Barnes & Noble booksellers have named the funny, historical fiction novel Lessons in Chemistry as the 2022 Book of the Year. Beating ten other finalists, Lessons in Chemistry is the debut novel of author Bonnie Garmus.
Every year, B&N booksellers across the company vote on the books they’ve been most proud to sell to fellow readers. This year’s finalists included bestselling author R.F. Kuang’s Babel: An Arcane History, T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead, and Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Check out the full list of finalists below:
- Babel: Or, The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
- The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen
- What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
- Ice Cold: A Hip-Hip Jewelry History by Vikki Tobak
- Apollo Remastered: The Ultimate Photographic Record by Andy Saunders
- Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin’ in New Orleans by Mason Hereford & JJ Goode
- An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden World Around Us by Ed Yong
- Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
In 1960s California, scientist Elizabeth Zott finds herself as the reluctant host of a TV cooking show. Though her approach to cooking is unconventional (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”), her show quickly develops a following.
Zott’s show is revolutionary — she’s not just teaching women to cook, she’s daring them to challenge and change the status quo.
Hilarious, observant, and sensational, Lessons in Chemistry is a novel you won’t want to put down. Between the social commentary and bright cast of characters, you’re sure to find something to love in Barnes & Noble’s 2022 Book of the Year.
Look out for the upcoming adaptation from Apple TV+
Earlier this year, Apple TV+ unveiled a first look at the novel’s upcoming series adaptation starring and executive produced by Academy Award winner Brie Larson. No official premiere date has been announced, but fans can expect the series to begin streaming sometime in 2023. The series also stars Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick), Aja Naomi King (How to Get Away With Murder), and Stephanie Koenig (The Flight Attendant).
Apple TV+ is no stranger to adapting popular books. The streaming platform is also home to adaptations of Mick Herron’s British spy series, Slow Horses, starring Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden, and Lauren Beukes’ The Shining Girls, starring Elisabeth Moss and Wagner Moura.
Garmus’ Lessons in Chemistry joins the ranks of previous B&N Book of the Year winners like 2020’s World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Paul McCartney’s The Lyrics in 2021.
We love Lessons in Chemistry, but we highly recommend you also check out the other fantastic books recognized this year — they were chosen for a reason! Stay tuned for more updates on the Apple TV+ adaption of Lessons in Chemistry, as well as updates on Slow Horses‘ upcoming second season.
