Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. Bonnie Garmes' debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry,

is getting lots of praise right now. It got rave reviews in the New York Times and Washington Post,

and is being recommended by folks on the morning talk shows. She talked with NPR Scott Simon

recently about writing the book, and she mentioned this thing about how the book's main character, Elizabeth Zott, has been living in her head for a long time now and was actually a minor character in some other book Garmus had shelved years ago.

But when Garmus was having a rough day at her job, she'd come home at night and talk to her, find out more about

her. It's one of those stories that makes you think about that novel you've got tucked away,

maybe in some random miscellaneous folder on your desktop or just like tucked away on the shelf

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Elizabeth Zod is a chemist who hosts a cooking show because of the early 1960s.

And sexism, double standards, outright assault, scientific theft and discrimination,

all keep her from working as an actual scientist. But her TV show, supper at six,

and what she calls vinegar and salt, acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride becomes a huge hit

in Bonnie Garmus's debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, and Bonnie Garmus, who's been a copywriter, creative director, and Open Water Swimmer joins us now from London.

Thanks so much for being with us.

Oh, thank you, Scott. I'm thrilled to be here.

Tell us about Elizabeth Sought in the early 1960s.

She, and so much of your book, is absolutely chemistry.

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