Lessons in Chemistry

I loved and hated this book. The story is excellent. The writing, stellar. What I disliked was the memories it brought up.

It really could be filed as historical fiction since it started in 1952, the year before I was born. The majority of the story that saddened me happened in the 1960s. I still remember I wasn't allowed to wear pants to school until I was a high school junior. In college, I got great math scores on my SATs. My counselor's advice? “Lucky you. You never have to take math again.” Meanwhile, the guys around me who got almost as good scores were encouraged to pursue the new field of computers.
In 1960, the FDA approved the birth control pill. In 1965, married women could take it. It was 1970 before all states allowed unmarried women to take it.
In 1974, women were allowed to have a credit card and a bank account in their own name.
Yes, we were voting, but you wouldn't know it. These are the days that a certain political party wants to relive.

The main character lived through these same repressions. Women were expected to stay in the kitchen, not work in a chemistry lab. They aren't there now, really. (My husband is a chemist.)

So, the tale of Elizabeth Zott and Calvin Evans falling in love and NOT getting married is half of the book. How Elizabeth handles her career in TV is the other half. Here was a perfectly intelligent woman, not allowed to pursue her passion, abiogenesis, because of her gender. But, because she was good-looking, they put her on TV with a cooking show. Figures.

Anyway, I loved and hated the book, but it's a great read. I still can't walk outside with my shirt off. I know some men who should be arrested for that, but aren't.