A Great Introduction to Physics (Six Easy Pieces: Fundamentals of Physics Explained - Richard P Feynman)

Member Name: jboho

Product:	Six Easy Pieces: Fundamentals of Physics Explained - Richard P Feynman
Date:	14/06/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to understand, great diagrams

Disadvantages: Sometimes he can overcomplicate

Richard Feynman was one of the most brilliant physicians of his age. He was the founder of modern quantum theory and made Einstein's works far more understandable. He even won a Nobel prize for physics. It is a wonder that he is not very well known nowadays. He wrote this book for those starting an interest in physics and attempted to make it as accessible as possible. Did it work?

Yes, it did. Richard Feynman is an utterly brilliant explainer. In this book he explains six fundamentals of physics:
- Atoms in motion
- Basic physics
- The relation of physics to other sciences
- Conservation of Energy
- The Theory of Gravitation
- Quantum Behaviour

The book is a text version of six lectures he gave at the California Institute of Technology. Because of this, the tone of the book is relatively informal; this makes it much easier to read. His own diagrams are also included, which adds another, easier to grasp side of the book. Although he can have a tendency to over analyse and complicate a few ideas, he does explain very effectively.
The best chapter of the book is the last, on quantum behaviour. As it is written by a pioneer of the subject, the teachings are extremely well understood- you can tell that it's coming from a real expert.

Overall, an absolutely essential read- puts complex physics into leymens' terms.

Summary: Worth buying.