This book was so fun to read. Set in the 1960’s, a decade that I am personally unfamiliar with as a child of the 1970’s, I vividly recall hearing stories about the sixties when I was growing up from my parents.
Most of their stories started with memories of automobiles of that era, or stories about Elvis. All the stories I heard were happy, fun times, with a lot of narrative around, “They don’t make them like that anymore!” or “Those were the good old days.”
I think I enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry, in part because it was set during time that I had always perceived as idyllic.
I had never considered that women may have needed a career during that time. My own mother worked part time in a chicken processing plant in the sixties.
She worked out of necessity, to make ends meet, along with my father who was a truck driver, to care for their then three children, all of which were barely a year apart.
Most women I recall from my childhood in the seventies worked part time at the grocery store, or were teachers or worked at the bank. There weren’t as many choices for women seeking employment as we have today.
Fast forward to today, and there are entire organizations built around attracting girls to the world of STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
It would be easy for a young girl to begin her interest in STEM as early as late elementary school.
In the sixties, at Hastings Research Institute, Elizabeth Zott could not even pursue a doctorate in chemistry, let alone sign her full name to her research papers, (in order to lead others to believe that she is a man).
It is only when a wealthy donor expresses interest in her papers that she gets the opportunity to pursue her latest project at Hastings.
In the process, she meets Calvin Evans and once the awkwardness subsides, they fall in love and begin a very unconventional relationship.
They live together, unmarried and she cooks for him five nights a week as a way to contribute toward the home they share, which is in his name, and sadly only he makes a salary that provides enough to pay for.
After all, cooking is chemistry.
As time goes on, their love deepens, they get a dog and they continue scandalizing their colleagues and are incredibly happy together.
Then, Calvin is hit by a car.
The story continues with the daily battle of Elizabeth existing in a male dominated world, enduring sexual harassment from her boss, and misogyny from her co-workers – even the females.
She is brilliant and most people know this, but they downplay her talent and knowledge for their own gain.
As she finds herself pregnant, with no spousal benefits after Calvin’s death, she must do what she can to make ends meet.
As her young daughter grows to school age, and shows her own brilliance, a strange turn of events provides an opportunity for Elizabeth to be the host of a nationally televised cooking show, Supper at Six.
The show goes on to be a national sensation. She urges women to take their dreams seriously and put their needs first and ultimately, she fulfills her own dreams by returning to academia to work as a chemist.
While this was a GREAT book, here is the very best part: APPLE TV will debut a new TV Show, Lessons in Chemisty on Friday, October 13, 2023 with the first two episodes! Additional new episodes will debut weekly, every Friday through November 24, 2023 for a total of 8 episodes. I couldn’t be more excited! Brie Larson will play Elizabeth Zott and there are many faces among the cast that you may recognize as well.
Will you be tuning in with me on 10/13? Have you read the book, Lessons in Chemistry already? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comment below, or email me at hello@kinshipandvine.com
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