Customer Reviews

The Feynman Lectures on Physics including Feynman's Tips on Physics: The Definitive and Extended Edition

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As the proud owner of the original editions of the Lectures, I'm glad to see a new hardcover edition. (My copies still have the original prices--10.95, 10.50, and 11.50--stamped in them. But that was thirty years ago! I even recall Leighton having a shelf in his office with various translations of the Lectures lined up.)

It is sometimes claimed that the original lectures were a failure. In the April 2005 issue of Physics Today, Matthew Sands writes about the project that resulted in the Feynman Lectures. He disputes the claim that the undergraduates drifted away from Feynman's lectures in large numbers, and explains how Feynman's preface came about, and why he (Sands) finds it unduly negative.

It has always been widely agreed that the Lectures are insufficient as a standalone textbook, and best used as supplemental reading. Feynman's approach appeals to many readers, but falls flat with others. This is not surprising, as different people respond to different ways of explaining physics. As an historical aside, Feynman and Schwinger took such different approaches to developing quantum electrodynamics theory that it wasn't immediately clear that their formulations were even equivalent. Most physicists find Feynman's approach easier to learn, but others find it unsatisfying. People are different. Physicists are different. Even physics students are different. There is not, and will never be, one book that is the best for every reader. The Feynman Lectures are great because they have been so enlightening to so many people, not because they meet the impossible standard of being clear to every reader.

Physics lectures performed at Caltech in the 1960s... that wouldn't sound very good weren't Richard Feynman the lecturer! He shows all his insight, delight and knowledge to first and second year students talking about Physics as easy and understandable as almost never before, but by no means less precise, deep or inspiring. This new edition is a masterpiece every Physics student should own, for the binding is awesome, some typos and conceptual mistakes (very very few in 40 years) were corrected and above all the new Tips on Physics supplement is included, a "new" book with some side lectures that were omitted in other editions regarding how to face and solve problems.

Richard Feynman is one of the most, if not the most, beloved physicist of all time for his very honest, unique and curious character. Not only in Physics but reading about his life in his other books one just finds almost an endless source of inspiration and amusement. With his books, lectures or anecdotes, you won't only grasp the concepts of Physics and Science from a very original point of view but you will also laugh!! Well, the quality of the books is supreme and I challenge you to find any other book about serious Physics (and actually taught at a prestigeous University) where you can find yourself smiling and laughing sometimes and enjoying the PLEASURE OF FINDING THINGS OUT...
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These books aren't a "course handbook" for they don't follow the classic exposition, examples, exercises, solutions pattern as they are more a set of lectures. Hence they should go with other more standard texts. You will understand the Physics with Feynman, and only then (almost certainly) you will be able to work out all the other texts completly.

The Feynman lectures on physics are among the best physics books published. This edition includes the standard three volumes, with a new introduction and corrections, plus a separate book, Feynman's tips on physics. All four books are well worth reading.

The lectures are excellent because they give new insights, compared to the standard presentation. The faculty at Caltech used to sit on the lectures to learn more about physics. Considering these lectures were for lower division students, that is quite a compliment.

Please read reviews of earlier editions to get more insight into their content.

I feel there are enough reviews of this material that you can decide for yourself on whether to purchase them or not. I am merely writing this review because of the BUY WITH... option that might confuse some buyers into purchasing this AS WELL AS Feynman's Tips on Physics. You should note that the Definitive and Extended Edition already contains this book, and it does not need to be purchased seperately. Most people are aware of this, but I wanted to simply warn those who might not have noticed.

Richard Feynman's Lectures on Physics are classics, due to both the physics they contain as well as the different method of education that is displayed: do not hesitate to deal with complicated subjects early on, as long as you explain them clearly. This edition has corrections for all reported errors, and includes the new volume "Tips on Physics" by Feynman. If you thought about buying the Lectures; hesitate no longer! If you already have an older version (as I had): this is a worthy update.

Excellent mid level physics texts, but do not kid yourself you will need at least a good high-school grounding to utilize these lectures. However, why does Amazon recomend to buy the "Tips on Physics" when its already included, THAT WAS UNFORTUNATE FOR ME!

Physics Majors!, spend the money on these books, but not until you are 1/2 way through a calculus based physics introduction, at least at the level of H R & Walkers's "Fundamentals of Physics." I agree with many other reviewers, these are not the best books from which to initially learn the subject. But I truly wish that I had read these when I was first studying Quantum Mechanics & Electrodynamics from Griffiths' and Mechanics from Marion & Thornton.

Feynman is most helpful by putting things in perspective and speaking to the aspiring physicist in you. By reading Feynman, you can get a better sense of how to ask questions about physics. As a graduate student, I really appreciate *how* Feynman teaches, I believe reading these can make anyone a better physics lecturer. There is a lot of material, don't be afraid to pick and choose. I highly recommend the chapters on optics in Vol 1. Between reading Feynman as an undergrad and Landau as a graduate student, all of the aspiring physicists out there should be set.

My third set since 1970.
In the Fall of 1970 when I was a freshmen in college without means, support, or even enough money to pay room and board for the first term I bought the three volume trade paper set: "The Feynman Lectures on Physics" and the two volume set "The Rise of the New Physics by D'Abro" as if I could read and understand all in the two weeks time I had to kill before the start of classes.
My book buying instincts were wonderful then and now. I had very little money in those days and little free time to read. So, I read what I could and absorbed what I was able to absorb without proper mathematics foundations. Since those days I have learned a little more mathematics and have earned a little more money.
Time to read is still hard to find at the end of the day with fatigue and the fog of the daily grind numbing your senses and numbing your mind. Yet, I read what I can and find new understanding with each reading. I recommend these books to all as (among) the best self- help, self-study books written. Every kid has an intrinsic interest in physics, curiosity to explore, and time they need not justify for a dollar. It is fun exploring as a kid; all that I need is good lighting and a comfortable chair.

From the introductory paragraph, the Lectures shine with the intellectual genius and the humble love for teaching by one of the most greatest scientists in history.
Aside from being an indespensable reference tool for any scientist (covering almost all topics in physics in great detail), the Feynman Lectures take one to CalTech's classrooms to embark on a quest for knowledge led by a man who devoted his life to science, knowledge and educating others. It is not a simple coincidence that out of all of the awards that Feynman has won in his life (including the Nobel Laureate Nomination), his most prized one was the Oersted Medal for Teaching. A brilliant set of Lectures by a brilliant man...

I wasn't a natural in math or physics, but I was interested in learning more than one might learn at a junior college's first year physics program. And so I bought these books.

Feynman has a very interesting way of looking at things. Sometimes it is so unique that it opened my eyes to a whole different way of seeing problems presented in a more traditional fashion. A real conceptual eye-opener. And for this alone, the books are worth it. He also makes you want to learn more, by giving you a taste of things to come.

At other times, he is frustrating because he has a way of seeing that I couldn't understand. Maybe more mathematical than conceptual, but that wouldn't quite capture it. Sometimes he just presents things as straight forward that really aren't.

He's also sort of funny, in a strange way. It seemed like he was jealous of Einstein's discoveries -- like they were too easy for all the fame they gave the man. You can tell he's proud of his own intelligence.

But his comments on relativity, along with some other sources, helped me understand some key points. Like the principles that Einstein held inviolate, leading to his surprising conclusions. Or that objects travel to minimize their "proper time" in space time -- which you'd never hear in any other 1st year book. Stuff like that make these lectures great.

As others have commented, this should be a companion to a traditional text book, not a replacement.