To control matter is to control the universe, mankind's dream since the discovery of fire brought him illumination. It's a quest that's never ceased to capture the collective imagination of millions of people through the ages, all contributing their own part to this shared endeavor.

But it's been more than just an external search, as Primo Levi shows us.

The premise of this collection, while simple, is rather unique. Each short story is named after a chemical element, and features characters or situations with the characteristics of said element, as well as the element itself. The stories are set against the backdrop of World War II, and the long shadow it casts on Levi's own life. The hardiness of Italy's Jewish community, the rapt curiosity of boyhood, the hopeful first flush of love, the horrors of war, the dogged struggle to stay alive...

Mirroring his own professional trade, Levi manages to transmute the raw elements of the craft of writing and storytelling into something so much more than a series of stories on chemicals. Each story explores a different facet of humanity and human nature, with Levi's own dreams featuring to highlight these explorations.

Levi's masterful writing, with its flourishes, and descriptions of brings out the magic he sees in the art of chemistry and how he sees human nature in similar terms. He manages to extract an entire host of emotions, dreams, and visions from the art of working with matter, and distill this mix to its very essence, as a mix of various elements in constant flux.

It's easy to see why this collection was named 'best science book ever'. Pick it up, and it will not disappoint.

There are many accounts both fiction and non fiction from the view points of Jews who lived during and survived those nightmarish years of WWII, but each, because they come from a different person, provide their own unique perspective.

This is true of Primo Levi's personal account in The Periodic Table. This story is Levi's memoir of his time before and after his time in Auschwitz. Each chapter gets its title from a different element from the Periodic table and each chapter describes how, as a chemist in his native Italy, he got work using that particular element and also his life as a Jew, which in the years leading up to his imprisonment, changed his status to an exile in his own country. Levi lived in the Piedmontese Jewish community as laws arose that outlawed his very existence as well as the existence of his communnity. He could no longer openly work as a Jew yet managed to work until he was transported to Auschwitz.

It was an interesting story, but also a little strange because he kept interweaving his work as a chemist with the different elements with the complicated relationships he had with his co-workers and also his friends. Much of it was rather surreal to me.

Nevertheless, I am glad I read it because it offered new insight as to how it would be to live in a country and to suddenly become a pariah, where a new reality arrived and people who had liked me, had been my friends, no longer knew me, out right rejected me, or in an act of profound courage, struggled to be my friend or hire me as an employee.

Levi wrote this in the 1960s, so we know that he survived those years and that he wrote this while looking back at a distant time, which may have allowed him to reflect with a greater emotional detachment than when he was just coming out of the Terror.

The autobiographical story of an Italian-Jewish scientist imprisoned as a chemistry lab worker at Auschwitz.

Each chapter is named for an element. Some chapters are essays and some are vignettes of people he knew and their careers in chemistry. They include two short stories about metal prospecting and mining with hints of fantasy. Most chapters are autobiographical and through these we learn a bit of the author's childhood and his boyish fascination with chemistry experiments which led to his college education and career as a chemist. We learn of his puppy loves and courtship, and his imprisonment in a labor camp during WW II.



There’s a lot about language derivation, especially of names. For example, the mixed Jewish/Piedmontese dialect in the fabric shops of the region around Turin gave Italy a lot of its fabric terms. And he worries that while he can speak it (Piedmontese is essentially a spoken language), it loses its authenticity from his book learning rather than native fluency. It’s fascinating to learn things such as 'urstoff' in German means element or primal substance.

Here’s a quote chemists will love: “…the nobility of Man, acquired in a hundred centuries of trial and error, lay in making himself the conqueror of matter.”

We even have a passage about fake news: “…how could he ignore the fact that the chemistry and physics on which we fed…were the antidote to Fascism…because they were clear and distinct and verifiable at every step, and not a tissue of lies and emptiness, like the radio and newspapers?”

Apparently fake news is a theme of the great Italian writers of this era because it reminds me of a related passage I quoted recently in my review of Italo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler: “We’re in a country where everything that can be falsified has been falsified: paintings in museums, gold ingots, bus tickets. The counterrevolution and the revolution fight with salvos of falsification: the result is that no one can be sure what is true and what is false, the political police simulate revolutionary actions and the revolutionaries disguise themselves as policemen.”

Occasionally there is a theme of chemical mixing and the mixing of Jewish and Christian cultures. The author was forced to work as a chemist in the Auschwitz labor camp. He later corresponded with his German supervisor at the camp. Several passages deal with the tense relationship between the Italian fascists and the Jews such as:

“…one could be polite, one could even help him [a Jew], and even boast (cautiously) about having helped him, but it was not advisable to have human relations with him, nor to compromise oneself too deeply, so as not to be forced later to offer understanding or compassion.”

Levi could not receive his college degree since awarding a degree to Jews was prohibited; nor could he initially get a job because "the racial laws forbade it.”

The author makes some humorous but nasty comments about librarians. With apologies to my many friends on GR who are librarians, here’s one passage:

“The librarian…presided over the library like a watchdog, one of those poor dogs that are deliberately made vicious by being chained up and given little to eat; or better, like the old, toothless cobra, pale because of centuries of darkness…she was small, without breasts or hips, waxen, wilted, and monstrously myopic…She gave the impression of never having been young, although she was certainly not more than thirty, and having been born there, in the shadows, in that vague odor of mildew and stale air…she stank of mothballs and looked constipated."

When the book was published in 1975 the Royal Science Institution of Great Britain called it the best science book ever written. No, I prefer Richard Feynman, but it’s very good. Translated from the Italian.



The author (1919 – 1987) was a writer and scientist; an Italian Jew who was imprisoned at Auschwitz. That experience informed this book, as well as his most-read work, Survival at Auschwitz. He was one of 650 Italian Jews imprisoned at Auschwitz and one of only 20 who survived.

Top photo: the chemical factory and laboratory, near the Auschwitz camp where Levi was enslaved by the Nazis. From Wikipedia
The author from chemistryworld.com

[Revised; pictures and shelves added 8/10/23]

Splendido. La passione e competenza chimica di Levi lo conduce a utilizzare alcuni elementi della tavola periodica a mo' di spunto (figurato o meno) per narrare un'autobiografia straordinaria. Felice e originale l'idea. Meravigliosa la narrazione, nella quale, a ogni riga, si coglie sentimento, passione, forza d'animo, l'indole tenace dell'autore. Sono brevi capitoli che esprimono il mistero della vita e la profondità dei rapporti, il desiderio di crescita, cambiamento, autorealizzazione, la gioia di una giovinezza spezzata troppo presto, che ha ritrovato nella testimonianza e nel lavoro la forza di riprendere il sentiero perduto.

Fantastic book about the horrors of life through the eyes of a Jewish chemist from Italy as a victim of the holocaust. Written in the most unassuming but utterly poignant way.

Rock-splittingly profound and deceptively simple, this collection of short pieces, both fiction and non-fiction, by Italian-Jewish author Primo Levi, former chemist, holocaust survivor, and brilliant litterateur, is a tour de force. It centers around the chemist's alchemical art, a masterful amalgam of science memoir and metaphor, equal parts matter and meaning.

“Идеални са само историите, които се разказват, не и онези, които се живеят.”

Клишето, че трудът е славно нещо, може би има някакво оправдание. Особено когато един дълбок и проницателен ум, съставен от равни части наука и литература, се захване да го остойности в писането си. Химикът с най-хубавите книги Примо Леви доказва на дело и в слово, че животът е химия не само в материалния, но и в метафизичния смисъл в “Периодичната система”, в която всяка отделна история носи името на химичен елемент.

Има един кратък епизод в биографията на Леви, едно житейско и донякъде професионално “прекъсване”, което при всеки друг писател вероятно би захранвало всичките му творби в терапевтичен опит да надговори демоните – когато е само двадесет и пет годишен, химикът попада в концлагера “Аушвиц”, откъдето е освободен година по-късно от войниците на Червената армия.

Затова и очаквах, че тази книга се върти около лагерните премеждия и чудодейното избавление, но вместо това те имат само епизодично място в “Периодичната система”. С жизненост, рядка и у далеч по-малко препатили, Примо Леви описва ежедневието на химика – безкрайната проза на рудата, с тук-таме жилки от професионално удовлетворение и много редките благородни проблясъци на откривателството.

Работа като всяка друга. Работа като на всеки човек. Нито твърде ужасна, нито покриваща се с представата за вълшебник в бяла престилка, който прелива някакви пушливи субстанции от колба в колба.

Защо тогава тези разкази за химични елементи (но не само) са толкова очарователни дори за тези от нас, които са на разстояние няколко бездни от науката? Отношението към нещата е това, което преобразява самите неща. То може да одухотвори и прашасал архив, ако в него свещенодейства някой, който вижда смисъл в това да сортира папки и го прави ако не с любов, то със съзнание за полезността на извършеното. Защо тогава във филтрирането и дестилирането да няма магия?

Можем ли да не вярваме в ентусиазма на човек, заставен да върши обратния вид рабо��а - принудителна, робска, безмислена и унизителна, която по циничните думи на нейните изобретатели е работа, която “освобождава”.

Забелязали ли сте, че всеки, който върши работата си с удоволствие, винаги намира някоя много сполучлива метафора, с която да я опише; винаги разполага със запас от чудни истории, които разказва сладкодумно на всеки, склонен да го изслуша. У Примо Леви има и от едното, и от другото. А неговите химични елементи са досущ като нас, хората – някои са по-ковки и лесно подлежат на обработка, други упорито не желаят да се свързват в съединения, трети дават неочаквани реакции.

Между другото, в “Периодичната система” става дума и за приятелство, любов, еврейски деди, неуспехи и фашизъм. Книгата твърде богата, за да бъде разказана отведнъж и осмислена само с едно четене.

Avevo questo libro sullo scaffale da un bel po' e l'avevo sistematicamente ignorato un po' perchè di Primo Levi già si sa abbastanza, un po' perchè non avevo capito bene in cosa consistesse questo Sistema periodico.

Ebbene, mi rimangio la parola: di Levi ci sono un sacco di dettagli che si possono sempre scoprire, e direi che questo è il libro migliore per farlo; una raccolta di racconti, tutti o quasi a sfondo autobiografico, accomunati dalla chimica, il mestiere cui Levi ha dedicato la sua vita (oltre che la scrittura, ovviamente).
Nella presente edizione vi è anche l'intervista di Philip Roth a Primo Levi, estremamente interessante.

Si ripercorre un po' tutta la vita dell'autore, dalla gioventù alla Laurea in Chimica, da Auschwitz al ritorno alla normalità nel dopoguerra, e la carriera di chimico/scrittore.
La questione Olocausto fa solo qualche sporadica comparsa perchè, citando Levi, "se ne è già discusso abbastanza altrove"; ciononostante si avverte come quasi ogni episodio della sua vita sia legato a quella questione in un modo o nell'altro (e ci mancherebbe, direi).
Molto significativo è il racconto "Vanadio" a tal proposito.

Per concludere, c'è una sottile ironia nello stile dell'autore che rende la lettura deliziosa.

Le cose indispensabili, per il Levi 23enne, nel trasferimento dalle Cave (Nichel) a Milano (Fosforo): la bicicletta, Rabelais, le Macaroneae, Moby Dick tradotto da Pavese ed altri pochi libri, la piccozza, la corda da roccia, il regolo logaritmico e un flauto dolce.

Che io chimico, intento a scrivere qui le mie cose di chimico, abbia vissuto una stagione diversa, è stato raccontato altrove.
A distanza di trent’anni, mi riesce difficile ricostruire quale sorta di esemplare umano corrispondesse, nel novembre 1944, al mio nome, o meglio al mio numero 174517.

Avvenne che il giorno seguente il destino mi riserbasse un dono diverso ed unico: l’incontro con una donna, giovane e di carne e d’ossa, calda contro il mio fianco attraverso i cappotti, allegra in mezzo alla nebbia umida dei viali, paziente sapiente e sicura mentre camminavamo per le strade ancora fiancheggiate di macerie. In poche ore sapemmo di appartenerci, non per un incontro, ma per la vita, come infatti è stato.

E poi, dalla nota biografica, quella frase di Levi che ogni volta mi lascia senza parole:
«Devo dire che l’esperienza di Auschwitz è stata tale per me da spazzare qualsiasi resto di educazione religiosa che pure ho avuto... C’è Auschwitz, quindi non può esserci Dio. Non trovo una soluzione al dilemma. La cerco, ma non la trovo»

[78/100]

A series of 21 short stories based on chemical elements and events or people from the author’s own life. Chronologically, Levi wends his way through school and chemistry training, trying to make a living before and after WW2, and his year as a prisoner in an Auschwitz satellite camp (which he covered beautifully in If This is a Man, which was published years before this work). Unique, engaging, ethereal and humanistic, I loved every story, but Iron and Carbon especially. In Vanadium, he comes across one of the Germans who ran the lab where he worked in the forced labor camp, as part of a regular business transaction years later. They exchange correspondence (though they didn't meet again). Breathtaking.

Chosen as one of the best books in science in the 20th century, it’s so much more. One of the witness voices that everyone should hear. Highly recommended.

Letto come audiolibro durante l’ennesimo trasloco, si merita una ma anche cento riletture. Così lucido, arguto, profondo, ironico che non riesco a mettere a parole come mi ha fatta sentire.

Πριν ξεκινήσω να μιλάω για αυτό το βιβλίο θα ήθελα να επισημάνω κάτι.
Λατρεύω τις εκδόσεις Καστανιώτη. Σχεδόν ότι έχω διαβάσει απο τις εκδόσεις τους είτε μου έχει αρέσει, είτε μου έχει αρέσει πάρα πολύ. Πείτε με ρηχό αλλά παρόλο που δεν κρίνω τα βιβλία απο το εξώφυλλο τους, μου αρέσουν οι καλές εκδόσεις και οι προσεγμένες μεταφράσεις/επιμέλειες των κειμένων. Οι δε επετειακές εκδόσεις συγκεκριμένων έργων, όπως αυτή που διάβασα απλά επιβεβαιώνουν α) την αξία των ελληνικών εκδόσεων και μεταφράσεων και β) αφήνουν μια καλή παρακαταθήκη για την βιβλιοθήκη.
Και αφου τελείωσα με αυτήν την ερωτική επιστολή/απλήρωτη διαφήμιση στις Εκδόσεις Καστανιώτη, καιρός να μπούμε στο δια ταύτα. Με τον Primo Levi δεν είχα ιδιαίτερη επαφή μέχρι στιγμής. Ξέρω ποιός είναι ξέρω, τι έχει κάνει, τι έχει περάσει και τι έχει γράψει. Αφορμή για να πιάσω το Περιοδικό Σύστημα στα χέρια μου ήταν το γεγονός πως ήθελα να διαβάσω κάτι μεταξύ μυθιστορήματος και βιογραφίας και ο Λέβι καταφέρνει να κάνει ακριβώς αυτό. Μέσα απο την ιδιότητα του ως χημικός, ο Λέβι μας εισάγει στον κόσμο της χημείας με στόχο να δείξει την σχέση του ανθρώπου με την ύλη, με την τελευταία να αναγάγεται στον πρωταγωνιστή του έργου. κάθε κεφάλαιο αφορά ένα χημικό στοιχείο και μια ιστορία γύρω απο αυτό, δημιουργώντας μια συμπαγή και καλώς ρεούμενη αφήγηση με εξαίρεση 1-2 κεφάλαια που δεν κατάλαβα και πολλά.
Το μήνυμα όμως πέρασε, ο παραλήπτης το έλαβε και όλα καλά. Απλά αυτό, δεν υπήρξε ενθουσιασμός. Θα μπορούσε να υπάρξει ενθουσιασμός; Δεν ξέρω. Μπορεί να φταίει το ότι η χημεία μου είναι σκουριασμένη γενικά. Σίγουρα δεν απογητεύτηκα και σίγουρα θα ξαναδιαβάσω Λέβι.