Welcome to Litsy!

Six-Thirty is love!

I love a book about feminism so no surprise I loved this book!

I get the hype, y'all. The narration in this was so fresh, and I just adored Elizabeth and Mad's story. What a slice of 1960s life and all its frustrations. But it's not a downer! Highly recommend. #historicalfiction

May was so busy that I never posted my tbr pile or many reviews. I did still manage to read 3 books. How, I‘ll never know, but it‘s a testament to how good all 3 of these books were!

🗝️ The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King for the #MonthlyKeyWordGXO challenge

🧪 Lessons in Chemistry by #BonnieGarmus for #BookClub

📚 Becoming by Michelle Obama for another book club

Excellent month of reading!

Read in May for my virtual foodie book club & I was afraid it wouldn‘t hold up to the hype but I truly lived this book & it will be on my favorites for the year. Witty & humorous but with darker themes of misogyny, sexual assault, death & grief. I loved Elizabeth Zott as a character-a strong & intelligent woman who knows her mind. The supporting characters of her found family were great, especially Six-Thirty. ❤️🐕 I took a spinach casserole ⬇️

I wasn‘t exactly avoiding this book; I just wasn‘t interested. A reader I respect loaned me her copy, so I felt obligated. I‘m glad I did. Delightful. Also, as a life-long domestic scientist, I‘ve done loads of experiments. They aren‘t fun & often fail, but I understand EZ‘s approach to life.

https://youtu.be/QOu7UOXHSsc

I had no idea! Can‘t wait 🔬🧪🌡️

Image from google

How did I miss this?? 📺

https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2023/04/apple-tv-unveils-first-look-teaser-for-...

#page2screen

I loved this, which is odd for someone who loves character development. There's no development here, Elizabeth Zott is the same woman on page one as she on the last and it's perfect!

Also love the grief representation, its not poked or prodded, it's just there, from beginning to end , carried daily as so many of us do every day.

Loved loved loved this book!

I know I am in the minority because everyone seems to love this book, but I would have stopped reading if it wasn‘t a book club pick. It was easy to read, but preposterous and eye-roll inducing. I think it did have some interesting ideas, but I felt it was just clunky and full of characters who were either saints or villains…and, hey, I am all for more stories about women in STEM careers but I didn‘t believe any of this.

This is not a perfect novel, but it is heart warming, particularly in its emphasis on the right to the pursuit of happiness. 😊 On reread it is just as engaging!

Loads of snort worthy humor amongst serious themes. I was going to say something critical about the cover art for the American & UK editions, but on second thought it reflects a lesson about prejudice, as in prejudging based on appearances. Something E.Z. knows all too well.

For those of you who have read this…..laugh out loud! Those pesky precocious kindergarteners.

I‘m picking up far more of the humor and sarcasm this time around.
😆

Lazybones evening. Yeah, she‘s got her own down duvet, the sneaky doggo. 🙄

Thought this was going to be a romance - it is NOT! There is a romantic plotline, but that is not the arc of the book. It's a fascinating look at discrimination and sexism with some very hard moments. There's also strong through-lines about the importance of community and support (and how to build it when it's not found easily). A fun story about sometimes hard things told with humor and grace.

Reread for work book club. 😁 Enjoying it in print this time around.

Adding to the chorus in loving this. Very readable with a brilliant protagonist- how could you not admire Elizabeth Zott! I‘m reading a couple of books at the moment that make me think although we‘ve come a long way from this era, not far enough.

Based on the cover art, and the description of this as "laugh out loud" funny, I was expecting this to be a light hearted story. Instead, this is quite depressing. Elizabeth encounters such misogynistic attitudes from the men around her. And there is a rape scene early on. This book is not for me.

Bailed

A throughly engaging read — a starkly honest look at what it meant to be female in America in the 1950s-60s (and still in many ways), a heartfelt and lovely romance, a story of loneliness, friendship, and found family — this book covered a lot of ground and all of it well. Difficult to read at times and infuriating to read as a woman, yet also empathetic and unique. I‘ll be looking out for more from Bonnie Garmus…

This was a good story ,it‘s easy to forget how far women have come in society, really good messages and a nice ending just a little too long!

Definitely 👍 a good read!!!

One from the borrowed books pile this time around…very curious about this one as I‘ve had mixed reviews from pals. Deviation from my fantasy kick!

This was such a good book! I want to say cute, which is true, but it was so much more as well. Six Thirty was my favorite 😹 Great read, uplifting, funny, at times infuriating, heartfelt and witty.
⭐️: 4/5

Tackle the TBR 🤓📚
#boleybooks #lessonsinchemistry #bonniegarmus #bookbeast #bookjoy #bookbuds #bookchat
What are you reading? 😊

Last night‘s 📖 club was at a member‘s gorgeous, eclectic & colourful 🏠. It was warm enough to be outside some what rugged up. Our other 📕 was Still Life by Sarah Winman. I ❤️ that a character in both 📚 was an animal. Claude 🦜 was hilarious & I want Six thirty to be my 🐕 . We ate 🐓 🍜 & sweet 🍞 from a fantastic local bakery. Dessert was brownies, macarons & melting moments. I was 😢 when it was time to go 🏡. I‘m the 1 in the dark 🧥.

My Jack is as smart as six thirty. Now that is stated, we can discuss the book. It wasn‘t on my radar at all until I received it on my #auldlangspine list. By the time I got to it, it‘s everywhere. I enjoyed the first half and it‘s quick pace. Humor despite the tragedy. Plucky. But I wasn‘t seeing all the hype. By the end I was in love. I still have more to enjoy. Gamus is speaking in Dallas tomorrow and I have tickets, then book club #dogsoflitsy

Don‘t let the fun cover fool you! It deals with many series topics. This book is a gem and I‘m sad it ended! What do you do when you are a successful, intelligent, attractive woman in the 60‘s and the cards are stacked against you? Elizabeth Zott is many things; a single mom, a chemist, a tv show personality, and a rower. She‘s everything society at that time disapproves of for women, especially men!

Women should be housewives, should not have careers, should be subservient to their husbands, should be paid less than men. No, this is not the Republican party platform for 2024,but rather 1960 and Elizabeth Zott,our protagonist,is a hero.

While much has changed, equality is still a daily struggle even in 2023. As for the story itself, great quirky and clever characters, with a funny and profoundly moving narrative. And the dog...loved the dog!

“Whenever you start doubting yourself, whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change and change is what we're chemically designed to do.”

My first bloom 🌸 finishing this one today and I‘m pretty sure I will have a book hangover.

Join us for the next buddy read on fable with @MicrobeMom moderating!

Link in the comments 👇🏻

“Imagine if all men took women seriously. Education would change. The workforce would revolutionize.” True & sadly women are still fighting for equal pay & being able to occupy the same spaces as men (not to mention that it‘s even worse for disabled & women of color). My husband‘s a scientist & says that labs in academics can get extra money if they hire more women scientists (which most of his bosses have always been women). This was a quick

This has been one of the best books I‘ve read in a while! I love all of the characters especially the dog Six-thirty!! I don‘t want it to end!! 🧡🧡🧡

Waiting for a root canal 😫😢🥺🦷 I‘ve never had one!!

“Courage is the root of change—and change is what we‘re chemically designed to do.” 🧡

#MayMontage
#ScienceRelated

If you haven‘t read this, you should!!

Root canal for me tomorrow 😫🦷

You should check out Stacey‘s @MicrobeMom book club on Fable! We are reading the tagged book and it is fabulous! Join us and vote for what we read next!!

Check out Prof. Stacey‘s TBR Book Club on Fable! We‘re reading Lessons in Chemistry. Join us!
https://fable.co/club/prof-staceys-tbr-book-club-with-stacey-lettini-33812063356...

I enjoyed the quirkiness of Elizabeth and can see how the novel is empowering to women, but found much of the plot too unbelievable with all the coincidences that connected the characters. An okay read but not life changing.

I don't know how I feel about this book. I enjoyed the feminist look into women's role in the 50' and 60's and seeing the relationship to current society. I loved Six - Thirty. I kept reading because of him. But I found connections to the other characters were difficult. But then, I wonder if this was an actual brilliant move of the author ... I thought the book was a bit long in the storytelling . I personally think it could of ended sooner .

Wow, this was amazing! I loved the unique range of emotions in this book. It was funny, quirky, and very touching. Great character development and such a wonderful story arc. Definitely a five star read and can‘t wait to see what‘s next from this author!

First goal achieved: finished for the #magnificentmay readathon

@Andrew65

I‘m joining the #magnificentmay readathon beginning today! My goals for the next nine days are:

📚 finish Lessons in Chemistry (loving this one!)
📚 read 5 other books
📚 keep track of hours for fun

Cheers @Andrew65 🙃

Whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change - and change is what we're chemically designed to do. So when you wake up tomorrow, make this pledge. No more holding yourself back. No more subscribing to others' opinions of what you can and cannot achieve. And no more allowing anyone to pigeonhole you into useless categories of sex, race, economic status, and religion. Do not allow your talents to lie dormant, ladies.”

#MayMontage @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Sun/SunglassesOnCover

This is a very soft pick for me. I wasn‘t sure how I‘d feel about it considering the hype and that it‘s not my genre, but I‘d say overall my feelings are positive. It‘s quippy and has a lot of heart, and Six-Thirty was my absolute favorite character. However, I do think this book suffers from telling, not showing, particularly with Elizabeth‘s character, and sometimes narration read a little too 21st century. My IRL book club has lots to discuss.

Scientist Elizabeth Zott faces #PowerandCorruption in the lab and the TV industry in the 1950s & 60s as men take credit for her work and threaten her attempts to change the status quo. Almost finished with this #LMPBC selection chosen by @shellleigh33. Thank you! Loving it! I'll send it out tomorrow @smalldogs_bigbooks2419 #ThemedThursday @dabbe

Out to breakfast again before ballet on this beautiful Saturday morning. Rain‘s coming! Op shopping after then to the pub to watch dad‘s horse race and Smashing Pumpkins and Jane‘s Addiction concert tonight! The support act is Amyl and the Sniffers who I have wanted to see for ages! I‘m reading this for my Stockton Mother‘s Book Club. Liking it enough to watch the series. I did find the rape scene out of character with the rest of the book though

Infuriating 🤬 Sooooo inappropriate!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ So-So.🤷🏼‍♀️

My MIL gave this to me, so I read it. I would have never picked this up on my own. Or, more truthfully, I might have picked it up, but I would have definitely put it back down & bought another book.

I like strong, unapologetic female characters who stand up to the patriarchy. I like women who pursue their dreams & help other women. But I didn't love how it was packaged. It wasn't my jam.
(Cont. In comments)

“Sometimes I think," she said slowly, "that if a man were to spend a day being a woman in America, he wouldn't make it past noon.”

Loving this book!! Appointment with neurologist today. ????

#LitsyLoveReads

Back at pt today! We got some scores and he is definitely improving!! Thank you all for your continued support!

This book… if you haven‘t read it you should!! I‘m only on chapter 14, but I can tell it will be one of my all time favorites!! 🧪🔬🧡

I‘ve got to catch up on this one today for our buddy read!! 🧡🔬🧪

Fantastic coming of age novel about a woman chemist in the 50s/60s. An intellectual single mother raising her daughter in a world where that‘s against the grain. The main character pushes boundaries and is quite thoughtful and funny throughout the novel. Powerful yet light hearted, definitely don‘t want to miss this one!

I cannot even begin to express how much I loved this book! It was a great storyline and I loved Elizabeth Zott. It wasn't until the Q&A at the end that I realized this book is from a debute author. I cannot wait to see what Garmus writes next.

Started off and interesting, well written novel but by the end-wow! Such a powerful book. I‘m very nervous though about the new show- 🙏🏼 don‘t ruin it🙏🏼