Author: Primo Levi
Plot:
Primo Levi is well known for two autobiographies: If This is Man, a story of existence in a Nazi concentration camp, and The Periodic Table. Levi was trained to the PhD level as a chemist, but he had no chemistry career like one might recognize today. I think perhaps 'Consultant Chemist' best describes the theme of the book - a wandering through a life of chemistry from job to job. Each chapter in The Periodic Table is called a different element and comes with a unique story. From serving as an analyst in a remote and dangerous mine to his student days in a laboratory with 100 bottles of unknown composition, Levi weaves a story of life through his craft.
Brian's Opinion:
I picked up a translation of The Periodic Table (the original being in Italian) after becoming enthralled from a single chapter read in class. As a chemist, the book's contents itself would have been interesting enough to me, but Levi's writing borders on the poetical and enriches the whole telling. I particularly liked one chapter in particular - a fictional tale (there are two) of an ancient miner searching for lead.
Who Would Like It:
Those who like chemistry history and those who love beautiful writing (if the English version is beautiful, then the Italian version must be even more so).
Il Sistema Periodico (Amazon paperback, Italian)
The Periodic Table
(Amazon paperback, translated by Raymond Rosenthal)
The Periodic Table
(Amazon paperback, translated by Raymond Rosenthal)
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