NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A must-read debut! Meet Elizabeth Zott: a one-of-a-kind scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show in this novel that is “irresistible, satisfying and full of fuel. It reminds you that change takes time and always requires heat” (The New York Times Book Review). “It's the world versus Elizabeth Zott, an extraordinary woman determined to live on her own terms, and I had no trouble choosing a side.... A page-turning and highly satisfying tale: zippy, zesty, and Zotty.” —Maggie Shipstead, best-selling author of Great Circle 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.
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"What a surprise the narration was great and the last three chapters were a surprise the author’s characters and their relationships were excellent it was great to listen to the author describe how she developed her story and the characters can’t wait to see the made for AppleTV in the fall"
— Booknut (5 out of 5 stars)
“Welcome to the 1960s, where a woman’s arsenal of tools was often limited to the kitchen—and where Elizabeth Zott is hellbent on overturning the status quo one meal at a time.”
— New York Times“A bold, smart, and often hilarious look at the value of so-called women’s work."
— Real Simple“Lessons in Chemistry’s excellent experiment [is] quirky and heartwarming.”
— The Atlantic“A more adorable plea for rationalism and gender equality would be hard to find.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)" Loved the main character's wit and feminism! I wish she was a real person because I would watch her show! Great book! "
— Mary, 12/30/2023" What a fantastic read! Bonnie Garmus novel provided so much knowledge and passion into this book it was captivated. The story of a young women, mother, chemist that is relevant the same way today as it was 60 years ago. Great book! "
— Violet, 4/13/2023Miranda Raison is an English actor who has appeared in the television series Merlin, Doctor Who, and Plus One, as well as the film Match Point.