IF you’ve spent any time in a bookshop recently, you’ll no doubt recognise the brightly coloured cover of Bonnie Garmus’s debut novel.
Set in the 1950s and 1960s, Lessons in Chemistry is about a brilliant chemist, Elizabeth Zott, who very reluctantly becomes the host of a daytime TV cooking show when her scientific career is put on hold by workplace misogyny. The producers had a plan: Elizabeth was supposed to don a tight dress, smile and read the cue cards while she demonstrated recipes in her doilied, dolled-up TV kitchen. But instead of teaching run-of-the mill cooking, Elizabeth teaches chemistry, weaving in messages of personal empowerment and giving the ‘average Jane’ housewives at home more credit than they are used to getting. ‘It is my experience that far too many people do not appreciate the work and sacrifice that goes into being a wife, a mother, a woman. Well, I am not one of them. At the end of our 30 minutes together, we will have done something worth doing. We will have created something that will not go unnoticed. We will have made dinner. And it will matter.’
The book was a smash hit from the get-go, sparking a 16-way bidding war among publishers before it was snapped up by Doubleday. It has been translated into 40 languages, and it is sitting atop The New York Times best-selling hardback fiction list (at the time of going to press), where it has been for 45 weeks. There is also an Apple TV+ show in the works, starring Oscar-winner and Marvel star Brie Larson.
Bu hikaye Fairlady dergisinin May/June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Fairlady dergisinin May/June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
'DESIRE IS NOT WHAT MATTERS'
Emily Nagoski wrote the book on women and desire - literally. And then her own sex life dried up. Here's what a prolonged sex drought (and a load of research) taught her about maintaining intimacy in a long-term relationship.
'We have to tell HARD STORIES'
Theatre director and playwright Yaël Farber is spending time in South Africa after her critically acclaimed run of King Lear at the Almeida Theatre in London. We chatted to her about the importance of the pursuit of truth.
THE WHY, THE WHICH & the wardrobe
We really got into it this month! Read on for more on the allure of a loosey-goosey jumpsuit, vintage-hunting and jingle-jangling jewellery, the best places to find quality African design and short-girl styling tips.
LIFT your GAME
Thought weightlifting was just for bodybuilders and powerlifters? Not so. In fact, 'lifting heavy shit' may be the secret to longevity, hormone regulation and mood for women through perimenopause and beyond.
TREATMENT PLAN ON YOUR MARKS
Armed with a six-month programme from Dr Nerina Wilkinson + Associates, Jennifer Morin set about tackling her sun damage and melasma.
PLAYING YOUR CARDS RIGHT
Here's how to get the most out of loyalty cards.
BIG SKY Country
Namibia. Twelve friends, five vehicles, 4000 km, thirteen days. Eight punctures, one angle grinder. One martial eagle, one full moon, one ghost town. Plenty of top-quality braais, maybe not quite enough oysters... and the best time ever.
IS YOUR HOME MAKING YOU SICK?
Leaks, damp and poor ventilation in old or poorly built new homes are being fingered for a growing health concern: mould.
HOW TO REALLY GET TO KNOW SOMEONE
The Korean word 'nunchi' describes 'the ability to be sensitive to other people's moods and thoughts'. It's an underrated skill that we seem to have lost.
How to write a memoir
Whether you want to share your experiences and insights with the world, leave a legacy or track pivotal experiences for yourself, writing your memoir can be a grand and worthwhile adventure. Here's some advice on how and where to begin.