I just finished Primo Levi's 'The Periodic Table' - stories of fascist Italy, the Holocaust and the aftermath told in relation to each element - ie, Hydrogen is the story of Levi when he is young and discovering chemistry, Argon is his description of the Piedmontese Jews and their sense of 'otherness' from the rest of Piedmontese society. Beautifully written and excellent for anyone with an interest in Chemistry