Blog
Save
Email
Print
ShareA 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.
See also:
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.
For more information about the title Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character), read the full description at Amazon.com, or see the following related books:
The Feynman Lectures on Physics including Feynman's Tips on Physics: The Definitive and Extended Edition — This revised edition of Feynman’s legendary lectures includes extensive corrections Feynman and his colleagues received and Caltech approved. ... > read more
Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher — This set couples a book containing the six easiest chapters from Richard Feynman's landmark work, Lectures on Physics--specifically designed for the ... > read more
The Cartoon Guide to Physics — It's been said that before physics students can fly with Feynman they need to walk with Halliday and Resnick. Those of us who are still toddling ... > read more
The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter) — Scott Kelby, the #1 best-selling Photoshop author in the world today, once again takes this book to a whole new level as he uncovers the latest, most ... > read moreRecommend this page on Facebook, Twitter,
and Google +1:
Other bookmarking and sharing tools:
more 