Read November 2023 - Zoom Reading Circle
I truly enjoyed this book! I laughed out loud at many parts and connected with the main character in so many ways.
The book tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, a female chemist in the 1960’s. Elizabeth Zott encounters all the things you might expect of a strong woman pressing outside the boundaries of what is ‘seemly’ in a male dominated field in the still male dominated 1960’s. We follow Elizabeth through her early years working in the science field, through her most successful period as the host of a cooking show on television called Supper at Six, where she teaches the ‘average woman’ how to use chemistry to improve their cooking. The show is phenomenally successful because Elizabeth Zott doesn't just teach her viewers how to make a perfect meatloaf, she empowers them with knowledge and the belief that they truly can do anything.
I loved all of that so much! The only thing I flinch at is the notion, in so many books (and in life) that religion and science cannot both be true. This book takes several hard swipes at religion as pure fantasy and idiocy. As a person with a deep faith who also deeply believes in and trusts science (my father was a chemist and my brother is in the scientific field) I know this is untrue. However, I also have to sadly understand that the current view of religion, especially in America, IS the antithesis to science. I have always hoped that we were working toward common ground and it appears that we are doomed to total polarization (like so much else in our country). So, I will not detract points for this stance. I get it, I just know that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Because I listened to this book I don’t have any underlines or notes to share. And that is too bad. There were so many good lines! I may have to go find some to add here... I also have read a few reviews, mainly from younger women, that really irk me (and again, make me sad). One stood out - the woman really didn’t like the book because she said it went ‘too far’ in its depiction of what it was like for a woman in the scientific workplace in the 1960’s. I hate to tell her, it probably didn’t go far enough! This book rang true especially on that front. I know the stories of my own dear Mama (who learned what all the fighter planes were and wanted to be a pilot, but was told she could only be a stewardess - and so many more stories like this) and other women - and frankly, I know my own stories! And I ‘came of age’ in the 80’s. Young women now really need to pay attention to the stories of how things were, even not so long ago. We have indeed come a long way, but it sure feels fragile and tenuous and this middle-aged lady does not take it for granted that it will stay that way. In fact, I think there is a real danger that it will NOT. I hope young women can be aware of all they have AND what they have to lose.
Excellent book - and I look forward to hearing what my Zoom Reading Circle friends think about it (a November 2023 book selection).
Note - I rated this book 4.5 stars. Reading Circle rated it 4.6.
Here are a few quotes I found from the book...
Your days are numbers. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun.
No surprise. Idiots make it into every company. They tend to interview well.
Whenever you start doubting yourself, whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change - and change is what we're chemically designed to do.
Because while musical prodigies are always celebrated, early readers aren't. And that's because early readers are only good at something that others will eventually be good at, too. So being first isn't special, it's just annoying.
Every day she found parenthood like taking a test for which she had not studied. The questions were daunting and there wasn't nearly enough multiple choice.
Trailer for the AppleTV miniseries (which I have heard does not follow the book precisely... so read the book first!) :)
Bonnie Garmus on her ‘subversive’ novel Lessons in Chemistry
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