Primo Levi (1919-1987) was a macromolecular chemist and a famous writer. Director at SIVA (Società Italiana Vernici e Affini, 1953-1973), he worked for a long time and with passion on all the problems connected with the synthesis, production and use of paints based on thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers. His work as a chemist will represent an inexhaustible source of literary inspiration on the complexity of human and scientific problems. In this way, through stories and anecdotes, Levi lightly introduces in his writings, chemical arguments of great interest from education and epistemological point of view.