Early 1960s America and chemist Elizabeth Zott is anything but the average woman the world wants her to be — yet her all male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality, all except for Calvin Evans who falls in love with Elizabeth despite her having a mind and an opinion of her own.

Fast forward a few years and Elizabeth finds herself, not only a single mother but the star of the cooking show, 'Supper at Six', which sees her teaching chemistry to the nation's women and daring them to change the status quo.

Saying and doing exactly what she thinks.

"And what is with the trousers?" Walter said, his teeth clenched so tightly, the words barely emerged.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean."
"Do you like them? You must. You wear them all the time and I can see why. They're very comfortable. Don't worry; I plan to give you full credit."

And refusing to be reined in.

"It's steak night" Elizabeth said, "which means we'll be exploring the chemical composition of meat, specifically focusing on the difference between 'bound water' and 'free water' because — and this may surprise you," she said, picking up a large slab of top sirloin, — meat is about seventy-two percent water."

A woman very much in a man's world, Elizabeth refuses to be quashed or boxed in by those around her, despite their best efforts to try. Add in a highly intelligent child and a talking dog named Six-Thirty, 'Lessons in Chemistry' makes for a warm, funny and original book, with a heroine to root for.

Left on a wall outside rear entrance of the library.

Picked this up at my local gym. It is a brilliant book, very well written and so sad. Passing it on to another family member!