Lessons in Chemistry: The multi-million-copy bestseller
£4.80£9.50 (-49%)
THE MULTI-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER AND PRIZE-WINNER
Now a major Apple TV series starring Brie Larson
‘I loved it’ Nigella Lawson
‘Smart, uproarious, emotional’ Sunday Times
‘Thought-provoking and stylish’ Guardian
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Your ability to change everything – including yourself – starts here
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.
But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Forced to resign, she reluctantly signs on as the host of a cooking show, Supper at Six. But her revolutionary approach to cooking, fuelled by scientific and rational commentary, grabs the attention of a nation.
Soon, a legion of overlooked housewives find themselves daring to change the status quo. One molecule at a time.
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A Book of the Year for: Guardian, Times, Sunday Times, New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Woman & Home, Stylist, TLS, Oprah Daily, Newsweek, Mail on Sunday, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, India Knight, Hay Festival, Waterstones, Amazon and many others
Winner of the Goodreads Choice Best Debut Novel Award
Author of the Year at the British Book Awards
As read on BBC Radio Four
A BBC TV ‘Between the Covers’ pick
Hay Festival Book of the Year
Winner of the Books are My Bag Reader’s Choice Award
Winner of the Books are My Bag Breakthrough Author Award
Shortlisted for the HWA Crown Award
‘Biting and cheerIng in equal measure’ Jojo Moyes
‘I loved Lessons in Chemistry and am devastated to have finished it!’ Nigella Lawson
‘Laugh-out-loud funny and brimming with life, generosity and courage’ Rachel Joyce
‘A novel that sparks joy with every page’ Elizabeth Day
‘Witty and sometimes hilarious … the Catch-22 of early feminism’ Stephen King
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Additional information
| Publisher | 1st edition (2 Mar. 2023), Penguin |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 400 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1804990922 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1804990926 |
| Dimensions | 20.3 x 13.3 x 2.44 cm |
by M. Williams
I bought this for my wife as she reads a phenomenal amount. I think it was recommended on Amazon. Now I realise probably as it was about to be a tv show with Brie Larsen who looks spookily like Grace Kelly in the show. Which is a plus for me. Having read the book and then watching the tv show it allows my wife to make comments like “oh it’s not like that in the book” or “that characters not in the book”. Which is probably her subtle way of telling me when I do it it’s really, really, really, really annoying!!
by clare
Really enjoyed this, well written and most entertaining all the way through – I was sorry to get to the end and thoroughly look forward to another of her books
by Kindle Customer
If ever there was a book championing women’s rights and capabilities, it’s this one. Rosalind Franklin, Madame Curie and Rosa Parks would’ve loved it.
Elizabeth Zott is a very, VERY unconventional woman – not even vaguely the wifely type, but instead she’s a brilliant chemist…despite not receiving her due as such. Her love affair with the famous (in this novel, anyway) Calvin Evans is both funny and touching, with a real devoted love to it. She hosts an afternoon TV show, Supper At Six, and refuses to compromise or agree with her producer…and her no-nonsense tell-it-like-it-is style makes the show a hit. She rather reminds me of Lost Girl’s Dr. Lauren Lewis, who makes meals to die for by treating cooking as chemistry – which, really, it is. Even though I’m a cat person, I love Elizabeth’s huge dog, Six-Thirty.
It’s a wonderful read; I was intrigued by both the title and the premise. Even though it’s set in the ’60s, the misogynistic attitudes in science, in Hollywood and in publishing are still there, but on their way out – and I hope this novel hastens that departure. STEM forever!
by Nigel Bradshaw
Very much enjoyed this book and will recommend it to others. On reflection it is good to see how far equality has come. We have not come far enough, but as Elizabeth Zott would say, life is about change. Let us hope that we truly get to see it in our lifetimes because everyone chooses to make it a reality
by Matteo
The story follows a young woman called Elizabeth Zott as she works her way through misogyny and being a single mother in the 1950s. She’s unperturbed by the the expectations and opinions of others and embraces her own (fairly modern) point of view which is out of place and far too ahead for 1950/60 america. The book is about sticking to your principles and overcoming the expectations of others, Elizabeth Zott is without fear and her drive to pursue what she believes does end up almost landing her in hot water but thankfully the boss gets a heart attack.
Likes:
I kind of liked the main character, a very idyllic modern female protagonist who’s passion in chemistry and on TV inspires people because of how she visibly subverts expectations by what a woman in 1950s society should be like inspiring women like Marjorie to pursue their dreams and avoid allowing society and fear to dictate their world.
The story was interesting a twist that gave me goosebumps.
The writing is really fast paced, nothing is really to difficult to grasp and there’s the reading is very light. I found the faster I read it the more I liked it!
Dislikes:
Lack of depth with the characters
Lack of depth with the progonist, she’s just too good at overcoming everything. It does make her come across as someone very shallow and preachy at times.
Thinking about it will take you out of it. A dog that knows 1000 words by the end of the book, A Mensa child and worst of all seems like all the men that disagree with the protagonist are evil and all those on her side are good and part of the family. Comes across as very black and white in terms of morality and apart from Frask no one seems to be in the grey.
3.5/5 for me, quite a good book, light read and really do root for the protagonist although she can feel like a mary sue and seem to just win way too often by the second half of the book which does take you out of jt a bit if you think about it too hard.
Great book easy to recommend and talk about
by julia hardisty
We read this as a book club choice and I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
There is a wonderful sense of nostalgia created by the author and a lot of members of the club became very remeniscent of the past and their memories and shared experiences that were shown in the book (both positive and negative).
Great book for sparking discussion about the treatment of women and whether things have changed all that much today?
Well written with a driving storyline, some parts may be triggering to those who have experienced abusive relationships however.
Scored an average of 8/10 from 10 book club members aged between 27 and 65!
by mrs a petty
This is one of the best books I have read this year. It is a love story, a family story, a story of emancipation it is much much more than just one category. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist who because she is a woman struggles in a so called mans world. She doesn’t get taken seriously. She meets Calvin Evans and falls in love, but to say much more would spoil the book which is a delight. The characters are so real you feel you know them. Mad is the most aware child, very clever but also mature beyond her years. Harriet is the neighbour you would want and as for Six Thirty he is the most cowardly hero you want by your side all day.
by SD
I read this pretty much in one long sitting. Elizabeth is a super character, with her refusal to accept the rules constraining women and her unconventional approach to parenting, work and everything. And by showing us the extreme back then, the author helps us reflect on what has (and hasn’t) changed. Definitely worth reading.