Lessons in Chemistry; A Novel

#1 GLOBAL BESTSELLER WITH OVER 8 MILLION COPIES SOLD • Meet Elizabeth Zott: A brilliant research chemist in 1960s California who’s "absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention" (The Washington Post). Her career takes an unexpected turn when she becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show. • STREAM ON APPLE TV+

This novel is "irresistible, satisfying, and full of fuel" (The New York Times Book Review) and "witty, sometimes hilarious... the Catch-22 of early feminism" (Stephen King, via Twitter).

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek

Elizabeth Zott is no ordinary woman. In fact, she’d be the first to tell you there’s no such thing as an average woman. But in the early 1960s, her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute has a rather unscientific view of gender equality—except for one person: Calvin Evans. A brilliant, solitary, and Nobel-nominated scientist, Calvin falls in love with Elizabeth’s mind. The result? True chemistry.

But life, much like science, is unpredictable. A few years later, Elizabeth finds herself not only a single mother but also the unexpected star of America's favorite cooking show, Supper at Six. Her unconventional cooking methods ("combine one tablespoon of acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride") quickly revolutionize the culinary world. As her popularity grows, though, not everyone is thrilled. Because Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women how to cook—she’s challenging them to defy the status quo.

Filled with sharp humor, keen observations, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as unique and lively as its heroine.