Scan barcode
osborne2read's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
toniclark's review
4.0
Reviewers keep using the word "charming" -- and it is. It's partly about Feynman, but really is more precisely memoir (that is, really about Mlodinow) and I enjoyed it immensely.
jagoiv's review against another edition
2.0
A nice, simplified explanation of certain theories in physics , but also a nice simplified explanation of a relationship he had long ago with the well-known physicist. There was barely enough to be a book so he spent about a third of the time telling us about his own pot smoking and search for meaning in his own career. These parts read quite poorly as this is a book written 20 years after the events happened yet he describes those details like they happened yesterday, and it's just not convincing. Some of the actual content from Feynman is interesting but those comments are just long sections of transcript. The best part of the book is his description of what makes physics really exciting and meaningful for the physicist who has an imagination.
joshuamt's review
4.0
A personal, biographical account of an insecure young scientist's fellowship at Caltech in the early 1980s, before he went on to author papers on "mundane" topics like quantum optics, popular books like "The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives", and screenplays for STNG. I suspect that most, like me, will buy this short book for the chance to be a fly on the wall during a few conversations with Dr Feynman, but Mr Mlodinow himself is very interesting and comes across as down to earth despite his many impressive talents.
The conversations with Feynman are too few, but they nevertheless gave me the little thrill that comes when I read about his ideas or adventures. I certainly finished this wanting more.
The conversations with Feynman are too few, but they nevertheless gave me the little thrill that comes when I read about his ideas or adventures. I certainly finished this wanting more.
rty10's review against another edition
5.0
If you, like me, find yourself in a moment where you cannot understand or explain how you got to be where you are other than convincing yourself that you’re a fraud, an imposter, and that surely you’re going to be found out, please read this book. It offers something your friends, family, colleagues, or even mentors lack: perspective of having gone through it next to a giant in a field.
lisalikesdogs's review
3.0
The science pieces of this were obviously way over my head (though I now have an extremely basic understanding of string theory...as in, I know what it is now!) but it was a really interesting read just for the conversation on how creativity and science are intertwined and really how science is an art on its own - not too different from the other arts, maybe!
aylinsanchez's review
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.25
Not for everyone! If you enjoy physics than it’s a perfect book for you. The best part about the memoir was the story of the interactions.