Book Notes | ‘Lessons in Chemistry’
Our book group broke a record: all 14 members enjoyed reading this month’s selection, Lessons in Chemistry, a story set in the late 1950s and 1960s. We liked the characters, especially the intrepid chemist Elizabeth Zott who stayed strong in spite of attempts to quash (and steal) her pioneering work and fought unwanted sexual advances.
When she landed work at the Hastings Research Institute, she and Nobel Prize winner Calvin Evans fell in love and lived together for two years. Mad, their daughter, was born after Calvin's quirky, accidental death.
Fired from Hastings, Elizabeth developed a lab in her kitchen. When offered a chance to host a TV show, "Supper at Six, " she did it her own way—teaching women chemistry as she cooked and raising her viewers' sense of self-worth. The show became wildly popular.
Some elements of the book felt implausible, but, as one member commented, "It's like opera, you just go with it." Our group liked Elizabeth's precocious daughter Mad, their thoughtful dog Six-Thirty, who learned hundreds of words, and the men who cared for Elizabeth.
One book club member said the novel reminds us of where we were; another said we must tell our stories to the next generation. We shared some real-life examples, remembering when women were excluded from the University of Minnesota Marching Band and the U's Campus Club. Other restrictions on women raised in our discussion included a married woman not being able to attend nursing school in 1957; a wife not able to buy a car without a signature from her husband or father.
One member was part of the Shyamala Rajender sexual discrimination case against the University of Minnesota 50 years ago and reminded us how that landmark lawsuit affected departments throughout the University.
I'd say Lessons in Chemistry is a “must read” book.
— Judy Helgen, UMRA Book Club I
Book Club I in September
Fri, Sep 15 2023, 2pm
Judy Helgen will lead the discussion of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 15.
Email Pat Tollefson for more information, including suggestions for starting a new book club.
Go to Book Notes to read summaries of the book club members' discussions.
Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have UMRA member and former Minnesota Landscape Arboretum director Peter Moe to lead this approximately 3.7-mile hike at the Arboretum on Monday, May 6. Plan to have lunch together after the hike at the Eatery café inside the Oswald Visitor Center.
This session will continue the discussion begun in the May 8, 2023 session. See that article for details.
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.