We are glad to announce that the next book for the Italian Book Club in Mumbai is The Periodic Table/ Il Sistema Periodico by Primo Levi.
The Periodic Table, published in 1975, is a semi-autobiographical work that uses the elements of the periodic table as a metaphorical framework to explore various elements of Levi’s life and the world around him. Consisting of 21 short stories, each possessing the name of a chemical element, the collection tells of the author’s experiences as a Jewish-Italian chemist before, during, and after Auschwitz in luminous, clear, and unfailingly beautiful prose. Levi offers fiction, non-fiction, allegory and reality wrapped in a metaphor of chemistry to bring us a layered vision of his resilience in the face of adversity.
Primo Levi (1919-1987) was an Italian author and chemist. He pursued a career in chemistry, and spent the early years World War II as a research chemist in Milan. Upon the German invasion of northern Italy, Levi, an Italian Jew, joined an anti-fascist group and was captured and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. He was able to survive the camp, due in part to his value to the Nazis as a chemist. After the war ended, Levi did chemistry work in a Turin paint factory while beginning his writing career. His first book, If This Is a Man was published in 1947 and its sequel, The Truce came out in 1958. These two books recount Levi’s story of surviving concentration camp life. Levi also published poetry, short stories, and novels, some under the pen name Damiano Malabaila. His 1975, largely autobiographical work, The Periodic Table, cemented his world fame.
Date and Venue:
Wednesday January 29th | Title Waves Bookstore, Bandra
Timing: 6.30 pm
The book may be read in the Italian original or in the English translation available.
Join the Book Club with the one-year Membership Card: token fee 200 INR