The author, an Italian Jew who trained as an industrial chemist, was captured as a member of the Italian resistance movement in the Second World War and survived Auschwitz. Levi started writing after his release, and all his works reflect these experiences, his faith, and the reconciliation of his guilt at being among the very few who survived.
The Periodic Table consists of 21 extraordinary writings named after the chemical elements. This is an eclectic mixture of memories, essays and short stories. They are presented in chronological order of the author's life. Each elemental name has a physical or symbolic connection to the piece itself. For example, in “Argon”, Levi writes of his Jewish ancestry, while in “Nickel he muses about a mine and the value of the ore. Each is a precious jewel of literature and together they explore and teach the eternal truths of life. A novel not to be missed.
