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

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

by Richard P. Feynman

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Answered Questions (9)

It is wonderful to see for me, that a son of a homemaker and a sales representative can have a so inspiring life as Feynman. Do you think it is useful to read it as a parent?
Alex Shrugged While these stories are fun, I would not use them as a guide for parenting. There isn't enough information. However, I agree that his father was instr…moreWhile these stories are fun, I would not use them as a guide for parenting. There isn't enough information. However, I agree that his father was instrumental in nourishing his curiosity. A better book to understand what his parents were doing, try reading "Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman" by James Gleick.

Warning: Richard Feynman was quite a womanizer, so biographies about his life will include this fact to various degrees. A parent should use caution and read the book before recommending it to their child.first.(less)
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Does the book involve too much of the theories of physics??
Timothy Morrison no, it is more of the story of an era than a story of physics
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Abandoned this book after couple pages. I am a tough reader generally. Don't like to quit. But I just wasn't enjoying this one. And then saw so many great reviews. Weird!! Can anyone else relate to this?
Alex Shrugged Well, I was going to abandon this book as well, mostly because I had just read a biography of Feynman that contained most of these stories, but I deci…moreWell, I was going to abandon this book as well, mostly because I had just read a biography of Feynman that contained most of these stories, but I decided to stick with it. The stories are more detailed and at times funny. I already know the framework in which these stories occur in his life, but I can imagine the book must seem disjointed, hopping from one story to another without much context.

Try reading a proper biography of his life first. I read "Genius" by James Gleick, and "Quantum Man" by Lawrence M. Krauss.(less)
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What is the 5 bullet points of the most interesting points?
Chelsea This book isn't really that kind of book-- it's more about interesting anecdotes and short stories from Feynmann's life than making an argument.…moreThis book isn't really that kind of book-- it's more about interesting anecdotes and short stories from Feynmann's life than making an argument.(less)
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Is this clean enough to let a pre-teen (with a love for science and an interest in scientists) to read it? Sex, Drugs and alcohol, Violence, Language. For this child I'm most concerned about any sexual content.
Margaret Lukens Some discussion of drugs (particularly hallucinogens), but he stops drinking alcohol mid-way through his life in order to protect his brain cells. No …moreSome discussion of drugs (particularly hallucinogens), but he stops drinking alcohol mid-way through his life in order to protect his brain cells. No violence, but a number of sexual references, most of them predatory and misogynistic. He refers to women as "babes" and "bitches" repeatedly, and chases strippers and Vegas showgirls. If this were shared with a pre-teen, it would call for continuing discussion of how even admirable people often have terrible blind spots and character flaws, and it would benefit from balancing it with biographies and memoirs of women scientists.(less)
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