This episode was made possible in part by Live2Row Studios, Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Patrons.

Bonnie Garmus was a competitive masters rower for years before an offhand comment during a business meeting prompted her to begin writing her debut novel, "Lessons in Chemistry," which was adapted into an Apple TV+ series.

Everyone wants to talk with Bonnie about the book’s main character, Elizabeth Zott, but we turned the table to ask Bonnie about the role rowing plays in her life – and her book – which has been on the New York Times bestseller list for nearly 100 weeks.

EPISODE GUEST
Bonnie Garmus
IG & Threads: @bonnie_garmus_author

QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode lead-in and intro
03:04 - The Huddle: Get to know Bonnie Garmus
03:35 - Rowing Week: erging
05:15 - Meeting the Queen 
07:26 - Hot Seat Q&A
08:38 - Cold open water swimming as a kid with her Dad
11:42 - Learning to row at Green Lake Rowing Club in Seattle
15:08 - Feeling a boat pick up and go for the first time
17:34 - Tara explains “the rower life cycle”
19:33 - How rowing effected Bonnie’s life
22:50 - Rowing as a character in "Lessons in Chemistry"
22:46 - Rowing as a hardship for Elizabeth to handle 
29:14 - Was any of the book’s rowing based on Bonnie’s personal experience?
30:11 - What Bonnie really thinks about the Apple TV+ adaptation of "Lessons in Chemistry"
32:34 - Learning to never quit
33:19 - About that other book adapted for screen: "Boys in the Boat"
39:01 - SSN events and initiatives

EPISODE Mentions

AUTHORS / WRITERS
Charles Dickens
Bonnie Garmus
Susanna Grant
Rachel Joyce
Barbara Kingsolver

BOAT BUILDER
George Pocock

CAMP
Live2Row Studios

CLUBS
Green Lake Crew
Mount Baker Rowing Club
Pocock Rowing Club
Salt Sprint Island Rowing Club

EQUIPMENT
Pocock Racing Shells
Wintech Racing

FOUNDATIONS
George Pocock Rowing Foundation

MOVIES & TV SHOWS
Boys in the Boat
Lessons in Chemistry

MUSEUMS
MOHAI

REGATTAS 
Head of the Charles
Henley Royal Regatta
Race Around the Rock

RESOURCES
The Queen’s Reading Room

ROWERS
Jill MacCorkle
Sean MacCorkle

UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS
University of Washington

This episode was written, produced, hosted, and edited by Tara Morgan and Rachel Freedman. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.