Audiobook, Historical Fiction

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus @BonnieGarmus #MirandaRaison #PRHAudio

Jonetta | Blue Mood Café


the setup…
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist working for the Hastings Research Institute in California. It’s the 1960s and not only was is highly unusual for a woman to be working in this field, it was unusual for her “colleagues” who soon recognized she was brilliant. They did everything to undermine her except for one lone, equally brilliant chemist who wasn’t drawn to her beauty but her brain. As “luck” would have it, a few years later, Elizabeth finds herself an unlikely star of a television cooking show and the single mother of a precocious child. It’s the journey to this point in her life that defines her and her future.

the heart of the story…
While there’s a lot going on in this story with many colorful and interesting characters, the heart of it belongs to Elizabeth Zott. In today’s world she would probably be considered on the autism spectrum and in reality, it seemed to serve her well in that misogynistic environment. Elizabeth Zott (very few people called her solely by her first name) had no filters, saying exactly what she thought when other women fell into the traps of expected stereotypes. She experienced some really bad moments and much unfairness but they were eclipsed by that brilliance that just couldn’t be stifled. Her relationship with Calvin was also lovely, especially since her saw “her,” respected her mind and values. Right or wrong, she always had a relevant point of view for her decisions and positions.

the narration…
Miranda Raison is a new voice for me and it was if this story was designed especially for her to narrate. It often felt as if there were multiple performers as she was exceptionally skilled in providing highly distinctive characterizations for all the the others in the story.

the bottom line…
As painful as the state of affairs was for women who worked outside of the home and for many homemakers during this era, I loved this story because Elizabeth Zott was that someone you wanted to triumph. Her tenacity, keen mind and self awareness were admirable but it was her purity of spirit and authenticity that made her endearing. I worked in the era not long after hers and recall how hard it was for women in the workplace, but nothing like what she experienced. It’s a great opportunity for young women (and men) today to be reminded of how things were not so long ago. I experienced a full range of emotions as I lived vicariously through her journey…tears, outrage, sadness, joy and laughter. Viva Elizabeth Zott and the women like her who fought the hard fight!

Book Info

  • Release Date: April 5, 2022
  • Narrator: Miranda Raison
  • Audio Length: 11 hours, 55 minutes
  • Publisher: Random House Audio

 

 

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Published by Jonetta | Blue Mood Café

29 thoughts on “Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus @BonnieGarmus #MirandaRaison #PRHAudio”

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  10. Fantastic review! I’ve had this one on library hold forever and keep saying Deliver later. I got the chemistry award in high school and it was very unpopular it didn’t go to a boy. (1976, I was the best student, also my father employed 200 in a town of 1200)

    Anne – Books of My Heart

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  12. Wonderful review, Jo. I have been hesitating a bit about this one, as I am worried about how I will react to the treatment of women in the not so distant past. I think I will give it a try.

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