"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character
Richard P. Feynman was an American theoretical physicist who was known for his work in quantum mechanics, as part of the team who worked on the Manhattan Project, and for winning the Nobel Prize in physics in 1965. But that is only the absolute tippy tip of the iceberg as to what this man was about. This book delves into the man behind the legends and gets into his amazing adventures all across the world as a curious scientist who wants to explore everything around him and experience life to the fullest. From spontaneously joining a samba band in Brazil to playing pranks on his fraternity brothers during college, this man was the epitome of interesting.
It’s hard for me to describe just how much I loved this book. I initially picked it as a book to listen to with my husband on road trips, since I knew he likes all things science. I figured I would listen along and only be able to enjoy bits and pieces since this isn’t the genre I typically gravitate towards; boy, was I wrong! There were parts of the book that were heavily focused on Feynman’s scientific career, but there were so many amazing stories in between that filled my heart with laughter and adventure. This man was absolutely brilliant! But I think what I found more inspiring was his love for life and curiosity as to how everything around him worked. Instead of being the kind of scientist who had laser focus on his chosen field he instead would come up with questions, sometimes even child-like, and set out to find the answer. How do ants know how to follow one another on a path? Or, how do safes work and I wonder if I can open them as well as a career safecracker?
As I listened to this book I couldn’t help but often think how similar this man’s real life was to Forest Gump’s. He took on a wide range of challenges, and ended up with a life full of experiences and adventure. For those who like that movie, and also like the sciences, I enthusiastically recommend this book.
Malia's Pizza Rating
A lesson in pizza physics.