August TIOLI #10 – Periodic Table Elements

Here's the thread for TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book with an element of the Periodic Table in the title.

A list of the elements can be found here.

A quick list of the elements that I think are most likely to turn up in titles is: arsenic, carbon, copper, gold, iron, lead, mercury, neon, nickel, oxygen, silver and tin. There are many, many more!

Please feel free to post suggestions or recommendations. Thanks!

Want to head back to TIOLI August main thread? Click here.

A great challenge, I've already entered a book that has been lingering on my shelves, Rommel's Gold by Maggie Davis.

Excellent! I've never heard of Rommel's Gold -- missing Nazi gold / adventure novel, right? I'll look forward to hearing about it when your finished.

I've added Empire of Black and Gold as a shared read after picking it up in the kindle sale last earlier this month. What an unusual challenge Dejah!

>4 souloftherose:

I thought I remembered that you were planning to read Empire of Black and Gold sometime soon -- I hope we both enjoy it!

I picked the challenge mainly because it worked for so many books I wanted to read sooner rather than later. I hope it works out that way for other readers, too. I keep feeling tempted, though, to go find books with some of the rarer elements in the title...of course, since most of those are textbooks/hardcore academic I don't actually want to read them!

I'm determined only to add books that I really really want to read from my tbr pile to the TIOLI this month so am delighted that I can finally find a spot for Uri Orlev's The Lead Soldiers which I've been wanting to read for simply ages. I'm sure I'll find some others as well.

Just out of interest would you accept The Periodic Table by Primo Levi?

>6 avatiakh:

I was hoping someone would come up with a lead title -- I'm glad it fits.

The Periodic Table doesn't work -- but, if you want to read it this month, I'll join you on cyderry's Challenge #8 -- read with a friend. How can I pass up a book that is not only the best science book ever (or so I've read) but that also is such a great companion to my challenge?

Let me know!

Ok, I'll have to look for my copy but would like to read another of his books and I've also heard that it's really good.

Great -- I'll go post us both to the wiki.

I've just placed Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand on my library's hold list. I'm 8th in line. Ugh! Hopefully, it will get to me in time.

I noticed Quicksilver on the list. It works for silver, but it's also an old name for mercury.

The Periodic Table by Primo Levi is a fabulous book. Each of the chapter headings is an element of the table, and the ending is the best one I've ever read.

>10 Carmenere: It was nice of you to find a book to fit the Challenge. I know what it's like to be on the library waiting list, so I hope Silver Girl gets to you soon.

>11 humouress: I hadn't thought about the quicksilver / mercury connection -- but there are actually two books on the wiki for mercury, so it's covered either way. Thanks for the thought, though.

>12 millhold: I'm really looking forward to The Periodic Table; I keep hearing great things about it. I guess I should have included books about the Periodic Table in the Challenge, but I'm glad it fits into cyderry's Challenge.

Avatiakh added the Atomic symbol for lead to her wiki post, which I think is a great idea. I hope nobody minds, but I went back and added the appropriate Atomic symbol to each listing. For some reason I found it amusing....

In case anyone is curious, gold and silver are the most popular elements -- no real surprise there. I am surprised at how many other elements are already listed. They include: arsenic, carbon, copper, hydrogen, iron, lead, mercury, tin, uranium and zinc. I feel like I should dash off to a chemisrty class now....

I found Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi. I actually pulled it last month as a possible read for the Newbery Challenge. I am halfway through and it is delightful!