First Impressions

This week's First Impressions, the competition in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, comes from a chemist whose knowledge of chemistry saved his life:

"There are the so-called inert gases in the air that we breathe."

Entries should be submitted to First Impressions, The THES,Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1 9XY, faxed to 0171 782 3300 or emailed to theschat@thes.co.uk

The winner receives a Pounds 20 book token and the closing date is August 26.

The winner of last week's competition, who identified Jawaharial Nehru's Autobiography, is Ron Brown of Plymouth.