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Summary: A fun book for an intellectual to read
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. Now I wish I had studied physics!
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Summary: This explains why I now study physics.
Review: Several years back, I was an economics major, sniffing around in math and physics sections in the library when I had spare time or exams are over. Then I picked it up (it was blue-covered then). A few hours later, I was at a college book shop and I bought this book without giving a second thought! It didn't stop me there. I am a physics major now. I got into college in 1994. That's when Hawking's sensational (though not understandable) Brief History of Time was sweeping through every intellectual discussion and everyone had this weird fantasy about physics. But it wasn't persuasive enough and physics to me was still an esoteric, dry, and boring sort of field. Feynman showed this is not true. (Now I realize it is indeed dry, if not esoteric and boring.) Though thoroughly entertaining, this book is rather weak on the sort of frustrations that all the participating scientists in the bomb-making project seemed to have undergone. Plus, contrary to your hope, Feynman was not really a nice man. A good biography on him is done by a physics historian, Jagdish Mehra. I am compelled to add that James Gleick's Genius does no more than reproducing stories already told by Feynman himself right in this book.
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Summary: One of my favorite books ever
Review: Richard Feynman, winner of the Nobel prize in physics and member of the Los Alamos team that built The Bomb, shares what it's like to live life at Level 3 in this hilarious and touching autobiographical collection of anecdotes. I laughed out loud a dozen times while reading this short book, which covers everything from how he fooled people into thinking he was even smarter than he really was to how he learned to pick up Las Vegas showgirls. One of my favorite books ever. --Richard Brodie, author, Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme
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Summary: One of fun books I've ever read
Review: . Feynman, the man who likes to "do" physics, takes us on a eye opening journey into the world of why not. He has an extraordinary way of looking at the world that takes nothing for granted. He experiments with everything including some ordinary activities like asking someone to handle a book and putting our sense of smell to work to find out which one. What are our limits? Should we continue not to try new things? Each chapter is a gem of a story. Feyman's book is hilarious. You will find yourself talking about it for weeks. Be sure to pass this book on to as many people as possible. It is a fast easy read and one of the most fun books I've ever read.
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Summary: Thank you, Mr. Feynman
Review: What kind of a person wins the Nobel Prize in Physics? This book reveals that at least one can be a very funny and intriguing guy. We learn about his precociousness as a young boy, about life at Los Alamos during the Manhatten Project, about his bongo drum playing, about his safe-craking etc. This is an autobiography. He doesn't dwell on scientific details of his work. A good read for anyone wanting to see how un-sterotypical a scientist can be.
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Summary: very enjoyable and inspiring
Review: Richard Feynman's book is full of energy and funny anecdotes. His love for physics and understanding/tinkering with the simplest of things (like padlocks and ants, and even the behavior of people around him) is very entertaining. It's inspiring to read about someone who loves his work and applies it to everyday things.
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Summary: Great Reading
Review: Before reading this book, I didn't even know who Richard Feynman was. It was given to me by my stepfather and immediately sat in a drawer for about 3 years. After searching for something to do I brought it out and began reading. I was immediately floored with laughter. Feynman is such an interesting person. It makes you wonder how so many things could happen to one person. I've now read it about 4 times and I still laugh every time. Definitly buy this book! I WANT MY DOLLAR!
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Summary: Chilling Lack of Empathy.
Review: One of our times' most well known physicists tells some supposedly amusing anecdotes from his life in 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!', but in many cases I fail to see the humor. The writing is rather pedestrian, but the author does not purport to create great literature, only to amuse. Some of these anecdotes can be described as funny, but in many of the stories Feynman shows a glaring lack of empathy with his fellow man, and seems to be completely unaware of his shortcoming in this respect. Feynman was among other things involved in the Manhattan project, and if this is what passed for humor among the people who created the bomb, their moral stance (or lack thereof) becomes more tangible. It is a very chilling realization.
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Summary: Wow!
Review: This book is not all about physics / science, rather it's about life. I found the book very real and inpirational - just the way Feynman lived his life. No, I don't think many of us would come close to his intellectual brilliance but it's not just about that - it's about living life with passion! he's honest being a "real-fake" (as opposed to a fake-fake"), and it's just an example of his sincerity that reaches out to us when we read the book. Feynman shows us how to live life to the fullest passion. Wow.
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Summary: Potential Mazimised
Review: This man is an inspiration to us all. In an age of mediocrity, complacency, and super-specialization, Feynman shows that the combination of an open mind and willingness to reason through anything from first principles ultimatedly will win the day. Following his nose into all kinds of interesting situations, Feynman proves that the right attitude is what ultimately counts. A stern dig at 'Science', with it's lingo, pompeous air and attempted distancing from the general public. Feynman is undeniably a genius, but at the same time totally human. I find myself partaking in hero worshiping at the same as thinking we could get on well with each other over a few beers!
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