BOOK OF THE MONTH
Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel
Meet Elizabeth Zott: a one-of-a-kind scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show.
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Community Reviews
What Bookclubbers are saying about this book
✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Lessons in Chemistry* features a strong, courageous protagonist, Elizabeth Zott, whose journey in a male-dominated 1950s world sparks dis...
This was such a good read! I loved the 1960’s vibes, it was empowering, and beautiful.
I feel like reading it from the perspective of a stay at home mom, which I’m sure was the standard in the 60’s, Elizabeth Zott would seem like a hero. Because she still does to me after reading this in 2025.
She’s a no nonsense, scientist in a male dominated college and she’s just so tough, I love how she stands up for herself and other women.
It’s just a really good book on a woman who has had horrible things happen to her and her devotion to being herself entirely without giving up her dreams despite all the hardships she faces. And 6:30? Literally my favorite thing ever.
I feel like reading it from the perspective of a stay at home mom, which I’m sure was the standard in the 60’s, Elizabeth Zott would seem like a hero. Because she still does to me after reading this in 2025.
She’s a no nonsense, scientist in a male dominated college and she’s just so tough, I love how she stands up for herself and other women.
It’s just a really good book on a woman who has had horrible things happen to her and her devotion to being herself entirely without giving up her dreams despite all the hardships she faces. And 6:30? Literally my favorite thing ever.
Wish I could give it a .5 a point add because I liked it more than a 7 but not as much as an 8 hahaha. Cute book started off slow but picked up towards the end. Glad the character whom always got the short end of the stick won in the end. Would recommend.
So I wish I could give a .5 point because I liked it more than a 7 but not as much as a 8. Haha it was a sweet book that at first started off slow but eventually got good and picked up! I really enjoyed the ending and was very glad the character whom had always seemed to get the short end of a stick FINALLY won! Cute book would recommend again.
I have had a love/hate relationship with this book, and I’m not really sure why, because love won out. I think part of it is that I feel so angry at the horrible way the women in this book are treated, because it’s true in life, too. And I was reading another non-fiction book about women in chemistry and the parallels were uncanny. But this is a hopeful book and the heroine is a strong, courageous woman scientist. We have come so far, but we have farther to go.
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What’s it about?
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist- but unfortunately in 1952 this is no easy role for a woman. While we follow Elizabeth from graduate school, to work, to motherhood we begin to see what a hard road it was for women back in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
What did it make me think about?
I see why this seems to be the “IT” book of the summer.
Should I read it?
I love a novel with a sense of humor and this book never takes itself too seriously. Even though it touches on very serious subject matter. Elizabeth Zott is quite a literary character. I so enjoyed seeing the world from her perspective. What an easy way to introduce a whole new generation to women’s roles in the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is hard now to believe that women ever had to live and work in this environment. I would guess this will be the book club pick for 2022-2023. It is a fun, easy book, that allows for some good discussions.
Quote-
“She’d recently read about some country where both parents worked and took part in raising the children. Where was that, again? Sweden? She couldn’t remember. But the upshot was, it functioned very well. Productivity was higher; families were stronger. She saw herself living in such a society. A place that didn’t always automatically mistake her for a secretary, a place where, when she presented her findings in a meeting, she didn’t have to brace herself for the men who would invariably talk over her, or worse, take credit for her work. Elizabeth shook her head. When came to equality, 1952 was a real disappointment.”
What’s it about?
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist- but unfortunately in 1952 this is no easy role for a woman. While we follow Elizabeth from graduate school, to work, to motherhood we begin to see what a hard road it was for women back in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
What did it make me think about?
I see why this seems to be the “IT” book of the summer.
Should I read it?
I love a novel with a sense of humor and this book never takes itself too seriously. Even though it touches on very serious subject matter. Elizabeth Zott is quite a literary character. I so enjoyed seeing the world from her perspective. What an easy way to introduce a whole new generation to women’s roles in the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is hard now to believe that women ever had to live and work in this environment. I would guess this will be the book club pick for 2022-2023. It is a fun, easy book, that allows for some good discussions.
Quote-
“She’d recently read about some country where both parents worked and took part in raising the children. Where was that, again? Sweden? She couldn’t remember. But the upshot was, it functioned very well. Productivity was higher; families were stronger. She saw herself living in such a society. A place that didn’t always automatically mistake her for a secretary, a place where, when she presented her findings in a meeting, she didn’t have to brace herself for the men who would invariably talk over her, or worse, take credit for her work. Elizabeth shook her head. When came to equality, 1952 was a real disappointment.”
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