Sometimes, we read a wonderful book, and find ourselves wishing that it never ended. "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" was one of those books for me. This is not the first book of Richard Feynman's I have read, but this one was especially riveting and I cherish it very dearly.
Feynman was gifted with exceptionally amazing storytelling and narration skills. His anecdotes, covering an extensive range of topics - from physics to his own philosophy are delightfully engrossing to read. Never for even a second did I feel bored while reading this book. He can make the most obscure and esoteric topics both entertaining and hilarious. This book was so enthrallingly fun that it was hard to put it down. His flawless narration, along with charming and casual language elicits the feeling that he himself is right next to you talking to you about his life.
When Feynman doesn't indulge in humour, he expounds profound advice and notions relating to science and education. Among these timeless pearls of wisdom, one pivotal lesson I have learnt is that in science, you should always question the sources, conduct your own experiments, and always maintain your integrity. And Feynman himself led by example.
One thing I find quite curious about Feynman is how in many anecdotes, he goes into detailed rants about the most esoteric topics - from safe-cracking to beta decay. While I seldom understood even half of what he was saying, I felt touched by his exuberance and vast knowledge of an assortment of topics.
Feynman's passion and fascination for physics is truly inspiring. From when he was a young boy, he always assiduously endeavoured to find out the underlying physics behind anything he came across. He always pursued physics as something he enjoyed with utmost enthusiasm, and never as an obligation. In fact, his curiosity towards something so insignificant - a spinning plate, led to his Nobel Prize winning research on quantum electrodynamics. He has encouraged me to develop a fascination towards all the phenomena me, because there is physics in everything.
While Feynman is easily one of the greatest modern physicists, physics wasn't his only passion. His talent was multi-faceted and he dabbled in an eclectic range of hobbies. His anecdotes pertaining to the pursuit of these hobbies are beguiling. They show us that you need to have a little bit of fun sometimes.
Sometimes, Feynman comes off as pompous, self-important or even chauvinistic in these anecdotes. However, I do not think that it was intentional. Even if so, it doesn't diminish the excellence of this book.
This book has not only made me admire Richard Feynman as brilliant physicist, but has also made me adore him for being the captivating, curious character he was. Through this book, I've learnt a lot about physics, and a lot more about life. I am looking forward to read more of his books, to learn more about his eccentric personality. I urge everyone to check out this spectacular book - you'll definitely learn something new and maybe find your new favourite scientist!
Comments
Post a Comment