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 --This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
Book Description
A portrait of the Winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965, we see the wisdom, humour and curiosity of Richard Feynman through a series of conversations with his friend Ralph Leighton. --This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
Having won the Nobel Prize in physics, as well as having solved the mystery of liquid helium and the probabilities of gambling odds with Nick the Greek, Mr. Feynman's escapades are worthy of being read aloud. Subtitled Adventures of a Curious Character, this memoir presents his many interests with enthusiasm. Raymond Todd seems to get as much pleasure out of the diversities of Feynman's career as the scientist did through living them. J.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
Review
"A chain reaction is not a bad analogy for Feynman's life. From a critical mass of gray matter it goes off in all directions, producing both heat and light."
-- "Time"
"A storyteller in the tradition of Mark Twain. He proves once again that it is possible to laugh out loud and scratch your head at the same time."
-- "New York Times Book Review"
"Books like this are temptations--to give up reading and devote life to rereading...The book is as litmus paper: anyone who can read it without laughing out loud is bad crazy."
-- "Los Angeles Times Book Review"
"Buzzes with energy, anecdote, and life. It almost makes you want to become a physicist."
-- "Science Digest"
"Mr. Feynman's escapades are worthy of being read aloud...Raymond Todd seems to get as much pleasure out of the diversities of Feynman's career as the scientist did through living them."
-- "AudioFile"
"Quintessential Feynman--funny, brilliant, bawdy...enormously entertaining."
-- "New Yorker"
"Raymond Todd gives an extraordinary performance bringing to evanescent life the amusing adventures of this Nobel prize-winning physicist...Refreshingly honest, iconoclastic, thought-provoking, this one-of-a-kind classic is a must for every collection."
-- "Library Journal" --This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
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