"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character

Richard P. Feynman

Jun 2010 · W. W. Norton & Company

About this ebook

A New York Times bestseller—the outrageous exploits of one of this century's greatest scientific minds and a legendary American original.

Richard Feynman, winner of the Nobel Prize in physics, thrived on outrageous adventures. Here he recounts in his inimitable voice his experience trading ideas on atomic physics with Einstein and Bohr and ideas on gambling with Nick the Greek; cracking the uncrackable safes guarding the most deeply held nuclear secrets; accompanying a ballet on his bongo drums; painting a naked female toreador. In short, here is Feynman's life in all its eccentric—a combustible mixture of high intelligence, unlimited curiosity, and raging chutzpah.

Ratings and reviews

Recommended by Rebecca Watson as a great skeptical read, I put this book on my wish list and found it for $2.95 at Logos. Great memories, what a life he has had. Always ready for an adventure, and never satisfied till he figured it out, whatever it was. Feynman understood his limitations and found ways around them. The only knowledge I had of this man were the stories Randi tells of his amazing need to know! Would love to have known more about his personal life and less about how a lock works. I loved the stories where he tricks people but his technical detailed references were not for me. Wish he had mentioned Randi. Overall good book. Stirling is borrowing it next to satisfy reading a bio for English class. 11-2008

The book is informative, motivating and funny. I was astonished that it was filed under Autobiography section since Feynman has done such a wonderful job of weaving information together with his life experiences that it came across as a series funny science experiments. The book rubs some of Feynman's energy on to you and it keeps you amused and thrilled thru out.

You do not have to understand physics to love this book. Feynman was a man that was never bored. He found fascination in every day things. To read him will inspire you to see the world a little differently and to be much for grateful for what you see.

About the author

Richard P. Feynman (1918–1988) was a professor at Cornell University and CalTech and received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1965. In 1986 he served with distinction on the Rogers Commission investigating the space shuttle Challenger disaster.

Ralph Leighton lives in northern California.