Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

By: Richard P. Feynman

Narrated by: Raymond Todd

Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the most famous science books of our time, the phenomenal national bestseller that “buzzes with energy, anecdote and life. It almost makes you want to become a physicist” (Science Digest).

Richard Feynman, one of the world’s greatest theoretical physicists, thrived on adventure. His outrageous exploits once shocked a Princeton dean’s wife to exclaim: “Surely you’re joking, Mr. Feynman!”

In this phenomenal national bestseller, the Nobel Prize–winning physicist recounts in his inimitable voice his experiences trading ideas on atomic physics with Einstein and Bohr and ideas on gambling with Nick the Greek, painting a naked female toreador, accompanying a ballet on his bongo drums, and much else of an eyebrow-raising and hilarious nature. Woven together with his views on science, Feynman’s life story is a combustible mixture of high intelligence, unlimited curiosity, eternal skepticism, and raging chutzpah.

©1985 by Richard P. Feynman (P)1997 by Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A chain reaction is not a bad analogy for Feynman's life. From a critical mass of gray matter it goes off in all directions, producing both heat and light." (Time)

Great book about a great man.

Awesome book to learn about an extremely interesting man. The narrator does an excellent job conveying the story. Highly recommend the read.

What other Nobel Laureates sold art to brothels?

If science or math aren't your thing, don't worry! This is by far one of the most entertaining books I've done in a while.

Brilliant look at the colourful mind of Feynman

Mad at myself for not getting to it sooner despite having a copy as a kid. Feynman's experiments into art, music, safe cracking, computing, out of the body experiences, dating and bar hopping, gambling and more were really entertaining.

The lack of insights into the Manhattan Project was so disappointing at first, but made sense after covering more of the book since it's about Feynman himself.

The narrator did the content and the colourful character that is Feynman justice.

Unbelievably good

A genuine genius in the field of physics, one might think his life would be filled with bland stories about hard to understand experiments. This book is anything but. Richard Feynman was an absolutely remarkable human being and the story of his life unfolds in such a way that the title makes perfect sense. Dig in and enjoy.

I wish I had read this years ago

What a great great book. Highly recommended.
I've found a "hero" of sorts in Feynman and someone I will refer to in my mind when encountering the "cargo cult science" of our time.

The audiobook reading was also perfect and one feels like you are listening to Feynman read.

Fantastic listen

Feynman is a theoretical physicist who teaches how to learn and how to live life honestly and with integrity

Absolutely love the stories and the advices!

A perfect way to communicate how strange, simple, beautiful and ugly life can be.

I'm very inspired and will listen to this again in 5-10 years from now since I believe it will still be relevant and I need to be reminded.

I wish I knew this guy!

What made the experience of listening to Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! the most enjoyable?

I loved this book! I was a little unsure about it, given the things he has helped invented and a NPR book Review that called him sexist. Well, he redeems himself in his explanations, and he's not sexist--- just an honest dude, in the dating scene a bit and attracted to women, never insults their intelligence etc. (Might not Be that important but it almost kept me from reading the book-- what women wants to read a book
About a dude that think's we're inferior?)
He is so smart, and he talks about his experiments and discoveries without making the reader feel stupid. He adds some background about the subject matter in such a way that I felt educated, he doesn't talk down to the reader. It made me feel more included in his work.
It can be a bit dry at first, but hold on! It gets so much better! I listened to it by myself the first time, then listened to it again with my boyfriend because unloved it so much! Repeat reading is the sign of a good book in my eyes, I won't do it unless I absolutely loved it!

Any additional comments?

The performance is great! When the author of an autobiography type story, i.e. Tina Fey, David Sedaris, read their own books there tends to be more of a connection with the material. It's more natural and more believable sometimes. The performer of this book reads it like it's his. At times I forgot it wasn't narrated by the author.
With audio books the performer is so important. An annoying speech habit can ruin a story. This performer only adds to it, I don't think I would have enjoyed the written version as much as this one, a hard thing to say about slow
Performances.

Hang in there it is worth it

I was a little put off with the simplistic tone in the beginning and almost stopped listening to the book. I am glad I continued it was very well done.

What A Pleasant Surprise!

Better than expected!

Sure, this book is, what, over 30 years old now?! For some reason, then, I expected it would be dryer than more recent biographies. But what a pleasant surprise.

Actually, I wouldn't classify this as a true biography. It's more memoir or anecdotes than bio. Still, Feynman, with the help of Ralph Leighton, goes into more detail about various events that he was involved in than I had anticipated. Funny guy too!

No doubt a bit of Asperger's is reflected in his personality, as is sometimes the case with brilliant academicians. Nevertheless, his style of story-telling and his talented method's of teaching, demonstrate he's been able to overcome the hurdles of social awkwardness that hampered him in youth. Always bold though, and willing to speak his mind.

Loved hearing about his time at Los Alamos with the Manhattan Project, safe-cracking, and his shoulder-rubbing with physics greats like Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Enrico Fermi, and Robert Oppenheimer. I do wish there had been more material from this period though and the development of the atomic bomb. (Do any of his other books cover this period in more detail?)

What a character too! I'm only about half-way through the book, but had to post this. By the way, his childhood growing up in Far Rockaway, NY, and antics as a budding scientist, reminded me a great deal of Oliver Sacks' childhood - boyhood lab, experiments, and nearly burning the family house down. If you liked this you might appreciate Sacks' book Uncle Tungsten.

Now, back to the story...