Lessons in Chemistry - Book Summary

Dive into a narrative that dances between delightful and defiant: The unexpected journey of a chemist who turned into a television sensation.

Meet Elizabeth Zott, a household name thanks to her highly popular TV show, Supper at Six. But before her fame, Elizabeth was an aspiring research chemist, her path intertwined with academia, rather than the media. This story isn't about her rise to stardom. Instead, it's about Elizabeth's unfulfilled scientific ambition, her career pushed aside, and her subsequent journey back to her true love: chemistry.

As we delve into Bonnie Garmus's 'Lessons in Chemistry', you might find your sense of justice incensed by the societal norms and chauvinistic barriers that derailed Elizabeth's career during the 50s and 60s — much like countless other women of her time. Yet, through the frustration, you will also experience a surge of inspiration — fueled by Elizabeth’s assertive, unique approach to breaking free from the chains of gender-based expectations, and her eventual triumph over the system that tried to suppress her spirit and ambition.

The contrast of dual paths in chemistry

Let's welcome Elizabeth Zott, the heart of 'Lessons in Chemistry'. Known by adoring fans as “Luscious Lizzy,” she is a captivating, straightforward TV chef revolutionizing America's culinary habits in the 1950s. No less than President Lyndon B. Johnson counts himself among her viewers.

However, before the lights, camera and kitchen, Lizzy was a chemist — a grossly underpaid and under-acknowledged one. Not due to any lack of skill or knowledge, but rather, because she was a woman.

During the era in which our tale unfolds, the United States wasn't exactly a welcoming place for ambitious women like Elizabeth Zott. Exhibit A: her employer, the Hastings Research Institute in California. The institute offers her a modest career, involving insignificant projects and less pay than her male counterparts. It's subtly expected that Elizabeth will take on administrative tasks more befitting of a secretary than a scientist. And, to add insult to injury, she deals with an actual secretary, Miss Frask, whose mindset on womanhood could not be further from the ideas of feminism and sisterhood.

The sole redeeming aspect of Hastings? Calvin Evans, the institute's shining star. Initially, Elizabeth doesn't think much of the renowned chemist — especially after he mistakes her for a secretary during a debate over laboratory supplies. However, he soon recognizes her for the passionate, talented woman she truly is.

Their intellects might be evenly matched, but their career trajectories are polar opposites. Fresh out of college, Calvin received 43 job offers and chose Hastings for its Californian weather. Elizabeth, however, ended up at Hastings because it was the only offer she received. Initially, she intended to pursue a Ph.D., focusing on abiogenesis — the hypothesis that living organisms originated from nonliving matter. Unfortunately, when her predatory supervisor, Dr. Mayer, assaulted her and then twisted the narrative to tarnish her reputation, her dreams of a doctorate disappeared.

At Hastings, her boss Dr. Donatti doesn't harass her, but he is bent on blocking her research endeavors. Nevertheless, he reluctantly approves her abiogenesis project after a wealthy donor expresses interest in funding research in the area — under the false assumption that E. Zott is a male researcher. Even then, Donatti quietly diverts most of the funding to different projects.

Recognizing their mutual attraction, Calvin and Elizabeth decide to collaborate on professional terms, hoping to gradually blur those lines. Their relationship soon flourishes — albeit unconventionally for that time. They choose to live together without marriage or even engagement, mostly driven by Elizabeth's fear of her academic work being overshadowed by Calvin's. Plus, having published under "Zott", she can't suddenly adopt a new surname. They eventually decide to get a dog named Six-Thirty. Instead of paying rent, Elizabeth opts to cook for Calvin five nights a week — drawing parallels between cooking and chemistry.

As they navigate their unconventional life — both a source of scandal and a testament to their joyous bond — tragedy strikes. During an evening walk with Six-Thirty, Calvin is hit by a police car and loses his life.

On analyzing Elizabeth's story, one can't help but see why STEM fields are still largely male-dominated. Throughout her scientific career, Elizabeth constantly justifies her existence in academia against a backdrop of skepticism. Despite proving her intellectual prowess through playful banter with Calvin about everything from amino acids to silkworm pheromones, she faces the restricting norms of the 1950s. Women were primarily viewed as homemakers, with no place in the world of serious science. For Elizabeth to achieve professional success, she must defy numerous societal expectations and barriers.

A surprising twist to fame

As the financial pressures on Elizabeth increase, she stumbles across an unexpected opportunity. Flipping through a newspaper one day, she sees a job listing for a host of an upcoming TV show, "Supper at Six." It's a cooking program, but the company — the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) — isn't looking for a professional chef. They want a scientist, someone who can explain the underlying chemistry of cooking to American housewives.

This intersection of Elizabeth's unique skills — her exceptional understanding of chemistry and her talent for home cooking — is intriguing. Having experienced firsthand the rampant misogyny within the scientific community, Elizabeth realizes that this could be a unique platform to share her love for science. Besides, the salary is excellent.

The audition is a culinary and scientific triumph. Elizabeth secures the job, and she wastes no time in putting her unique spin on things. She doesn’t merely explain recipes. She teaches her viewers why certain ingredients react the way they do, using everyday kitchen events to explore fascinating scientific theories. She encourages her audience to ask ‘why?’

The result? The show is a runaway success. Under her stage name, "Luscious Lizzy," Elizabeth quickly gains a following that extends from housewives to scientists, including the White House itself. She is, as the saying goes, a natural.

However, as her stardom grows, so do her problems. She must manage the intense schedules of her TV show and her work at Hastings, leaving little time to take care of Madeline or herself. She faces harsh criticism from people who believe that her role as "Luscious Lizzy" is too provocative and improper. Her relationship with ABC is strained, as they continue to pressurize her to tone down her style and pander more to a male audience. Worse still, she starts receiving threatening letters.

Amidst all this, the anonymous investor who funded her research shows up at Hastings — it's Bud Bowlby, the wealthy owner of a chemicals company. But Bud isn't merely interested in scientific discovery; he wants to explore space and sees abiogenesis as the pathway to the stars. He is the funder Elizabeth had always dreamt of, although she now wonders if he might be a little too keen on her rather than just her research.

Reflecting on Elizabeth's journey, it's evident that there are no easy paths for women aspiring to a career in STEM. While television offers Elizabeth a platform to express her scientific ideas, it's not devoid of challenges. The fame she achieves comes with a cost — her private life is under scrutiny, and she must fight a constant battle to maintain her personal values and her integrity as a scientist.

The intersection of science and cooking

Elizabeth's life takes an unforeseen turn when her path crosses with Walter Pine, the father of her daughter Madeline's lunch-stealing classmate. Walter is a television producer for a local station who is seeking a host for a new cooking show called "Supper at Six." Having been struck by Elizabeth's assertive manner and the exquisite lunches she packs for Madeline, he invites her to take the helm.

Although initially hesitant, Elizabeth grasps the opportunity as it allows her to merge her passion for science with her culinary prowess. Moreover, it is a source of much-needed income following her resignation from Hastings. However, she quickly realizes that Walter's vision for the show doesn't quite match her own. While Walter envisions a traditional, comforting cooking program, Elizabeth has other plans. She wants to don a lab coat instead of an apron and cook on a bunsen burner, shedding light on the fascinating chemistry behind everyday cooking.

A compromise is reached — Elizabeth agrees to wear a more viewer-friendly dress, but her kitchen is equipped with scientific apparatus rather than standard kitchen tools. When the camera starts rolling, she chucks out the scripted lines, speaking directly to the audience. She understands their struggles as homemakers, the weight of their often-invisible labor, and the importance of their tasks. Her unconventional approach, sprinkled with scientific jargon, is a breath of fresh air for the viewers.

Meanwhile, Madeline embarks on a school project to construct a family tree, which leads her down a path to uncover her father Calvin's mysterious past. Her investigation is accompanied by intriguing encounters, such as one with Reverend Wakely, an old friend of Calvin's who shares anecdotes of their time together as chemistry students.

Back at the television station, cracks start to appear in Elizabeth's new venture. She discovers a vast disparity in salaries between her and her male counterparts. When she refuses a product placement for canned soup, a heated confrontation ensues with the executive producer, Phil Lebensmal. The argument culminates in Elizabeth drawing her 14-inch chef's knife as Phil makes a lewd advance. Phil suffers a heart attack, landing him in the hospital and giving Elizabeth a reprieve from his interference. In his absence, Elizabeth and Walter unearth a trove of letters from TV channels eager to air Supper at Six.

Through her journey, Elizabeth upends societal expectations and norms, refusing to fit into the cliched mold of the picture-perfect housewife. Her authentic self resonates with the audience, as they connect with her forthrightness and validation of the often-underestimated role of homemaking. With Supper at Six, Elizabeth not only dishes out recipes but also serves a hefty portion of empowerment and validation.

Embracing the power of change

While Elizabeth crafts science-infused meals for her intrigued viewers, Madeline, along with Reverend Wakely, dives into their family's past. They find records from the orphanage where Calvin, Madeline's father, was raised after his adoptive parents passed away. A chilling revelation follows: Calvin's biological family had been searching for him, but a lie spun by the corrupt minister derailed their efforts. Believing Calvin was dead, they set up a trust in his memory to fund scientific research.

A meeting with Miss Frask, the dismissed typist from Hastings, unfolds Elizabeth's turbulent past at Hastings, ending with Elizabeth's forced resignation due to her pregnancy. This revelation stirs Madeline, leading to a confrontation with her mother. With the newfound knowledge of the sacrifices her mother made for her, she urges Elizabeth to return to her true calling as a scientist.

This heartfelt plea sparks a revelation within Elizabeth. She contemplates her years of television success and decides it's time for a change. Making the startling announcement live on-air, she tells her audience of her plan to return to science, encouraging them that change is an essential part of life, a key principle of chemistry. She implores her viewers, especially women, to foster change in their lives, to pivot directions, redefine relationships, and challenge the status quo.

However, the path back to science is not as smooth as Elizabeth anticipates. Job offers don't flood her mailbox as expected, leading to an unexpected reunion at Hastings with Avery Parker, her mysterious sponsor. Two jaw-dropping revelations follow: Avery Parker is not only a woman but also Calvin's biological mother. She explains that she was lied to about Calvin's fate after she had him as an unmarried teenager. Upon discovering that her son was alive and adopted, she's eager to connect with her lost family.

This dramatic turn of events results in Dr. Donatti's dismissal and Elizabeth's promotion as the Head of Chemistry. The newfound family ties are warmly embraced, and the joy of Avery meeting her granddaughter, Madeline, is palpable.

The story wraps up with Elizabeth, finally back in her scientific element, opening a fresh notebook, prepared to revisit her project on abiogenesis.

In sync with the theme of abiogenesis, which revolves around a radical transformation from non-living to living, Elizabeth undergoes a similar profound change. The journey she embarked on, navigating the limelight of TV fame to her rightful place in the world of science, underlines the power and significance of change. The transformative shifts aren't confined to Elizabeth alone. Miss Frask lands her dream job as the Head of Personnel at Hastings, and Harriet Sloane escapes her abusive relationship, finding love with Walter Pine.

Elizabeth's story is a testament to change being not just a force to reckon with, but an essential thread in the fabric of life itself.

In conclusion

Living in a world that constantly underestimates her due to her gender, Elizabeth Zott yearns to break free and make her mark as a chemist. Hope blooms when she falls in love with her talented co-worker, Calvin, but is swiftly snuffed out by his untimely death. Left alone with his unborn child, Elizabeth finds herself exiled from the academic world.

Destiny takes her to the unconventional world of a cooking show that swiftly captures the heart of the nation. In her unique blend of culinary and chemistry, she empowers American women to recognize their worth, aspirations, and rights. Elizabeth stands testament to her own teachings when, at the zenith of her TV career, she courageously steps back into the world of academia, eager to reignite her passion for chemistry.