The Search for Roots: A Personal Anthology

by Primo Levi, Peter Forbes (Introduction/Translator), Italo Calvino (Afterword)

Here is a collection of writings that Primo Levi considered to be essential readings.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Short Stories, Anthologies, Essays, Literature

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Primo Levi was an Italian Jewish chemist, writer, and Holocaust survivor whose literary work has had a profound impact on how the world understands the Holocaust and its aftermath. Born in Turin in 1919, he studied chemistry at the University of Turin and graduated in 1941. During World War II, Levi joined the Italian resistance, but was captured by Fascist forces in 1943. Because he was Jewish, he was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944, where he endured ten harrowing months before being liberated by the Red army.

After the war, Levi returned to Turin and resumed work as a chemist, but also began writing about his experiences. His first book, If This Is a Man (published in the U.S. as Survival in Auschwitz), is widely regarded as one of the most important Holocaust memoirs ever written. Known for its clarity, restraint, and moral depth, the book offers a powerful testimony of life inside the concentration camp. Levi went on to write several more works, including The Truce, a sequel recounting his long journey home after liberation, and The Periodic Table, a unique blend of memoir and scientific reflection, in which each chapter is named after a chemical element.

Throughout his writing, Levi combined scientific precision with literary grace, reflecting on human dignity, morality, and survival. His later works included fiction, essays, and poetry, all characterized by his lucid style and philosophical insight. Levi also addressed broader issues of science, ethics, and memory, positioning himself as a key voice in post-war European literature.

Despite his success, Levi struggled with depression in his later years, and in 1987 he died after falling from the stairwell of his apartment building in Turin. While officially ruled a suicide, the exact circumstances of his death remain a subject of debate. Nevertheless, his legacy endures. Primo Levi’s body of work remains essential reading for its deep humanity, intellectual rigor, and unwavering commitment to bearing witness.

Reviews

[KnownAsLavinia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inizierei con il dire, che ho iniziato a leggere questo libro non sapendo che fosse un'antologia (lo so, c'è la parola antologia nel nome ma l'ho ignorata!).
Non sono una fan delle antologie, infatti, ho barato parecchio, ho letto praticamente solo le descrizioni di Levi e le sue spiegazioni sul perché ha scelto quei libri e quei brani. Ma ne è valsa comunque la pena perché emerge un Levi diverso dai suoi libri che ho già letto che sono tutti su Auschwitz. Ho conosciuto anche il Levi letterato, il Levi chimico e scienziato. Ho visto questa antologia come un modo da parte sua di allontanarsi un po' dalla figura di "sopravvissuto ad Auschwitz" e darci modo di vedere l'uomo Levi ricordandoci che prima dell'orrore che ha visto e vissuto c'era un uomo e che dopo ha fatto di tutto per riappropriasi di quell'Uomo.

[chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

la peor noche de mi vida fui ayer cuando me di cuenta de que a mi ejemplar le faltan las 30 últimas páginas de esta magnífica antología

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excerpts from books that Primo Levi considered to be his roots. I thought it would be a hard slog to read excerpts from longer pieces of writing but thanks to Levi's introductions to each excerpt, I enjoyed it more than I thought. If you love Levi, you have to read this book.
As well as insight on the great Italian writer, this book gave me some new (to me) literary leads to follow.

[Justin Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skipped through some readings but found the whole collection of 30 pieces to be really stimulating, especially with the editor's introduction, Italo Calvino's afterword, and Primo Levi's personal introductions to each excerpt. All these reveal Levi's style and substance at the level of the excerpts he chose, and at the level of the anthology as a whole text. He was no lightweight. A thematic schematic from the preface by the author shows how all the disparate readings can be read and understood in relation to each other (and the two extremes of the biblical Job at one end, and Black Holes at the other) and this gives the whole thing an integrated texture and coherence. It's all about the meaning. Levi read widely and the breadth of writings is impressive- the ones I skipped over tended to have a lot of science jargon. A point made in the introduction worth mentioning is that some choices, especially from contemporary Italians, were intentionally 'rarer', because including the 'big names that everyone should know' (like Dante for example) would be a bit redundant, like listing 'two eyes' as a person's distinguishing feature. Nevertheless there are excerpts from Moby Dick, Conrad, Arthur C Clarke, among others. A pleasant reading challenge and privilege to spend more quality time with the eminent author of 'If This is a Man'.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that has broadened my reading horizons. I think the title "search for roots" doesn't encompass all that this book, or any "personal anthology," can represent, because "rooted" doesn't necessarily mean immobile as there are multiple paths through the book, pointed out by Levi himself.
It certainly isn't American-style identity politics, something that I'm always wary of because of the potential to be weepy and apologist. (Even though prepared for that eventuality I still wanted to read the book, because can be weepy and apologetic, especially lately. haha! seriously, it is a good book though.)

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/834919.html[return][return]A series of extracts ranging from one page to six of thirty favourite pieces of reading. I only knew four of them (The Book of Job, Gulliver's Travels, Moby-Dick and Murder in the Cathedral) and some of the others I think lose rather in translation (the Italian vernacular poetry of Giuseppe Belli) but there were a few pieces here from authors I would like to follow up for myself some time (Thomas Mann, Rabelais).

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Levi's selection of personally relevant literature. Some passages will resonate more than others. Worth the read as "suggested reading" alone, but also as a fascinating look into the mind of this remarkable man.

PS If you can find an English translation of his short story "Bear Meat", read it. Then tell me where I can find it.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I don't dare question the taste and culture of this great man, but this collection is a quirky and dated composite of his favourite works, not so interesting to me, I'm afraid. I daren't give it under 3 stars, though!

[Carlotta*]

Indice dei brani dell'Antologia:

1. Il giusto oppresso dall'ingiustizia
Il libro di Giobbe
2. Un uomo da nulla
Odissea
3. Perché gli animali sono belli?
Charles Darwin - L'origine della specie
4.
(...in corso)

[Hal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting selections, though some choices were baffling. I wish all my favorite authors made a similar compliation.

[Sephreadstoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Credo di non aver capito bene a quale "antologia" si riferisse, pensavo fossero estratti dai suoi libri, un po' alla Borges... e invece gia' dalla prefazione Levi chiarisce immediatamente che quella che tenevo tra le mani non era assolutamente un'antologia borgesiana.
Nonostante questo, l'ho letta in maniera un po' distratta, lo ammetto, perche' ho preferito di gran lunga i commenti di Levi alle opere in se', alcune delle quali avevo gia' letto in interezza ai tempi della scuola. Non posso dare meno di 3* ma non credo lo rileggerei.

[Federica Granello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ad un certo punto del percorso viene naturale fare i conti, tutti: quanto si è ricevuto e quanto dato; quanto è entrato, quanto è uscito e quanto resta. E' un bisogno, e soddisfarlo può essere piacevole, ma provarlo è un segnale. Vuol dire che potranno avvenire ancora alcune cose, cadere rami e sputnarne di nuovi, ma le radici si sono consolidate. Quanto delle nostre radici viene dai libri che abbiamo letto? Tutto, molto, poco o niente.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primo Levi shares favorite influences and writers in this slim “personal anthology”—a mix of poetry, fiction, science writing, and philosophy. Made me wish more of my favorite writers would undertake a similar project.

[Giulia Baretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scoprire che si può parlare di se stesso attraverso le letture che hanno caratterizzato la nostra vita: velleitario, impossibile, necessario.

[Bas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een van mijn favoriete boeken. Eigenlijk strikt genomen geen boek, maar een bundel van fragmenten van Levi’s favoriete teksten. Door de goed gekozen fragmenten en de zorgvuldige inleidingen van Levi daarbij levert dat heel veel ingangen op voor nieuwe literaire verkenningen (bij mij o.a. Conrad en Sjolem Aleichem). Tevens ben ik sinds het lezen van een fragment van Horcynus Orca aan het wachten op een vertaling (in het Nederlands of Engels) van het hele werk, maar tot nu toe is er alleen een Duitse vertaling... lezen er ook uitgevers mee? Jullie weten wat je te doen staat!

[Velvetink]

Added to wishlist after talking with Shellie