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Book Review: "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!" (Feynman)

This was one of those books I had always wanted to read, but never could find in the used bookstores. That can be a sign that a book is very enjoyable and very loved, and that is obviously true with this one.

The book consists of anecdotes and speeches about Feynman's life. It begins with his childhood, continues to his college and grad school experiences, gives some views into his contribution to the war effort in WW2, and his life as a professor. Of course, few of the stories are really about the science and most focus on the way he lived his life. And he certainly does come across as "a curious character" as the subtitle says. He is obviously a brilliant person, but he is still plagued by insecurities and doubts, which didn't strike me as all that unusual. What was unusual to me is the way he overcomes those doubts and forces himself to try new things, to appear confident, and to make things happen that he wants to have happen. He always seems willing to wait for the opportunity for an adventure to appear and then to follow it once it does.

The book is really enjoyable, though, because he is a good storyteller. I doubt anyone could make some of these stories completely uninteresting, but he does a good job giving insights into different parts of his character. The most questionable part of which, and really the only negative things I have read or heard about him, is his treatment of women. One story in particular in the book, where he learns how to pick up "bar women" can seem pretty offensive. But I think this is part of his outward confidence that he couldn't quite break through in most of these stories. He obviously really loved his first wife, although there aren't as many stories in this volume about that.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed it. It almost seems to be a challenge - why aren't you doing what you want to do with your life? The opportunities are out there if you look for them. Granted, being brilliant and a professor and a Nobel Prize winner help those opportunities come along, but being inquisitive and not looking down on people and being confident in yourself are also pretty important.