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Book Club Night Kit
Lessons in Chemistry

Lessons in Chemistry

Bonnie Garmus
Funny night

A whip-smart 1960s chemist accidentally becomes America's most beloved (and most blunt) TV cooking show host. It is sharp, hilarious, and impossible not to quote.

Supper at Six(ish): A Very Funny Book Club

Bring your hot takes, your sharpest cardigan, and a healthy respect for dogs. Snacks, sass, and science await.

Reading level: Easy Pages: 464

Best for: Clubs that love a sharp-tongued heroine and laughing at the absurdity of the 1960s

Discussion

Warm-up

  1. 1.Hot take: Elizabeth Zott would absolutely thrive on TikTok, or would she rage-quit within a week?
  2. 2.Cast the movie (yes, we know it exists, ignore that): who plays Elizabeth, Calvin, and most importantly, Six-Thirty?

Digging in

  1. 1.Would you rather attend Elizabeth's cooking show LIVE or be her lab partner for a semester? Defend your chaos.
  2. 2.What is the most gloriously cringe behavior from a side character that you would put on a 'Worst Coworker of 1961' award plaque?
  3. 3.Rank these in order of how badly you want them in your kitchen: a Bunsen burner, Six-Thirty, Elizabeth's deadpan stare, a perfectly timed casserole.
  4. 4.If Six-Thirty wrote a tell-all memoir, what is the title and what is the opening line?

Going deep

  1. 1.Pitch the spinoff: which side character deserves their own show, and is it a sitcom, a courtroom drama, or a true crime podcast?
  2. 2.If Elizabeth Zott guest-hosted your favorite cooking competition today, who would she eviscerate first and what would she say?

On the table & to sip

To eat

Chemistry Class Cheese Board
Label every cheese with its 'chemical compound' name on tiny flags. Pretentious, delicious, on-theme.
Supper at Six Mini Casseroles
Tiny ramekins of the most retro casserole you can find. Bonus points for tater tots.
Six-Thirty's Good Dog Biscuits
Human-friendly shortbread shaped like dog bones. He deserves the honor.

To sip

The Zott Old Fashioned
A no-nonsense bourbon old fashioned for a no-nonsense heroine.
Hydrogen Bond Fizz
Prosecco with a splash of elderflower and a lemon twist. Pairs well with sarcasm.
H2-Oh-No Mocktail (no alcohol)
Sparkling water, grapefruit juice, rosemary sprig. Strictly non-alcoholic, strictly refreshing.

Run of show

7:00
Lab Doors Open
Greet guests with a Hydrogen Bond Fizz and a name tag styled like a periodic element.
7:15
Snack Lab
Graze the cheese board and mini casseroles while warming up with the icebreaker questions.
7:35
Supper at Six(ish)
Plate up casseroles. Host reads one Elizabeth-style 'cooking is chemistry' intro for fun.
8:00
Discussion Round
Work through theme questions. Encourage hot takes, no academic energy allowed.
8:40
Trivia and Casting Call
Run trivia, then let everyone pitch their dream movie cast.
9:10
Scorecard and Send-Off
Fill out scorecards, hand out bookmarks, toast Six-Thirty.

Host tips

  • Lean into the bit: a lab coat or a 60s apron sets the tone instantly.
  • Keep questions moving. If energy dips, jump to 'cast the movie' to spark debate.
  • Print snack labels with fake chemical formulas. Tiny effort, huge laughs.

Playlist

Mid-century cool with a wink, sassy strings and confident swagger

  1. 01 These Boots Are Made for Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra
  2. 02 Respect - Aretha Franklin
  3. 03 You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore
  4. 04 Fever - Peggy Lee
  5. 05 I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
  6. 06 Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
  7. 07 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
  8. 08 Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

Trivia

  1. 1.Who wrote Lessons in Chemistry? (Bonnie Garmus)
  2. 2.What year was the novel published? (2022)
  3. 3.In what decade is most of the novel set? (The 1960s)
  4. 4.What is the name of the protagonist's cooking show in the book? (Supper at Six)
  5. 5.What sport does Elizabeth take up in the book? (Rowing)
  6. 6.What is the name of the family dog? (Six-Thirty)
  7. 7.Was Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus's debut novel? (Yes)
  8. 8.What field is Elizabeth Zott trained in? (Chemistry)

Bookmarks

Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.

Lessons in Chemistry
Lessons in Chemistry
Lessons in Chemistry

Rate the book

Laughs per Chapter☆☆☆☆☆
Six-Thirty Charm Factor☆☆☆☆☆
Quotability☆☆☆☆☆
Cringe-Worthy Villains☆☆☆☆☆
Casserole Cravings☆☆☆☆☆
Funniest moment in three words: ______________________
Character I'd grab a drink with: ______________________
Best line I wish I'd said: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming

We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.