Lessons in Chemistry

The most charming, life-enhancing novel I've read in ages. A perfect delight. It's about Elizabeth Zott, a scientist who accidentally becomes a TV cook in the early 1960s. Very strongly recommend * INDIA KNIGHT, SUNDAY TIMES * This triumphant feminist fable, wittily observed, is teeming with vivid comic set-pieces * TELEGRAPH, Fiction of the Week * Polished, funny, thought-provoking. Wearing its research lightly but confidently with sentences so stylishly turned it's hard to believe it's a debut ... The real pleasure is in the dry wit of Garmus's writing * GUARDIAN, Book of the day * Not only is Elizabeth an unforgettable character, so too are her adorable dog Six Thirty and daughter, Mad. This is a truly unique book with some great life lessons * WOMAN AND HOME, Best Books of 2022 * A book that sparks joy with every page. LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY is both funny and rousing: it had me laughing one minute and air-punching the next. Bonnie Garmus has created an unforgettable heroine * ELIZABETH DAY * It's the world versus Elizabeth Zott, an extraordinary woman determined to live on her own terms, and I had no trouble choosing a side. Lessons in Chemistry is a page-turning and highly satisfying tale: zippy, zesty, and Zotty * MAGGIE SHIPSTEAD, author of GREAT CIRCLE * Full of humour, heartbreak and characters who feel like real people. This is a book that everyone will be talking about * RED MAGAZINE * I haven't loved a character as much as the hero of this joyful, warm debut in a very long time * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, Book of the Month * Absolutely unputdownable. I completely loved it * RICHARD E GRANT * A transporting read, recommended for fans of Where'd You Go, Bernadette and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel * STYLIST MAGAZINE, BOOKS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2022 * In Garmus' debut novel, a frustrated chemist finds herself at the helm of a cooking show that sparks a revolution. Welcome to the 1960s, where a woman's arsenal of tools was often limited to the kitchen - and where Elizabeth Zott is hellbent on overturning the status quo one meal at a time * NEW YORK TIMES * A truly unique book with some great life lessons * WOMAN AND HOME, BEST BOOKS OF 2022 * A fast-moving plot, zippy dialogue and wry sense of humour. A satisfying story with hateable villains and loveable good guys. Garmus's sparkling writing is a breath of fresh air * SUNDAY EXPRESS * Elizabeth Zott is the smart, fierce star of Garmus' witty debut. Brilliant * MAIL ON SUNDAY * Lessons in Chemistry is a vibrant and original story of hope and staying true to yourself. Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and brimming with life and generosity and courage * RACHEL JOYCE * A timeless book. Elizabeth Zott is an iconic heroine - a feminist who refuses to be quashed, a mother who believes that her child is a person to behold, rather than to mould, and who will leave you, and the lens through which you see the world, quite changed * PANDORA SYKES * THE antidote to life's current grimness: a shrewd, witty, inventive, feminist comedy you should all race to read * PATRICK GALE * Entirely enjoyable, totally engrossing novel, Garmus' beautifully drawn characters, her polished, engaging prose and a hugely satisfying plot make for a glorious read. Lessons In Chemistry is alight with warmth, wit and hard-won wisdom. Absolutely wonderful * DAILY EXPRESS * Fast, funny and furious * DAILY EXPRESS * Original and refreshing. Elizabeth Zott is one of those singular, unforgettable characters you don't come across enough in fiction. Witty and dark, it is both a breath of fresh air and a reminder of how much still has to change for true equality * PRESS ASSOCIATION * Zott is a brilliantly realised character whom it's impossible not to love...[a] warm and addictive novel which cleverly and entertainingly unpacks the thorny questions around women's empowerment, the need to be true to oneself and why we should refuse to

BONNIE GARMUS is a copywriter and creative director who has worked widely in the fields of technology, medicine and education. She is an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two wonderful daughters. Born in California and most recently from Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99. Her first novel, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY, is a No.1 Sunday Times and No. 1 New York Times bestseller. It was voted Hay Festival Book of the Year by readers, won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Debut Novel and was shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. Bonnie Garmus also won Author of the Year at the British Book Awards. Translated into more than forty languages, it has been adapted as an Apple TV series starring Brie Larson.