Wilhelm Ostwald: The Autobiography

Part 1: Riga-Dorpat-Riga: My parental home and childhood.- Youth.- The growing boy.- Student years.- The start of my scientific career.- Teaching and marriage.- My first appointment.- The professorship in Riga.- Germany.- Back in Riga.- My colleague.- Progress.- The appointment in Leipzig.- Part 2: Leipzig: Leaving home.- The new work place and the first fruits.- The laboratory.- At the writing desk.- The Leipzig circle.- The spread of the concept in Germany.- Impact at a distance.- Energetics.- Overload, breakdown and recovery.- The electrochemical society.- Catalysis and the new institute.- Nitrogen.- Natural philosophy.- First journey to America.- Taking leave of chemistry.- An international congress of all the arts and sciences.- Free!.- Part 3: Großbothen and the world.- The doctrine of happiness and its applications.- The exchange professor.- Country house "Energy".- Great men and the schools.- The world language.- Festive days.- The Monist Society.- The International Union of Chemists.- The Bridge.- The energetic imperative.- World war and revolution.- The theory of colour.- The beauty of the law.- The noise of the streets and the peace of the garden.