Lessons in Chemistry

Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself.

Set in the sixties, Bonnie Garmus' novel Lessons in Chemistry (2022) introduces us to the unflinching chemist Elizabeth Zott. Her persona is the very reflection of the multi-faceted potential of women. Both a working mum and a rower, a cook and a scientist, Elizabeth seems to be constantly fighting against the tide of her times while just trying to be herself.

An unexpected opportunity arises when she is invited to host a TV show unlike any other, merging the world of cooking with chemistry. While Elizabeth tries to distance herself from gender stereotypes of her decade, she will plant a thirst of knowledge in her audience and push her own agenda.

With her unstoppable driving force, she will change the way women around the United States view themselves.

Zott's character goes through life not realizing how out of the box she appears to others around her. Unmarried and focused on her scientific research, her example is a constant reminder of what women are capable of, even when the world seems determined to make them stand in the back.

With a beaker instead of a coffee pot, a dog that can expand his word count, a gifted daughter and a loyal neighbor, Elizabeth Zott is set to change the status quo, not without some slaps in the face that is.

Lessons in Chemistry is a story of love, determination and grit that proves how far we have come (a relief to women all around) and how much more road we have to tread.