Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: Set in the 1960s, our protagonist, Elizabeth Zott, is a woman who challenges the status quo of women in the workplace. Elizabeth is determined to make her mark in the world as a scientist. She is left-brained smart, determined, and an outspoken woman who ruffles the feathers of her male counterparts, who are determined to put her in her proper place. Elizabeth is not the only character in this story who steals your heart with her bravery and resolve. There is Elizabeth’s daughter, Madeline, who, much like her mother, doesn’t always fit in easily with her peers. With her advanced intellectual abilities, she takes it upon herself to solve the mystery of her father’s childhood. And, there is their family dog, Six-Thirty, who has a vocabulary beyond what many grade school children have. He has taken on the role of protector of Madeline and sometimes Elizabeth and has his own voice in this book.
As a young woman entering my adult years in the 60s, I could admire Elizabeth for her advocacy of a woman’s intelligence, but I am saddened that our society has not come far enough to embrace a woman’s rightful place in the higher echelon. The New York Times Review said Lessons in Chemistry is “irresistible, satisfying, and full of fuel. It reminds you that change takes time and always requires heat.” Elizabeth Zott gave us the heat.