Status Updates From The Periodic Table

I don't understand why this is the first time I've ever heard of this book.

Besides the font being italics (publisher's or author's idea?) and hard for me to read, the story was a bit strange. A myth of sorts of a man chasing his destiny to be a lead (mineral) miner/merchant. All the while knowing it would poison him. Guess I'm supposed to see the meaning in the narrative. Liked the less fabled narratives better. So far anyway.