This book broke my heart but I loved it. It broke my heart because the way women were treated in the 1950s and 1960s was bullshit. Because even in 2024 people are forced to do things because “that’s how they’ve always been done.” Because every kid deserves a happy childhood. And because bad journalism ruins lives. All that being said, Lessons in Chemistry is also full of hope, grit, humor, and a deep love of dogs. One of my favorite aspects is that Six-Thirty, protagonist Elizabeth Zott’s dog, gets his own point of view (“he knew a permanent bond when he saw one”) and that Zott treats him like a human. When anyone has trouble understanding why she loves her dog so much, it becomes very clear why Zott is described as “so no-nonsense that people didn’t know what to make of her.”
A scientist moonlighting as an acclaimed daytime television cooking show host, Zott goes through the ups and downs of being an extremely smart and diligent female living in a sexist time in history. Her absolute refusal to take anyone’s shit is shocking to everyone around her – both male and female – which makes for an entertaining read. While working at a lab, she finds the love of her life (Calvin Evans), then things change, and then they change again (no spoilers). In addition to Zott’s life, the reader gets a side view of what happened to Evans as a child, both of their backstories (which inform their adult lives), and how one person can change the viewpoints of others just by being themselves.
Author Bonnie Garmus’s writing is sharp, witty, and real. I believe her to be as no-bullshit as Zott and there is something to be said about that. In terms of writing style, the author’s descriptive dialogue makes Chemistry the definition of a page-turner. In terms of content, Garmus seamlessly tells the story of the unconventional and loving family Zott creates for herself which makes the protagonist a force to be reckoned with – especially since what matters most to her is to be taken seriously.
Even though I loved Yellowface, having a protagonist like Zott, who the reader can 100 percent root for, was a nice change of pace. As the daughter of a woman who broke glass ceilings in the 1980s and 1990s as a female CEO, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when smart women do such an undeniably good job that everyone pays attention. Through her television show, Zott grabs the attention of housewives across the country and is described by a journalist as someone who teaches viewers not only what they are made of, but who they are capable of becoming. There is no bigger compliment than that –especially because Zott does not budge when it comes to her values, loves her kid (and raises that sharp, sweet girl as she see fits), treats her dog well, and takes her work very seriously. As she should. But then, when a magazine threatens to ruin her reputation by completely misrepresenting her, she feels beat down and I get that. “The damage felt permanent, like a brand. She would never outrun it.” But she gets through it – with the help of some friends – and it is nothing short of inspiring.
The Acknowledgements confirm what I assumed – that Garmus used some of her own background to write the novel which once again demonstrates that “pure fiction” doesn’t really exist. Every character and story comes from someone/somewhere/something because, as writers, so much of ourselves is integrated in our work (i.e. the author has a dog named 99). In her Acknowledgements Garmus also says: “Writing is a solo effort, but it takes an army to bring a book to the shelves.” No truer words. She then gives a shoutout to “the writers who understand how real the struggle is” which I, of course, appreciate. Lastly, I have to admit that the final sentence had me in tears when she apologizes to her pups for every time she said, “Just let me finish this paragraph – then we’ll go.” Me too.
Quotes
“Weathering is called weathering for a reason: it erodes.”
“When it’s really meant to be, the right dog finds you.”
“There was so much to do she couldn’t even make a to-do list because making a list was just one more thing to do.”
“Do you hate advice givers? I do. They have a way of making one feel inadequate. And the advice is usually lousy.”
“Every day she found parenthood like taking a test for which she had not studied.”
Raising kids: “Requires patience, endurance, strength, and commitment” and it does not “allow us to see where we’re going – only where we’ve been.”
“Religion is based on faith. But you realize that faith isn’t based on religion. Right?”
“The best strategy is not to fear the danger, but respect it. And then, deal with it.”
“No one turned this mean without having been a victim of the same.”
“Just as people have a bad habit of dismissing others’ problems and tragedies, so too did they have a bad habit of not appreciating what they have.”
“Normal isn’t like weather; you can’t expect normal. You can’t even make normal. From what I can tell you, normal may not exist.”
“It was her confidence, the certainty of who she was. She sowed it like a seed until it took root in others.”
“Courage is the root of change – and change is what we’re chemically designed to do.”
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