From the Bookshelf of The Perks Of Being A Book Addict…

Lessons in Chemistry

Bonnie Garmus

Start date: April 1, 2023

Finish date: April 30, 2023

Discussion: Group Books of the Month (BotM)

Why we're reading this: Chosen by group members as our BotM for April 2023.
[close] Chosen by group members as our BotM for April 2023.

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What Members Thought

Sep 25, 2022 Amanda R rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So, I had some conflicting feelings about this book.

I really thoroughly enjoyed the first part of it- the love story between Elizabeth and Calvin. I thought they were adorable and there were several bits of their conversations that were just delightful - especially in their early days when they were still kind of misunderstanding each other. I loved how they balanced each other out and seeing Calvin's adoration and support of Elizabeth was just sweet. The addition of Six-Thirty the dog was fun t So, I had some conflicting feelings about this book.

I really thoroughly enjoyed the first part of it- the love story between Elizabeth and Calvin. I thought they were adorable and there were several bits of their conversations that were just delightful - especially in their early days when they were still kind of misunderstanding each other. I loved how they balanced each other out and seeing Calvin's adoration and support of Elizabeth was just sweet. The addition of Six-Thirty the dog was fun too. I loved the themes of science and though I knew Elizabeth wouldn't enjoy some of the freedom and equal-thinking that we do today, I was rooting for her and felt her disappointment when things didn't go in her favor. And I have to say - loved all the bits with rowing! I know nothing about it, so it was really fun to see that in a novel and get a little glimpse of what it's all about. I found the writing style engaging and the pacing was good.

So as I was reading, I was thinking, I'm really enjoying this one!

There was something that bothered me, though.

Now, I'm not one of those people who need to see themselves in books. I don't need characters to look like me or act like me or believe like I do in order to enjoy reading their stories. In fact, some of my favorite books revolve around characters who could not be more different than me - probably for the very reason that I don't relate to them as much and so their journeys are that much more fascinating and interesting to me.

So it didn't bother me that there were characters who don't adhere to a faith as I do. I've read plenty of books that have nothing to do with faith or they have characters who proclaim a different set of beliefs or don't believe in anything like that at all. What bothered me about this book was just how anti-faith, anti-religion every character seemed to be and how as the book progressed, that point was made again and again. Even the minister didn't believe in God! It got to the point that it stopped seeming like it was just the viewpoints of the characters in the story and looked more like it was a reflection of the author's personal feelings, though I honestly have no idea what she believes. That's just how it ended up reading to me.

I get that many people see faith and science as being at odds with each other and maybe that's something the author was trying really highlight - a black and white type idea that the two come into direct conflict. It seemed as if the whole book was pretty black and white, come to think of it - science vs religion; feminism vs traditional roles; men vs women. I understand the time period of this book (early 60's) was very different from the now, but even so, I think I would have enjoyed it so much more if it could have reconciled some of these ideas as overlapping, as I feel that they do.

I think the other thing that I couldn't wrap my head around was Mad. She was precocious in a way that didn't really seem believable. I could picture her not being 4, but maybe being 8 or 9. It still would have been quite advanced even if she had been aged up a little. But 4 seemed a little too young for her to speak and act as she did. Ha ha - I know Six-Thirty wasn't believable either, but he was just cute so I didn't care!

But that's me. I know every reader is different and that won't be an issue at all to other readers - they'll be charmed by the other parts of the story as I was and will love reading Elizabeth's tale. ...more

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Mar 09, 2023 Jessica rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, feminism-women, listened-to

Elizabeth Zott is a female chemist and feminist in the 1950s. It's not easy because the world isn't ready to accept females in science. Despite her best intentions, she falls in love and becomes a mother, and then through a series of mishaps/happy accidents finds herself hosting a television cooking show aptly named "Supper at Six." Zott refuses to compromise her values, even for TV, and her show gains a huge following precisely due to Zott's unconventional for the time ideas. Garmus gave us a w ...more

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Mar 11, 2023 Bruin Mccon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-ebook, ucla-mention, death-of-a-parent, feminism, set-in-los-angeles, pub-2022

”People will always yearn for a simple solution to their complicated problems. It’s a lot easier to have faith in something you can’t see, can’t touch, can’t explain, and can’t change, rather than to have faith in something you actually can.”

Lessons in Chemistry’s protagonist, Elizabeth Zott, struggles to fulfill her talent as a chemist in post-war Los Angeles.

Big tw: sexual assault. This has to be the worst UCLA mention I’ve come across, where the rape of a student is covered up by administrato ”People will always yearn for a simple solution to their complicated problems. It’s a lot easier to have faith in something you can’t see, can’t touch, can’t explain, and can’t change, rather than to have faith in something you actually can.”

Lessons in Chemistry’s protagonist, Elizabeth Zott, struggles to fulfill her talent as a chemist in post-war Los Angeles.

Big tw: sexual assault. This has to be the worst UCLA mention I’ve come across, where the rape of a student is covered up by administrators who want to keep their big name researcher. Come on, fictionalized UCLA!

“According to Harriet, men were a world apart from women. They required coddling, they had fragile egos, they couldn’t allow a woman intelligence or skill if it exceeded their own.”

Things have improved (the civil rights movement is mentioned in this novel) in the years after this book was set. Yet, (white) women are sometimes still assumed to be unintelligent with skills suited solely for being a homemaker. A female chemist who doesn’t want to marry or bear children is not just an outlier but a threat. And this doesn’t take into account the greater America outside of this book, where the fight for civil rights continues.

“Exciting news. Today we’re going to study three different types of chemical bonds: ionic, covalent, and hydrogen. Why learn about bonds? Because when you do you will grasp the very foundation of life. Plus, your cakes will rise.”

There is a major dose of pain and sorrow in this novel, but it was for me unexpectedly hilarious throughout. The above quote comes when Elizabeth begins giving cooking lessons that are really, as the title suggests, lessons in chemistry. I would prefer this kind of info when reading the customary War and Peace-length recipe online.

“A pencil instead of a pen? Because unlike ink, graphite is erasable. People make mistakes, Mr. Roth. A pencil allows one to clear the mistake and move on. Scientists expect mistakes, and because of it, we embrace failure.”

Elizabeth’s dog, Six-Thirty, is a major character in the novel and any reader will adore his commitment to his family.

This is meant to be a feel-good novel in theory. IMHO, it is really about connection, found family, and what we each uniquely bring to the world.

ETA: Just listened to the One More Chapter podcast about this book and do agree with their take that the civil rights mention felt like checking a box after the book was written, not considering the actual Los Angeles during the time period. ...more

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Oct 18, 2023 Lauren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobook

I listened to this on evening dog walks and was smiling much of the time! The book (and protagonist, Elizabeth Zott) is witty, wry, poignant, and insightful. Plus, there's an awesome dog! ...more

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