PERIODIC TABLE, THE

(BookJacketStatus:Jacketed)ThePeriodicTableislargelyamemoiroftheyearsbeforeandafterPrimoLevi’stransportationfromhisnativeItalytoAuschwitzasananti-FacistpartisanandaJew.Itrecounts,inclear,precise,unfailinglybeautifulprose,thestoryofthePiedmonteseJewishcommunityfromwhichLevicame,ofhisyearsasastudentandyoungchemistattheinceptionoftheSecondWorldWar,andofhisinvestigationsintothenatureofthematerialworld.Assuch,itprovidescruciallinksandbackgrounds,bothpersonalandintellectual,inthetremendousprojectofremembrancethatisLevi’sgifttoposterity.ButfarfrombeingaprologuetohisexperienceoftheHolocaust,Levi’smasterpiecerepresentshismostimpassionedresponsetotheeventsthatengulfedhim.ThePeriodicTablecelebratesthepleasuresofloveandfriendshipandthesearchformeaning,andstandsasamonumenttothosethingsinusthatarecapableofresistingandenduringinthefaceoftyranny.FromtheHardcoveredition.