakely, and Calvin Evans ease the story in support of quirky Elizabeth. And last, but not least, shines the highly intelligent Madeline, the daughter of Elizabeth. A story filled with hope, but, again, too much chemistry.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS -PRINT: © April 5, 2022; 978-0385547345; Doubleday; First Edition; 400 pages; Unabridged (Information for Hardback from Amazon)
-DIGITAL: © April 5, 2022; 038554734X; Doubleday; 394 pages; Unabridged (Kindle information from Amazon)
- *Audio: © 5 April 2022 Random House Audio / Books on Tape; 12 hours (approx..); unabridged (Audiobook information from the version on the Libby App.)
-FILM: Available on Apple TV, starring Brie Larson; Lewis Pullman; Stephanie Koenig; Patrick Walker

CHARACTERS: (not comprehensive- spellings could be wrong since I'm hearing the names, not reading them. Brief description from character’s first entry into story.)
Elizabeth Zott – Protagonist – Chemist at Hastings
Calvin Evans – Chemist at Hastings
Madeline (Mad) Zott – Daughter of Elizabeth
Harriet Sloan – Neighbor of Elizabeth
Six-Thirty – Dog that follows Elizabeth home
Fran Frask – Hasting’s employee
Mr. Wakely – Calvan’s pen-pal
Walter Pine – TV Producer
Mr. Wilson – All Saint’s Orphanage donator
Doctor Mason – Obstetrician, rowing mate
Avery Parker – All Saint’s Orphanage Donator
Mr. Denadie (sp?) – Elizabeth and Evan’s Supervisor at Hastings

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
-SELECTED: This popped up in a Libby advertisement as having been produced for film by Apple TV. I’d seen the book at various used book sales, and decided maybe it would be good, even though neither chemistry nor cooking, nor homemaking themes much interest me.
-ABOUT: A young independent woman, Elizabeth, in the 1950’s and 60’s, when independence was still not welcome as a feminine trait. Her efforts to be a chemist are continually thwarted, to the point where she ends up taking the offer she’s received through connections involving her daughter, to host a cooking show, with an emphasis on chemistry. The producers prefer to emphasize her sex-appeal, so while the offer suggested she could employ her knowledge of chemistry, there were strong objections to her methods, so there’s conflict. But the real story goes much deeper. It involves a unique man, a unique dog, and so much more.
-OVERALL IMPRESSION: Very touching Very engaging = Loved it! Plus, although the author, Bonnie, tells an interviewer, Pandora, at the end that she knew little about chemistry upon starting this book, the story inspires an interest in chemistry.

AUTHOR: Bonnie Garmus. From Amazon:
“Bonnie Jean Garmus (born April 18, 1957 in Riverside, California) is an American author and former copywriter.

Garmus is from Seattle.[1] She has worked as a copywriter and creative director in the US, and has lived in Switzerland and Colombia.[1]

In April 2022, her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, was published.[2] The Guardian noted its "polished, funny, thought-provoking story ... it's hard to believe it's a debut".[2] The New York Times commented on its "entertaining subplots and witty dialogue".[3] Olimpia Mamula Steiner, a professor of chemistry, praised the book profusely:

Once you start it will be difficult to put down, as soon as you finish a chapter you immediately want to read the next one, it's almost addictive.[4]

As of January 2022, Lessons in Chemistry had been sold into 35 territories and has a television adaptation in production at Apple TV starring Brie Larson.[5] Éditions Robert Laffont published in May 2022 a French translation under the title La Brillante destinée d'Elizabeth Zott.[6] The book was shortlisted for the 2023 RSL Christopher Bland Prize.[7]

Garmus is married, with two daughters, and lives in London.[1] She enjoys open water swimming and has rowed competitively.[1]”

--Oh look! In Wikipedia, there’s a picture of her with a greyhound dog! Now I like her even more.

I am slightly conflicted over Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. There were some aspects of the book that I loved, while there were others that I definitely didn’t. This debut novel tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, who becomes a celebrated cooking show host in 1960s Southern California. Although she considers herself to be a scientist who specializes in chemistry, the world at that time liked to place women in the role of housewives and mothers.

I had some difficulty warming to Elizabeth as I found her to be too obtuse and stubborn in how she presented herself and perhaps too exceptional to be relatable. In her constant bid to use the power of science to bring about changes she had the tendency to plow over everyone. The story became quite repetitive and I was constantly hoping to see the discrimination and sexual abuse addressed a little more seriously than it was.

On the other hand, Lessons in Chemistry is very witty and intelligent. It paints an interesting picture of the early days of affirmative action when societal norms desperately needed an overhaul. The author also wisely supplies some very endearing secondary characters like Calvin, Harriet, Madeline and especially the lovable dog, Six-Thirty. So mixed reaction but overall an absorbing and interesting read.

Lessons in Chemistry is a timely lesson in dealing with the indignation of injustice. Through Elizabeth’s eccentric story—where half the time you’re incensed on her behalf as a female scientist in the 1950s and ‘60s and the other half you’re laughing at the dark, deadpan humor—we learn how to deal with broken systems without becoming broken victims. It’s really a beautiful, zany story about life: challenge and change and courage and chemistry.

This book is everything. Reading it felt like an amalgamation of watching a Wes Anderson film and reading Fredrik Backman’s “Anxious People,” while also being completely original and organic. I laughed; I cried; I felt a gamut of emotions: caustic ire, sorrow, protectiveness, joy, hope. It’s all here—all the properties needed for the best kind of chemical reaction: a perfect read.

Here’s just a sampling of what I loved:

Read on audio. A very popular book that was getting all the buzz in the last year, as well as a series on Apple. Set in the late 50's, Elizabeth Zott is a highly intelligent woman, who has to deal with the misogyny of the times. She's expelled from a doctoral program because she was a victim of assault by her advisor, she gets a lab tech job, but when her famous chemist boyfriend passes away, she's fired as being because she's going to be an unwed mother. Through circumstances she becomes a famous host of a cooking show, despite all the push backs of her male superiors. And in the end, because it makes perfect sense 😁, she leaves her cooking show to go back triumphantly to her life as a research chemist and all is figuratively right with the world. A very good read.

Read

This is an historical fiction set in the 1950s and 1960s by American author Bonnie Garmus. It is a quirky feminist story featuring scientist Elizabeth Zott who despite her brilliance struggles to make her way in a man’s world. I enjoyed the geeky romance with fellow scientist Calvin Evans and then the parts narrated by their adorable and worldly-wise dog Six-thirty. When her career in science is sabotaged by creepy misogynist bosses, Elizabeth is forced to accept a job as a television cooking show host. The only problem is she and the producers have vastly different ideas about what that entails. The show had envisioned a feminine cooking hour catering to their idea of stereotypical 1950s housewives. Elizabeth Zott sees it very differently. She is a scientist; to her cooking is merely chemistry and she sees no reason at all that housewives would not wish to further their knowledge of science. It turns out she is right and the show is a runaway success despite the power-plays and attempts at control by the patriarchy.

This was a light enjoyable read for me. There were moments of humour, there were also a few scenes dealing with sexual assault, in keeping with the theme of feminism and misogyny. Her daughter seemed unrealistically old for her age and things ended very neatly, but this was an entertaining story and the audio narration by Miranda Raison was well done. 4stars

This was the recommended book for our book club. I read it in a couple of days and more than once wanted to throw it across the room. Be warned there is an assault at the beginning of the book and I almost stopped reading right then but I knew it set the tone for the ugliness Elizabeth encountered and how it formed her personality. Thankfully there are some funny scenes right afterwards. Some of it made me angry about how many woman were treated in the 1950's and 1960's when it came to forging their own path in the fields that were dominated by men. Notice I didn’t say all women, because my mother as a single mother raising 2 children became the top sales person in an all male business. But I’m not minimizing the fight for equality; it is real and still ongoing. I did like the bizarreness of Elizabeth Zott, the way she was singularly focused. Loved the dog, the child and was fascinated by Calvin and his mysterious childhood. I didn’t like the underlying theme of all religious are the bad guys or are misguided in their beliefs. I’ll have to wait to see what the book club thought, because that should be a interesting discussion.

Captivating and witty writing as well as likeable (and un-likeable) characters kept me from putting the book down. Great resolution of those hanging questions at the end. Cannot wait to see the miniseries' version.

"Whenever you feel afraid just remember-Courage is the root of change."
I am clearly an outlier...but I continually asked myself "why is this popular?"
What I disliked: most men were portrayed as sexist or rapists. Very antireligious. Each of us has a right to our own beliefs.
What I liked: some good quotes. And Six-thirty the dog!

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/9MabKSZ-Ph0

Enjoy!½

Oh, do I 'get' this book; okay, let me rephrase, I get Elizabeth Zott.

Bonnie Garmus' Lessons in Chemistry follows the life of chemist Elizabeth Zott. In the 1950s, it was more than unusual for women to be in the workforce, let alone in an area as cerebral as science. Elizabeth endured sexual assault, discrimination, sexism, and patriarchy as she worked for a fraction of the money in a lab filled with men who were nearly all less capable than her.

While at work, she meets Calvin Evans, a thrice nominated Pulitzer scientist, and the two have chemistry. Along with their stray dog, that Elizabeth names for the time she met him, Six-Thirty rounds out the duos family. When Calvin is tragically killed, Elizabeth finds herself pregnant, something she never wanted.

Like all patriarchies and sexist/discriminatory societies, Elizabeth is fired when her employer learns of her 'condition.' After surviving on covert science papers for her former co-workers following the birth of her daughter, Mad, Elizabeth has a moment where she turns her kitchen into a lab, centrifuge and all. Once Mad starts school, trouble with another kindergartner causes Elizabeth to storm into a television producer's office complaining about his child, and she is offered a new job as the face of Suppers at Six, where Elizabeth uses chemistry to encourage growth and education while teaching women how to cook nutritious meals for their families.

With the help of a nosy neighbor turned best friend, Harriette, Elizabeth raises Mad and helps her tv audience learn pivotal lessons about life.

Lessons in Chemistry was a serious page-turner and my only regret is that I waited so long to read it (I sometimes worry that the book won't live up to the hype - this one does.)

I read this because it was a previous WCBC read and I had heard good things mostly. I have to say that I did not totally like it but in the end it was a good story where all ends well. It isn't so much about Chemistry as it is about women's issues in the 50s/60s.

This book is brutally honest and blunt, mainly on the topics of death. However the connection Calvin had was death made his seem a lot sadder than getting ran over by a police car is.

Despite Elizabeth being the protagonist, a lot of the book is revolved around Calvin as a character. His death mainly showed how independent Elizabeth is but also showed how so much can influence a life without someone knowing. Most of Elizabeth's life revolved around what Calvin left her with - and i'm not talking about Mad. Calvin himself had a life which was influenceed by others without noticing it.

Elizabeth. God I loved that woman. She was straight down to the point on a lot of topics without thinking of other's before she spoke.

Six-Thirty was a great representation of the thoughts of dogs - even though we have no clue how they think.

My only issue is that despite the book showing the power of women needed in the time period to do what they wanted (Elizabeth being this power and influence), it still had a lot of power of men helping and not helping the women. Honestly, Elizabeth's relationship with Calvin can be interpreted as he gave the push she needed to be what she always wanted to be but also can be seen as Elizabeth is a chemist because of Calvin. The fact that be book expresses this through magesines is perfect.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Historical (late 1950 to mid 1960’s) fiction. Chick lit. Trigger warnings: rape scene.
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist working at Hasting Research Institute. It’s the early 1960’s and she gets very little respect or equality in trying to do her job. Calvin Evans is the exception. Their first couple of meetings didn’t go so well, being two dedicate and single minded scientists. Eventually they figure out they have feelings for each other begin a relationship. Life intervenes and Elizabeth finds herself the host of a cooking show because cooking after all is just chemistry.

Heartbreaking inequality as Elizabeth is forced to adapt to make a living wage and support her family. It’s sad and yet incredibly empowering as well. My thanks to everyone that fought the battles so that I can now earn the same salary as a male counterpart. And believe me, for the first half of my working life, that was not always the case. But back to the story, Elizabeth is strong and not afraid to speak up for herself and demand the respect of her job. She surprises her bosses over and over again with her views and her outright success. My two favorite characters were Mad and Six-thirty because of their intelligence and absolute love of Elizabeth.
A poignant story that includes a couple of hateful scenes but is also full of love and empowerment.

I kept hearing about Bonnie Garmus's Lessons in Chemistry, but it took me a while before I finally got around to finding out what all the talk was about. I decided to listen to the audiobook, and I found Miranda Raison's narration perfect. She brought Elizabeth Zott to life.

Elizabeth Zott will strike a chord with most women. Like it or not, most women have dealt with the same problems she has. What makes this story truly wonderful is that no matter the experiences she must endure, Garmus tells her story with a light touch. She never mines the depths, and the reader is never far away from a smile.

Readers may learn a bit about chemistry, research labs, and television in the early 1960s, but that's merely a byproduct. What I loved about Lessons in Chemistry was the cast of characters surrounding Elizabeth Zott. Calvin, the man who loved who she truly was. Her daughter, Mads. Her neighbor and friend, Harriet, and Walter, her boss at the television station. Oops! I almost forgot her dog, Six Thirty, which is based on the author's dog. The story would not be complete without Six Thirty.

Speaking of the author, there's an author interview at the end of the audiobook which everyone should read after they've read the book. (It contains spoilers.) I think it brought me just as big a smile as Elizabeth and her friends and family did.

If you're in the mood for a feel-good story, here it is. I loved every bit of it.

First off, I loved it. It reminded me very much of the Barbie 2023 film, in that it was Feminism 101, and very funny and ironic. Interesting that this may be a trend now, and I don’t know whether it will be a good thing or not yet.

I texted a younger librarian friend and asked if the Dewey Decimal System had a category for “hysterical fiction.” She said no, but that she could get behind it, even though she didn’t like the book that much. She explained that she didn’t actually realize what the time period of the novel was when she was reading it, because not much has changed. Ooof. I get that. (Personally, I was insulted when the book said "historical fiction" on the cover, and then opened with the chapter entitled, "November 1961.")

But just like the Barbie 2023 film, many people would be understandably disappointed if they dislike such serious subjects being taken so lightly. I think that there may also be an age component involved in liking the book. Those of us who are of a certain age understand that Lessons in Chemistry is pure fantasy. Even if a woman were to be so enlightened in those times, there is no way that she could have been so publicly outspoken about it, let alone be that peculiar package of stunningly beautiful, incredibly intelligent, outspoken and athletic. Period. But many women may have been beginning to have glimpses of feminist thought in the late 1950s, and recognize it when the idealized character Elizabeth Zott speaks those thoughts. On a hunch, I looked up Bonnie Garmus’s age. Yup; she’s about 67 years old. (Wow, kudos to her on her first book.) She’s also of the age in which women turn invisible, and has some perspective now. She would have been about the same age as Zott's daughter is in the novel, and it is touching that Bonnie Garmus dedicated the book to her mother.

There is a lot of sexism depicted in this book that should be the subject of outrage and anger instead of humor. Even the plot of the book itself centers men, and the women simply revolve around them. Okay. For those who are still battling against sexism in their lives every day, I can see why they wouldn’t love this book. But for those women who still have not allowed themselves to see things the way that they really are because of their cultural backgrounds, this approach may be something that they can grasp. For those turned off by the emotions of anger and outrage, and those who need a pretty woman who is a mother and a cook, this book may be as enlightening as it is entertaining. The pink chicklit cover is stealthy, and if it leads more women to questioning whether things have to be the way that they are, then I’m all for it.

I really enjoyed this book and am grateful not to have been born in that time period and be trying to work as a woman scientist.

A real bobby-dazzler!
Bonnie Garmus broke the mould when she created Elizabeth Zott. She’s got to be one of my favourite female protagonists of all time. She’s funny, feisty and fearless. Sassy, single-minded and stunning. Determined, dedicated and devoted. What’s not to love?

Set in late fifties/early sixties America, self-educated Elizabeth Zott wants to be the best research chemist she can possibly be. Battling against accepted chauvinistic, misogynistic, demeaning and derogatory behaviours, she is employed at Hastings Research Institute in Commons, California where she meets and falls in love with world-renowned chemist genius, Calvin Evans. Unfairly dismissed by the dastardly Dr Donatti she accepts the position of host of Supper at Six, an afternoon TV cooking show, to keep the wolves from the door. Ignoring carefully composed cue cards and producer, Walter Pine’s pleading, Luscious Lizzie wins the hearts of the nation with her unique lessons in chemistry, self-worth, me time and life.

“Whenever you start doubting yourself just remember courage is the root of change and change is what we’re chemically designed to do.”

I loved the easy, page-turning writing style. I adored long-suffering Harriet Sloane, vindictive Miss Frask from Personnel, Miss Mumford the kindergarten tyrant and disillusioned pen pal/priest Wakely. Extremely moving descriptions of desperately sad and deeply traumatic events aside, I read most of Lessons in Chemistry with a smile on my face.

“… the way his thicket of body hair constantly detached itself like seeds from a dandelion, blanketing their home”.

Lessons in Chemistry is also about orphaned Calvin Evans, his route to fame and his obsession with fitness and rowing. The frayed threads of his life are very cleverly woven together culminating in a grand reveal.

I’d like nothing better than to have a Bunsen burner fired coffee with Elizabeth in her laboratory/kitchen, be entertained by her beyond precocious, four year old daughter ‘Mad’ Madeline and sniffed by ex-sniffer bomb-disposal dog Six Thirty, an aficionado of the English language.

Not quite 5 stars from me simply because the chemistry bits went right over my head. Lesson learnt – have a sharpened number-two pencil about your person at all times!

I usually don't like "best-sellers" but this one had an interesting story and was thoroughly enjoyable. The female scientist begins in a partnership, and she has a child, then she ends up hosting a cooking show to make ends meet. The fact that she does this show in her own way, emphasizing chemistry, speaks to the need to be yourself regardless of what others think you should be. Always a good lesson.

I usually don't like "best-sellers" but this one had an interesting story and was thoroughly enjoyable. The female scientist begins in a partnership, and she has a child, then she ends up hosting a cooking show to make ends meet. The fact that she does this show in her own way, emphasizing chemistry, speaks to the need to be yourself regardless of what others think you should be. Always a good lesson.

I loved the opening sentence of this feminist novel and kept going from there, relishing the free-floating points of view: Elizabeth, chemist-turned-cooking-show-star; her beloved, Calvin; their daughter, Mad; and even their dog, Six Thirty. It became a tiny bit preachy near the end, but I could overlook that because the rest was so tasty. (Thanks to Anita for insisting I read it!)

Delightful, full of humour, whit, inequality sexisim and a message you can be different.
A scientist, chemistry, tall, raped falls in love with a tall nerd scientist rower. She will not marry,1952, he dies, she is pregnant, producing Mad, Madeline.

I'm typically a horror/mystery gal but I need the occasional palate cleanser. Having listened to Bonnie Garmus on The Writer Files, I was intrigued by the character of Elizabeth Zott; a defiant, independent woman making her way in a man's world. Who doesn't love a strong female lead?

I would put Lessons in Chemistry in the beach read category, perfect for fans of women's fiction.

Elizabeth Zott is a scientist, just ask her. Busy pursuing her degree during a time when women are expected to be homemakers, she encounters a series of male roadblocks. Abusive men, both in the sexual sense but also of the emotionally damaging variety. Men who take credit for her work and deny her advancement. Exploitative gatekeepers.

Enter Calvin. Brilliant scientist. Grudge holder. Man with a tragic past and the first to support her.

Their romantic connection isn’t instantaneous, as she introduces herself by stealing his beakers, but it is eventual and deep. The pair become a couple, living together without marrying and further isolating Elizabeth from their peers. She is seen as a woman of loose morals, ridiculed and shamed. She has no interest in marriage. When Calvin dies and Elizabeth finds herself pregnant, things for the now single-and-unmarried-mother-to-be go from bad to worse.

Out of work and with a budding genius to feed, Elizabeth reluctantly accepts a job offer as a cooking show host. Her platform is science. She aims to teach women through complex chemistry how to cook and maybe how to shatter a few societal ceilings as Elizabeth does with the help of an unlikely cast of secondary characters: her wunderkind daughter, an unhappily married neighbor, her TV show producer, a reluctant priest, and a dog called six-thirty who has a heady point of view.

Clever and inspirational, Lessons in Chemistry is a page-turning exploration of early feminism and women’s roles in the 1960s. Recommended.