Customer Reviews

The History of Physics

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This book was one of polymath Asimov's prodigious outputs. He takes us through long centuries of often slow progress in physics. With short but succinct biographies of great physicists. Of these, needless to say, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein stand out. If you are new to physics, try paying close attention to how Asimov assessed those two greats.

But the book also gives attention to other notables who contributed to physics. From Galileo to Faraday to Maxwell. You can get an appreciation for the significance of what each did to expand our view of physics.

When i first got this book i was worryed about it being boring, and it wasnt. once again issac asimov has put out a great book. He not only puts in the math to tell how and why things happen in Physics he also tell in text so that those whose Trigonomety and above skill arent that great can still understand it. He goes from Falling bodies to light waves to Ions and radiation to anti-particles if you are just starting out in Physics or need some more addvanced info this is the book to read. it however is not for everyone. Some may find it very dry reading. <examples> I, however found it very fasinating, and an excelent reference in explaining the basics of Physics.

As usual, Asimov delivers an excellent read.

The History of Physics was always on my bookshelf years ago when I worked as a research chemist. Rather than simply divide physics into component disciplines and present our current knowledge, Asimov explains physics by tracing its development from the ancient Greeks and the great Renaissance thinkers up to our modern day luminaries such as Einstein, Schrodinger, et alia. Relevant mathematics are presented in an extremely basic and helpful form. This intuitive, historical, biographical, and mathematically basic approach is extremely user friendly and provides great clarity of presentation.

For newcomers to physics, or old hands who appreciate having valuable information clearly presented at their fingertips, this book is outstanding.

An excellent companion book is Thinking Physics: Understandable Practical Reality (English Edition) by Lewis Carroll Epstein.

I donno I feel like asimov really missed in this one,
he goes all in on formula and forgets all his history...
the in depth delve and dredging of every physical term is hard to swallow unless u are say a physics teacher in high-school.

I got some nice new points of view on physics from this book, but yet again I am a high-school physics teacher...

skip this one or wait for someone to make it more accessible.

regards
danny