Hmm… where do I even begin? I first heard about this book sometime last year, and I knew I wanted to read it. But my husband suggested we watch the series. I wanted to read it first. But, well… a long weekend came along, and I gave in. We binged the Apple TV series. I loved every bit of it. And yet, I longed to read the book. I held off, though. Because honestly, when you’ve just watched a screen adaptation, sometimes it’s better to take a little time before diving into the book. Give yourself time to forget the visuals, let the story settle… so you can relish the book completely.
This year, I spotted the book at my library. As I read, I couldn’t help but picture the characters just as they were in the show. But the book still won me over. It made me appreciate the story all over again. I loved the book so much, and with that bright, colourful cover, it deserved a photoshoot to match! So off we went on another long weekend adventure to Mainau Island in Konstanz. I even created a little reel to capture the beauty of both the book and the place—check it out!
It’s the 1960s. And Elizabeth Zott? No one takes her seriously as a scientist. She’s stuck in a world where men run the labs, make the rules, and decide who gets to be smart. The general attitude? Women can type, maybe take notes… but actual research? That’s strictly a man’s job.
But Elizabeth is brilliant. Focused. Determined. And even though people around her can see it, they choose to ignore her, or worse, use her. Then Calvin Evans comes along. He sees her for who she is. He gets her. He believes in her, loves her mind. And for a while, it seems like things might fall into place. But then life has other plans.
There’s her little girl, wise beyond her years. And then—my favorite—the dog! His name? Honestly, I’d never heard a dog called that before, but I thought it was brilliant. There are even chapters told from his perspective, which was such a fun surprise. There are lots of other characters in the book who are part of the story—some you want to root for, others you want to hate—but all in all, they feel very real.
And then there’s the cooking show. Except, is she really cooking? Or is she secretly teaching science? Teaching women to think bigger, dream louder, and believe in themselves? There’s so much more I could say—but really, read it to find out yourself.
I loved every single chapter. I probably made more highlights in this book than I have in any fiction I’ve read in ages. I’ll need another blog post to share all my favorite highlights and notes from this book—that’s definitely for my journal. But there’s one quote from the book that will stay with me forever:
“Whenever you start doubting yourself,” she said, turning back to the audience, “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. Design your own future. When you go home today, ask yourself what you will change. And then get started.”
When my girls are ready, I will watch the series with them—or suggest they read this book! Without a doubt, an inspiring read.
