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Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher Paperback – Illustrated, March 22, 2011

by Richard P. Feynman (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,445 ratings
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Learn how to think like a physicist from a Nobel laureate and "one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century" (New York Review of Books) with these six classic and beloved lessons
 

It was Richard Feynman's outrageous and scintillating method of teaching that earned him legendary status among students and professors of physics. From 1961 to 1963, Feynman delivered a series of lectures at the California Institute of Technology that revolutionized the teaching of physics around the world. Six Easy Pieces, taken from these famous Lectures on Physics, represent the most accessible material from the series.

 

In these classic lessons, Feynman introduces the general reader to the following topics: atoms, basic physics, energy, gravitation, quantum mechanics, and the relationship of physics to other topics. With his dazzling and inimitable wit, Feynman presents each discussion with a minimum of jargon. Filled with wonderful examples and clever illustrations, Six Easy Pieces is the ideal introduction to the fundamentals of physics by one of the most admired and accessible physicists of modern times.

 

"If one book was all that could be passed on to the next generation of scientists it would undoubtedly have to be Six Easy Pieces."- John Gribbin, New Scientist
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  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    March 22, 2011
  4. Grade level
    11 and up
  5. Reading age
    13 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.44 x 8.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    9780465025275
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0465025275
  9. Lexile measure
    1160L
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

Feynman Feynman Feynman Feynman feynman
Six Not-So-Easy Pieces The Meaning of It All The Pleasure of Finding Things Out Feynman's Tips on Physics Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track
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Lessons in Physics (and Life) from the Field’s Greatest Teacher Learn about Einstein's theory of relativity from a physics Nobel laureate and "one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century" (New York Review of Books) in six memorable lessons. Learn about the inherent conflict between science and religion, people’s distrust of politicians, and our universal fascination with flying saucers, faith healing, and mental telepathy. This collection from scientist and Nobel Peace Prize winner highlights the achievements of a man whose career reshaped the world’s understanding of quantum electrodynamics. This is a delightful collection of Richard P. Feynman’s insights to provide students, teachers, and enthusiasts alike an opportunity to learn physics from some of its greatest teachers. In this book, Feynman covers a dazzling array of topics and themes, scientific developments, and personal histories.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the greatest minds of the twentieth century"―New York Review of Books

"The essence of physics and Feynman. No jargon, just ideas, excitement, and the straight dope. And real answers, like 'we don't know.'"―Stephen Wolfram

"The most original mind of his generation."―Freeman Dyson

"If one book was all that could be passed on to the next generation of scientists it would undoubtedly have to be Six Easy Pieces."―John Gribbin, New Scientist

About the Author

Richard P. Feynman (1918-1988) was the Richard Chace Tolman Professor of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute of Technology. He was awarded the 1965 Nobel Prize for his work on the development of quantum field theory. He was also one of the most famous and beloved figures of the twentieth century, both in physics and in the public arena.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0465025277
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; 4th edition (March 22, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780465025275
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0465025275
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1160L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 11 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.44 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,445 ratings

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  1. Paul Davies

    Paul Davies

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    Paul Davies is an internationally acclaimed physicist, cosmologist, and astrobiologist at Arizona State University, where he runs the pioneering Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science. He also chairs the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Post-Detection Taskgroup, so that if SETI succeeds in finding intelligent life, he will be among the first to know. The asteroid 1992OG was officially renamed Pauldavies in his honor. In addition to his many scientific awards, Davies is the recipient of the 1995 Templeton Prize--the world's largest annual prize--for his work on science and religion. He is the author of more than twenty books, including The Mind of God, About Time, How to Build a Time Machine, and The Goldilocks Enigma. He lives in Tempe, Arizona.

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  2. Richard P. Feynman

    Richard P. Feynman

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    Richard P. Feynman was born in 1918 and grew up in Far Rockaway, New York. At the age of seventeen he entered MIT and in 1939 went to Princeton, then to Los Alamos, where he joined in the effort to build the atomic bomb. Following World War II he joined the physics faculty at Cornell, then went on to Caltech in 1951, where he taught until his death in 1988. He shared the Nobel Prize for physics in 1965, and served with distinction on the Shuttle Commission in 1986. A commemorative stamp in his name was issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 2005.

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  3. Robert B. Leighton

    Robert B. Leighton

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  4. Matthew L. Sands

    Matthew L. Sands

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4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
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Top reviews from the United States

Kenneth James Michael MacLean
5.0 out of 5 stars Concepts in Physics
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2002
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This book explains some basic concepts in physics so well that even someone who doesn't like physics might enjoy it! 'Six Easy Pieces' are 6 lectures from Feynman's complete 'Lectures on Physics', chosen for their accessibility to the general public.
Feynman, like all great teachers, understands his subject so well that he is able to explain the concepts behind it in clear, simple terms.
There are 6 chapters in the book, all of them generalized lectures on topics in physics. Feynman explains the structure of the atom and there is a very excellent description of charge and how atoms attract each other.
I really enjoyed the chapter on the relationship of physics to the other sciences, especially chemistry and biology. There is even a section on the relationship of physics to psychology.
Chapter 5 is on gravity and there is a great explanation of Kepler's laws of planetary motion and Newtons law of gravitation. These ideas are explained so understandably, I felt like I received a clear conceptual picture of what is happening.
But the highlight of the book for me is Chapter 6 on quantum behavior. Feynman explains the wave-particle duality and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle so well that I really felt I understood the basic ideas. I am just a layman but I found I could really get what he was saying.
Another thing I liked about the book is its honesty. If there is something physics does not understand, Feyman admits it, outlining the parameters of knowledge but acknowledging deficiencies.
The author doesn't come across as a know-it-all, and doesn't 'talk down' to the reader, something which I find refreshing in a science book.
Like any book by Richard Feynman, this one is a delight to read. Informative, honest and with that unique Feynman ability to make even the most complex ideas understandable to the intelligent layman.
39 people found this helpful
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Amanda Crabe
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2023
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Good read. Enjoyed it.
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Neri
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2009
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Insights and elucidation on physics and physics in relation to other sciences. Feynman is the master at bringing his genius and knowledge to a level of understanding by use of analogy and making it seem approachable by anyone. It was interesting for the topic itself and the method of his teaching. I learned a few things here, somethings went over my head.

Feynman's quote of Gibbon "The power of instruction is seldom of much efficacy except in those happy dispostions where it is almost superflous" was interesting. Especially since this quote is the context of the forcing of a square peg through a round hole in the education of Nero to be prepared for the duties of Emporer and those possbile resultant problems. One must have a happy dispostion towards learning as well as an element of apptitude otherwise???

I tried to follow along with what the book was talking about by reinforcing it with what was available out there like on You-Tube of Feynman lectures etc. There are a lot of resources to support this book. Feynman also often goes back to how his father instilled or encouraged scientific curiostiy in him as a youth (which I got from his talks available on You-Tube, not this book). Asking questions, not getting bogged down in names of things but imagining the consequences/reasons for things, and in asking questions more than giving answers to spark and encourage the investigative spirit.
4 people found this helpful
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Metallurgist
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but perhaps a bit too easy and a bit unfocused.
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2007
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The intention of this review is to give the reader enough information to decide whether or not to read this book. That Feynman was perhaps the foremost physicist of the middle of the 20th century goes without saying. He was also a great educator and popularize of the most complex ideas of classical and modern physics. All well and good, but what about this book?

In short -- I enjoyed this book, but thought that it was a bit unfocused. This was due to the fact that the book was taken from his three-volume lecture series on physics, which was prepared from his lectures to undergraduates of Cal Tech in the early 60's. The editors chose what they considered to be the six easiest lectures and put them in a single small volume, as contrasted to the three much larger volumes that make up the whole series of lectures. The lectures included in the book were not consecutive lectures from the whole series, so there was a bit of a continuity problem with the flow of the text. Also, because so much has been left out from the complete lecture series, the subjects that are covered are done so in a very fragmentary manner. Read this book to get a flavor for Feynman as a teacher, but not to get a complete picture of any of the subjects that are covered. While I liked the book, I liked Feynman's "The Character of Physical Law" even more. It was also based on a series of lectures (covering some of the same material), but all of the lectures in that series were provided and as a result the book was more focused and self contained. I recommend both books, but if you only want to read one, I would recommend "The Character of Physical Law". Both give a flavor of Feynman's teaching style and they are making me consider buying the full three volume lecture series, even though the list price for the three books (plus a volume on problem solving) is almost $200.

In more detail -- The lectures covered in this small book are:
--- Atoms in motion - Very general overview of atoms, molecules and their relation to vapor pressure, melting and solidification. Very general and very elementary. Well suited for a high school student.
--- Basic Physics - Very general overview of the scientific method, classical and modern physics. Also very general and suitable for a high school student.
--- The Relation of Physics to Other Sciences - Here, in my opinion, Feynman digresses quite a bit, throwing in a bit of chemistry (including the Krebs cycle) and a bit of biology (including DNA). This chapter is suitable for an advanced high school student or undergraduate college student.
--- Conservation of Energy - These last three chapters start the meat of the book, focusing of basic physics topics. The conservation of energy is taught from a simple analogy of the conservation of children's blocks. He follows the same approach he used to describe the first law of thermodynamics; using the concept of reversible machines being the most efficient possible to derive the law of conservation of energy. If one assumes the law of the conservation of energy one can prove that a reversible machine will be as efficient as possible, so both are statements of the same thing. I knew this approach from a study of thermodynamics and while not stated as such, Feynman allowed me to see that the concepts of reversibility and the conservation law are not only the same thing but that they are much more general than just applying to thermodynamics This alone was worth the price of the book. It illustrates the power of his teaching style.
--- The Theory of Gravitation - I was disappointed with this chapter. Instead of following Newton's thinking he states Newton's law of gravitation at the beginning of the chapter and then mentioned that it came directly for Keppler's second and third law. I was hoping for more. This chapter illustrates the difficulty in choosing just a chapter from a larger work. These ideas are developed more completely in the complete lecture series (there is also a separate book containing Feynman's lost lecture on this subject). On the plus side, there was an excellent discussion of why there are two tides pre day, not just one. Feynman, corrects the off stated idea that the second tide is due to the moon pulling on the earth. Again, in my opinion, this discussion is also worth the price of the book.
--- Quantum Behavior - This is taught from the standpoint of the two-slit interference experiment with photons and electrons. This touches the heart of quantum behavior, but just touches it. Again there is much, much more in the complete set of lectures.

All in all -- Some of the lectures were a bit too easy. The choice of only 6 easy lectures from a three-volume set of lectures made the text somewhat unfocused. Some of the lectures were very incomplete, but they are all pure Feynman. Feynman makes physics exciting (or at least interesting) and provides information to readers of all backgrounds. I recommend this book to high school students, first year college students and teachers. Those with a more advanced physics background may find this book a bit too basic, but they may see new ways of looking at things. I also recommend Feynman's "The Character of Physical Law", which covers some of the same material, but in a somewhat more focused manner. In fact I liked it more than this book. I gave it five stars and this book only four.
70 people found this helpful
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Bonnie Penton
5.0 out of 5 stars I am learning about physics. Richard Feynman is the best teacher.
Reviewed in Canada on March 11, 2024
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Any book about Richard Feynman is very entertaining and packed full of information.
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Paola Corio
5.0 out of 5 stars Lindo livro
Reviewed in Brazil on September 27, 2023
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Sucesso entre cientistas
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Alejandro Arvizu
5.0 out of 5 stars What they said about Richard Feynman was true
Reviewed in Mexico on June 1, 2022
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Richard does manage to digest highly technical scientific topics into layman terms easy to grasp by anyone, this book is not for people who want to learn physics in detail but it is for people who are curious about it and can be satisfied with easy explanations of physical phenomenons
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Vitaly
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy interesante
Reviewed in Spain on December 27, 2023
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Muy interesante
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Julia Wrege
5.0 out of 5 stars Informativ und unterhaltsam
Reviewed in Germany on December 19, 2023
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Tolles Buch mit vielen Informationen und trotzdem sehr unterhaltsam
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