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Product Description

The outrageous exploits of one of this century's greatest scientific minds and a legendary American original. In this phenomenal national bestseller, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard P. Feynman recounts in his inimitable voice his adventures trading ideas on atomic physics with Einstein and Bohr and ideas on gambling with Nick the Greek, painting a naked female toreador, accompanying a ballet on his bongo drums and much else of an eyebrow-raising and hilarious nature. A New York Times bestseller; more than 500,000 copies sold.

Amazon.com Review

A series of anecdotes shouldn't by rights add up to an autobiography, but that's just one of the many pieces of received wisdom that Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918-88) cheerfully ignores in his engagingly eccentric book, a bestseller ever since its initial publication in 1985. Fiercely independent (read the chapter entitled "Judging Books by Their Covers"), intolerant of stupidity even when it comes packaged as high intellectualism (check out "Is Electricity Fire?"), unafraid to offend (see "You Just Ask Them?"), Feynman informs by entertaining. It's possible to enjoy Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman simply as a bunch of hilarious yarns with the smart-alecky author as know-it-all hero. At some point, however, attentive readers realize that underneath all the merriment simmers a running commentary on what constitutes authentic knowledge: learning by understanding, not by rote; refusal to give up on seemingly insoluble problems; and total disrespect for fancy ideas that have no grounding in the real world. Feynman himself had all these qualities in spades, and they come through with vigor and verve in his no-bull prose. No wonder his students--and readers around the world--adored him. --Wendy Smith

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A curoius book about a curious character        Rating:

This book is not a biography of Richard Feynman, a physicist who won a Nobel Prize for the development of quantum electrodynamics. But it is collection of stories of some of his adventures, thus the book's subtitle "Adventures of a curious character." The vignettes of Feynman's life range from his earliest days fixing radios to his career as a professor. Some stories just defy categorization but give a certain texture to Feynman's life. The stories were very well written and somewhat amusing.

On the plus side, the stories that Feynman writes about his environment or the organizations he worked in or for were very interesting and insightful. His personal stories about safe-cracking, dating, and picking up women in bars were by far less interesting. While Feynman frequently outsmarted his peers, he sometimes received his comeuppance from even smarter people such as Robert Oppenheimer and this made some of the stories easier to take.

This book was disappointing because there must have been many more interesting stories revolving around his work and Nobel prize; stories that would be far more interesting than his ability as a safecracker or his desire to womanize. Thus I do not recommend this book as a source of information on the history of science. On the other hand, if you are interested in learning more about Feynman's personality and learning that even Nobel-Prize winning scientists are also human, then this book might be a worthwhile read.

Breezy and informative read for any scientist!        Rating:

The reviews here claim that Feynman was an egotist and it stained the reading of this book. However, I disagree completely. Feynman never claims to be self-deprecating or modest. In fact, I appreciate his candidness!

I was afraid to read this book because it was recommended to me by a Physics graduate student, and because I am not one to enjoy nonfictions. However, this book reads like a novel. Each chapter is another story or era of Feynman's life. It's like an excited little kid talking to you-- no complex sentences or incomprehensible jargon. I finished it in just a few days, and I was left wanting more! I am not a physicist at all, and Feynman only briefly mentions certain Physics concepts to describe what he was doing with them, usually finishing them off with a "yadda yadda yadda" or the like. You don't have to be a Physicist or a genius to enjoy this book. It's breezy and short, and you can read it in pieces. It will make you smile, and if you happen to also be a scientist, it will make you think (but not too hard). I recommend it to all of my friends!

Feynman never got out of his box, because he never had one!        Rating:

Part physicist, part prankster, part musician, part teacher, part genius, part story teller, part little boy and all human being, this is the true story of Richard Feynman. He was a man with an insatiable curiosity, and had a zest to explore the world of physics, human nature and himself.

The stories in the book are funny, entertaining and enlightening. Feynman never got out of his box, because he never had one. From the gifted young boy who fixed radios by thinking to the top notch physicist who could explain concepts to laymen like no one else, Feynman was one of a kind.

Well worth the read!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

gift for someone else        Rating:

this was a gift for a family member. it arrived quickly and in great condition

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