You’ll be glad to hear the TV adaptation is coming soon to Apple TV …
Lessons in Chemistry, the first novel by author Bonnie Garmus, was one of the biggest bestsellers of 2022 (and one of THE GLOSS team’s favourites). Set in the early 1960s, the book observes chemist Elizabeth Zott with her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute, who take a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with – of all things – her mind. True chemistry.
But like science, life doesn’t always follow a straight line. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show “Supper at Six”. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. That’s because Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. If you haven’t already read Lessons in Chemistry, do it now!
“Lessons in Chemistry” is a new drama series starring and executive produced by Brie Larson. Photographs via Apple TV.
You can also look forward to Apple TV’s production of Lessons in Chemistry, starring Brie Larsen, coming later in 2023.
Bonnie Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who has worked in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. She’s an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two daughters. Born in California, she lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99. (Which reminded us: the dog in Lessons in Chemistry is called Six-Thirty.)
This summer Bonnie wrote a little story for us about happiness: here it is!
Bonnie Garmus.
“When I was ten, I was in the church choir. I hated it. The hymns were boring, the heavy black robes were stifling, and the slow-death sermon meant we usually missed Casey Kasem’s Top Forty Countdown on the radio.
That was a huge problem. We used to make bets about which song would hit number one, but to find out, you had to listen in real time. This is before Google.
So, one week, when I had my entire allowance riding on To Sir with Love, I decided to sneak in my transistor radio and an earpiece. The radio fit easily beneath the deep folds of my robe; the wire that dangled from my ear was mostly hidden by my hair. The kids on either side of me took in the setup, their jaws dropping in awe.
When the minister’s mouth began to move, all I heard was Ain’t Too Proud to Beg. Nice!
Twenty minutes flew by. While the other kids were dying from boredom, I was surprised to learn that Red Rubber Ball was still at number three. I spotted my mother in the congregation. She smiled. Enjoying the sermon? I smiled back. What sermon?
A few minutes later Casey said it was time to announce the number one hit. To Sir With Love, I reminded Jesus, while noticing how hot the radio was feeling against my skin. The radio had plastered itself to my stomach. I shifted more vigorously. Bad idea. The cord that led from radio to earpiece disconnected.
I’M A BELIEVER! the Monkees screamed from somewhere around my underwear.
AND I COULDN’T LEAVE HER IF I TRIED! they continued, probably referring to my sticky body.
I managed to turn it off, but it was too late. Major punishment ensued.
So how is this a happy story? I was banned from choir for life!”
