Chemistry may not hold your interest, but there’s a quirky tale associated with every element in the periodic table of elements. Sam Kean explores all of these in The disappearing spoon: and other true tales of madness, love, and the history of the world from the periodic table of the elements.  After reading Kean’s chemical miscellanea (i.e. trivia) you won’t be lacking for technical topics of conversation.

Kean is not the first to have fun with the period table. Scientists at the University of Nottingham have put together a series of short videos on each element.  Italian writer (and industrial chemist) Primo Levi used the periodic table as inspiration for a collection of stories and essays.

For  beautiful visual illustrations of the elements, their uses and applications see Theodore Gray's

The elements : a visual exploration of every known atom in the universe