Like most of Dr. Feynman's other books, this one provides someone with a short but understandable account of a variety of important subjects in physics. His descriptions of physics are entertaining and reveal his particular way of approaching the subject. To really understand any subject, it is helpful, I feel, to understand the way the people who have made important contributions to the subject think about the subject. It is also important to know the pursuit of an understanding is within one's reach and is fun. Dr. Feynman does not dissapoint the reader in these respects. It would have been fun to have been a colleague of his.

Although it is a transcribed version of a spoken lecture, Feynman's eloquence and enthusiasm nonethless makes it's way onto the page, decades after he spoke these words. His articulation of the basic concepts of physics is truely remarkable and I whole-heartedly recommend this book for those beginning their studies in physics and those beginning their teaching career physics. This is, in particular, a good book for the struggling student, as well as for the struggling teacher.

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. (The unfocused and incomplete nature of the text was due to the fact the this book is only a fragment of a much larger work.) 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.

This is the kind of book to pick up from the library out of curiosity, as opposed to buying it. I am a big Feynman fan and wanted to see what he said all those years ago about these basic topics, as opposed to wanting to learn much from the content. If you are pretty informed about basic physics, then you won't find much you didn't know. Feynman's approach to the problem is certainly interesting, and he manages to given six different overview chapters with almost no mathematics. He also offered some insights that I had either never thought of or had long forgotten.

One nice benefit is how often Feynman says, "we don't know this yet" or equivalent, and to compare that to the reality 40+ years later. For several items, we of course still don't know. He could have covered much of basic physics without wandering into the "don't know" explanations, but that wouldn't have been Feynman then, would it?

I can also understand why many of the Cal Tech freshman didn't appreciate the lectures and attendance faded, according to the introduction. The work of actual problem solving techniques with gravity and the other topics was offloaded to the sections with other staff.

The book is short and not difficult to read, so it may be worth a look. I'd rank it back of various other books by Feynman as far as pleasure for the casual reader who is not himself or herself a teacher.

I have heard of Feynman's collection of physics lectures for a long time and had intended reading them "one of these days" but never seemed to get to it. When a couple of friends and I formed a book club to discuss science and other types of expository prose, and one of them suggested this book, I decided "this is the day."

In reading Six Easy Pieces, I had a distinct sympathy with Feynman's undergraduate students. The man's mind must have run at the speed of light, ideas just firing off like gunshots. For a decade that had only reel to reel tape recorders, and big ones at that, the only resort for the student taking notes would have to have been a strong skill at shorthand.

I had expected a more difficult and thorough book, but the author presents a very simple, almost too brief, analysis of basic physics in this volume, which is a section of a larger text based on his lectures. In it he illustrates the close association, even a basic underpinning, of other sciences by physics. He notes relationships with earth sciences, particularly geology, with astronomy/cosmology, biology, and chemistry in particular. What he doesn't do is go into very great detail on how these areas relate to one another, his discussion of chemistry being the most thorough of them.

The book is very short, and the author spends much of it on the history and relationships of physics as a science. It is more like a general introduction written to preface material presented later in the course. He does a nice job of explaining the issue of particle/wave duality in electromagnetic and other waves in the final chapter of the book, which also suggests that the bulk of the book is "introductory" in nature and that more is to come later.

Athough the author presents some equations and graphs, those who are math-shy needn't be daunted; they are straight forward and helpful in understanding the points the author makes. Furthermore, Feynman's narative style goes very rapidly. He jumps from topic to topic, intercalating brief stories and amusing comments to put his message across in an entertaining manner, rather than in a ponderous discussion or chalk boards full of formulae.

Although the reader who has no physics background may enjoy learning something of the field through this book, I suspect those with a science background may find one of the more recent books on the subject more informative.

The book is relative short, but all Feynman writings are excellent. Dispite holding a degree in Physics, I did not find the "pieces" all that easy, but very worth-while reading. The lectures increased in difficulty, but all helped me understand the subjects better. (I'm only bitter about not being aware of Feynman and his writings / lectures when I was an undergrad in college.) I expect to re-read this little volume multiple times, because dispite it's claim to be "easy", the material is very rich, and mostly Feynman leads you from the known to the unknown. I certainly recommend this book to all students of physics, from high school students to graduate students. Other science and medical students will probably benefit from it also. Interested layman may find it worth attempting.

This is an excellent book. Feynman uncovers very intricate issues in most simple terms. A must read for both students and teachers of science.

I took three semesters of physics to complete my undergraduate degree; I'll never forget the dumbfounded look on my instructor's face when we were studying electrical force and I asked, "so, why *do* protons attract electrons, anyway?" The professor sputtered and said, "it's just a force of the universe. Shut up and stop asking stupid questions." Or when the instructor presented Newton's third law ("every action has an equal and opposite reaction"), and I asked, "So why is it that when I push against a wall it doesn't push back and fall apart?" The answer was, "Well, the wall doesn't fall apart does it? So that's that. Shut up and stop asking stupid questions." Dr. Feynman addresses *exactly* these types of questions, over and over again. (If the earth and the moon are attracted to each other, why don't they crash into each other? Why are snowflakes shaped the way they are? Why does blowing on soup cool it down?) I only wish this book had been 1300 pages rather than 130 - every page answered some nagging problem I've had with the physics explanation of the universe. I don't think you can learn physics from this book, but you can get excited enough about it to start digging around and discovering more, like I did.

I took three semesters of physics to complete my undergraduate degree; I'll never forget the dumbfounded look on my instructor's face when we were studying electrical force and I asked, "so, why *do* protons attract electrons, anyway?" The professor sputtered and said, "it's just a force of the universe. Shut up and stop asking stupid questions." Or when the instructor presented Newton's third law ("every action has an equal and opposite reaction"), and I asked, "So why is it that when I push against a wall it doesn't push back and fall apart?" The answer was, "Well, the wall doesn't fall apart does it? So that's that. Shut up and stop asking stupid questions." Dr. Feynman addresses *exactly* these types of questions, over and over again. (If the earth and the moon are attracted to each other, why don't they crash into each other? Why are snowflakes shaped the way they are? Why does blowing on soup cool it down?) I only wish this book had been 1300 pages rather than 130 - every page answered some nagging problem I've had with the physics explanation of the universe. I don't think you can learn physics from this book, but you can get excited enough about it to start digging around and discovering more, like I did.

Dr. Feynman's work as an educator still goes unsurpassed. Nobody conveys the scientific with the passion and humor he does. Dr. Feynman does not teach you physics, he helps you fall in love with physics. He knew that once you fell in love, there would be no holding you back. Educators of all topics can learn from his example, but be careful, the physics cupid is waiting inside and you probably will not escape his charms.

What happens when you take one of the most creative Nobel scientists ever and put him in front of a freshman physics class? This.

These essays were transcribed from a series of lectures in the early 1960s. Although the nominal purpose was to teach physics, the real goal was to convey the excitement of science and its relationship to the everyday world. A few points have aged, especially where Feynman connects biology, but the discussion as a whole is still informative and enjoyable.

This is a great book for just about any kind of reader: the serious scientist who wants to see Feynman's mind at work, or the interested layman who wants some math-free insight into the physics of the macro and micro worlds.

//wiredweird

In his introduction Professor Paul Davies describes this book as "both a primer on physics for non-scientists and...a primer on Feynman himself". The first part of this statement is borne out in the six essays containing almost no mathematics, making them in a sense "easy", and ranging across topics from the atomic hypothesis, to the notion of energy (and its conservation), gravitation, and a brief introduction to quantum theory; the expositions of several key concepts are models of clarity. It does not pretend to give a true overview of all of physics, and it is interested in philosophical issues only in the most glancing way. As a primer on Feynman himself, the book displays his humorous touches, and his impatience with fields for which he has no sympathy, notably psychoanalysis, along with his barely concealed frustration on encountering limits to the explanatory power of physics - he acknowledges such limits frankly and brusquely, but his frustration seems tempered by a sense of wonder.
*
The very generality of the topics and the way in which they are treated, with their assumptions at least unbuttoned if not fully laid bare, gave promise of serious philosophical discussion of the foundational concepts of physics - this did not occur, and in the introduction by Feynman's faculty collegues, Goodstein and Neugarber, it is said that he eschewed philosophy in the main. This would be in contrast with Einstein, who was not only well versed in ancient and modern philosophy, but whose ideas seemed very much to emerge from philosophical considerations. As a incredibly clear and engaging history and discussion of physics his book "The Evolution of Physics", co-written with Leopold Infeld, is priceless - both this book and Feynman's are evidence that to be able to advance at the cutting edge of physics a precise understandings of the basics is necessary - in fact Feynman at one point states that if he, or another authority, were unable to explain a concept to a bright first year physics student then the concept itself was not really understood. Hopefully this last comment takes away a little of intimidation present in tackling a work by a Nobel laureate scientist - both Feynman and Einstein want to communicate, and they are both spectacularly successful in so doing, Feynman in this volume sticking to expositions of ideas in physics, Einstein also enriching the discussion with philosophy.
*
For further philosophical engagement with core ideas in physics, and the broader sciences, there are the classic texts by Emile Meyerson, "Identity and Reality" being available readily in translation, while reference libraries could well shelve "The Relativistic Deduction" and "Explanation in the Sciences". Milic Capek's book, "The Philosophical Impact of Contemporary Physics", is another model of clarity - it is extremely well-written, is focused on the philosophical implications of physical theories rather than the physics itself (so no mathematics is presented), and is demanding; his book, "Bergson and Modern Physics", is also very involving, and in engaging with Bergson seeks to develop an alterative perspective to what might be considered the default mainstream view.
*
Perhaps the value of this book can be measured by looking at an anecdote from another field. The world chess champion Mikhail Tal related how he continued to view Russian television programs on the basics of chess, programs intended for beginners, even when he was champion - he said that he could always gain from having another perspective on the core priniciple of chess. Feynman's book might well serve a similar purpose to established thinkers in the field while instructing others as they begin their journey.
*
Oh, if you're wondering about the title of this review, Professor Davies tells of Feynman's love of the bongos, along with his "frequenting of strip clubs" and "his obsession with the long-lost country of Tuva" - no wonder he was wary of psychoanalysts!

"Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher," Richard P. Feynman, MA, Perseus Books, 1995 ISBN: 0-201-40825-2, PC, 146 pgs., plus 6 pg. Index, 3 pgs. on Author, 8 1/4" x 5 3/8"

The Publisher's Note: Herein, the 6 "easiest chapters" are from Feynman's important text: "Lectures on Physics" (1963), Nobelist working out of C.I.T., has 10 pg. Intro. by Paul Davies (1994) giving us origin of these writings for Caltech Frosh/Sophs who contemplate physics. A lucid writing style by Nobelist for work on QED (quantum eletrodynamics) has 2 prefaces: one by Goodstein & Neugebauer & one Feynman's in original publication giving us insight to his uniqueness, a gifted teacher who is a legend.

The 6 "easy" chapters cover: Atoms in Motion, Basic Physics, Relation of Physics to Other Sciences, Conservation of Energy, Theory of Gravitation & Quantum Behavior. His explanations & analogies are clear, succinct & memorable as are his commentaries on what is science, what is not science, role of math, role of experimentation, & clarification of theory, laws & natural sciences is also well presented. His exposition on changes in liquids & solids (crystalline formation & molecular orientations) in 2-3 pages is more revealing that 25 pages of mundane text.

The final chapter on Quantum Behavior covers "Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle" which limits any knowledgte of precise location & velocity of particles simultaneously: that mere observation of subatomic scale phenomenon disturbs the equations. Had the author not died in 1988 an update might be convenient but not requisite. It's a neat book tucked in your jacket pocket to refresh your memory & dazzle your friends.

Richard Feynman was that rare scientist who exceled in his field AND loved to teach others about what he knew. The thing that distinguishes Feynman from other physics teachers is his ability to simplify complex and seemingly unintuitive physical phenomena and make them a little more understandable to the non-scientist.
This is a great buy for those interested in having a readable and compact digest of the more important physics discoveries of the past one hundred years.
Amru Albeiruti
Ann Arbor, MI

Richard Feynman explains physics like physics like a chess master. Feynman suggests curious mind is needed to discover science. Memory is very important capability to understand the long range of equations and how the connect.

However, rather than giving complex equations and definitions, Feynman lectures explain intuitively the structure of the atom, electric force and magnetic force, gravity, conservation of energy, QED, and the uncertainty principle.

Experimental proof is the essence of understanding the laws of physics. Feynman says, laws are discovered by observation, reason, and experiment; all the basic laws are not known; these laws must be tested through experimentation; and a law does not holdup, if one experimental flaw is discovered. Three processes can be used to determine the rules of the game: 1. Simple arranges of natures where the results can be controlled and predicted. 2. Check the rules in terms of less specific rules. New rules will be discovered too explain new phenomena. 3. And by rough approximation and sensible according to circumstance. The physicist must have the imagination too create law from observed hints generalizations that can be tested by experiment.

All matter is made from atoms. If a drop of water is magnified a billion times the molecules of hydrogen and oxygen can been seen. Molecules jiggle in perpetual motion and that is called heat. As the heat increases, the jiggling increasing the volume, as the particles fly apart, creating pressure. If the density is low there are not as many atoms, the pressure is propionate to density. As we increase the pressure on gases their temperature increases. The Collision of the atoms with a piston causes the atom too bounce with increase speed coming away hotter from the piston.

The electromagnetic field is the new phenomena. The electromagnetic field can carry waves; some of these waves are light, others are radio broadcasts, useful waves such as radar and X-Ray; and artificially generated waves called cosmic rays. The oscillating waves have a frequency. At higher frequencies the waves behave like particles. Quantum mechanics explain these strange behaviors. Newton laws are wrong - in the world of atoms. A particle does not have a specific location and speed.

The conservation of energy states there is a certain quantity of energy that does not change in the manifold changes which natures undergoes. Energy takes a number of different forms with formulas for each: gravitational energy, kinetic energy, heat energy, radiant energy, elastic energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, nuclear energy, and mass energy.

F=G m1 * m2 / r*r The law of gravitation means that every object in the universe attacts every other object.

Feynman question are thought provoking: he demonstrates Kepler law of eliptical orbit, the perpetual motion machine, and simple machine to test derive the equations of force.

Students of Feynman recorded a unique set of lectures that occured in 1963 only. Their notes have been transcribed into this brief compendium that was designed for beginners, for those not educated in Physics. This reviewer purchased the book in order to accomplish a simple goal. That was to get a grasp on the minimum essentials of this course of scientific study.

Prior to reading the book the reviewer had seen a play called The Proof by David Auburn. The play described how solving an intense mathemetical equation was not unlike art or poetry. The intent was poignent and left the reviewer humbled but interested in learning more. Feynman's intent was similar to Auburn's. There is beauty in the equation, once it is understood.

Initially it was felt that readin this series of lectures was a failure. The reviewer felt no more adept at discussing Physics than before. Prior to writing this brief the notes were reviewed and there were six handwritten pages the reviewer had taken. That is quite a bit for such a small book. The notes were reviewed and it was discovered that quite a lot was actually learned. It would be nice to say "I know a lot about Quantum Mechanics"* in fact only some morsels were remembered and noted.

The value of the book for us beginners is that it is written in a very fluid style with many simple analogies that make it understandable and it can be referred back to for clarification and those areas that the reader wants to expand their knowledge on can be pursued.

This reader is never going to be a Physicist but has come away with some basic knowledge that can only help in understanding a future read on the subject.

* There is an oft quoted maxim that goes something like this, "Anyone who says that they know a lot about Quantum Mechanics knows very little about Quantum Mechanics". Well, this reader recognizes that he knows little.

As a first year physics student, going into reading this book I was not to thrilled and expected another boring physics book. However, Richard Feynman does an excellent job keeping his reader entertained with jokes, and the feel of the book is very much as though someone is talking to you. Of course with the little experience in physics that I have, some of it was hard to understand and follow, but for the most part it was much easier than text books.
Personally, I like how Feynman showed in section three how physics relates to other sciences. This was interesting to me because I am very interested in psychology and it was interesting to read a out his theorys on physics in relationship to psychology. Although some of his opinions were ones I had never considered, they were all interesting. For example Feynman refers to psychoanalysis as more like "witch doctoring" then anything else.
Towards the end of the book when Feynman starting talking about Quantum Behavior I began to get a bit lost. But the experiments he discusses helped me paint a picture in my mine so as to see the concept more clearly. For example on page 117 Feynman begins to discuss a rather interesting experiment he did with bullets in order to show quantum behavior.
All in all this was an interesting book for those who are studying physics or just have an interest.

Feynman is easy to understand even for the physically challenged. This book is a great place to start for those just getting into physics. Feynman applies this science to things in life that I, even as a first year physics student, began to get a grasp on as the book progressed. Other books I had started to read on this field were boring and it was easy to lose focus. I would find myself pages ahead but realizing I hadn't caught anything of what I just read. With this book it was interesting enough where if I didn't get something the first time I actually wanted to go back and double check. Six Easy Pieces really is pretty easy.

Six Easy Pieces is a brief overview of various aspects of physics, taken from Feynman's book, Lectures on physics. The book covers basics of physics, atoms, physics compared to other areas of science, and later goes into a discussion of quantum physics. Throughout the book Feynman explains the concepts in a clear, concise manner, using examples to explain his points. This is physics explained in layman's terms. The book is very engaging, and the examples are usually quite entertaining. Feynman writes in a way that keeps the reader wanting to go on to the next example, the next concept.

As a high school senior in a physics class, I was forced to read this book. Upon first viewing it, I thought to myself "Wow, a physics book. Goody," rather sarcastically. After reading the introduction, which included a short biography of Richard Feynman, I became more interested in the book, and was looking forward to getting to the meat of the book. I was not disappointed. The book is a fun read, and is usually very easy to understand, although some of the vocabulary is a bit tough. Overall, it is a good book for anyone with even a passing interest in science, and will make the reader want to seek out other works by Feynman.

In "Six Easy Pieces", a lot of physics concepts were addressed. Feynman explained physics in a language that I could understand. It was interesting when he wrote the book in a slightly humorous way to keep the reader interested.
I liked how he explained the atoms in motion, because in physics, it all boils down to atoms. I learned that atoms are not really connected, but they are attracted to each other and constantly moving, which is how we see solid things. If atoms didn't move, we couldn't be seen, and we could pass through walls. I thought this was fascinating, and it interested me to learn more about physics.
I liked how physics was started from astronomy, because astronomy is an interesting subject. You would think that physics came first, but astronomy did. Physics can also be combined with chemistry because chemistry is all about atomic compounds.
Overall, I think that this book helped me understand physics a little bit more, and I think that in the future when I get into college, I want to take a physics class. This book has inspired me to learn more.

Feynman has condensed the contents of his presentations to 1st year Physics students at CalTech. The information about the six topics is simply put and without a prerequisite deep mathematic understanding. These more advanced lessons are available in the Feynman Lectures on Physics. If you would like a basic Physics understanding and would like learning it from a teacher with wit and verve, this is a great resource. The six topics are about atoms, basic Physics, Physics relations to other sciences, energy, gravity, and Quantum Mechanics.

When read with "Surely you must be joking, Mr. Feynman", this book is far more interesting. It will highlight Feynman's wit and prepare you for its appearance in his lecture.

I love reading Feynman. I am not going to write a long review of this book. If you are interested enough in physics to be at this page, then reading this book is a no brainer. I will say that I read QED first, and that is Feynman's masterpiece. This work suffers by comparison only in that he is addressing underclassman and trying to get them interested in the big picture, whereas QED is the big picture. The great thing about this book is its conversational tone. You can almost imagine yourself in a classroom headed by the most brilliant physics teacher or our time. That's worth something, I'd say. Enjoy.

Feynman is one of my favorite American heros. It is hard not to admire any one aspect of his life. Above all, he was a great teacher obviously. The book is a collection of his lectures for introductory physics, may be a little too elementary for some. Note that, nowadays such topics are delivered to students at earlier ages since Feynman first started these lectures. Still, how he uses daily language and examples to explain and highlight the basic principles of physics is impressive. More importantly, he is very open and clear about exactly what is known and explainable and what we really do not know yet. This comes in very handy in the last chapter on quantum physics, which I enjoyed the most.

I'm a high school physics teacher who is currently using this book to supplement my physics students' reading. Well, actually, there have been whole subject matters, such as Conservation of Energy and Law of Universal Gravitation which we have entirely taken from this book. My students are from diverse backgrounds, and Feynman has allowed them to really get their hands on these complicated ideas, which, frankly, a math-only-oriented program wouldn't let someone with high school math skills do. This book has convinced me to look for other appropriate texts by Feynman for my class.

Six Easy Pieces is an excellent introduction to one of today's most intriguing scientific fields. Feynman presents physics in a series of easily understandable lectures that are appealing to the layman, in that it presents theories and concepts through simple example. Despite the age of his work, much of what is taught and discussed in the book is still relevant and accepted in physics today.

The book centers on the basic principles and operations of the following topics:
1 - Atoms In Motion
2 - Basic Physics
3 - The Relation of Physics to Other Sciences
4 - Conservation of Energy
5 - The Theory of Gravitation
6 - Quantum Behavior

Within each topic lesser subtopics are addressed, more specifically subtopics that are rooted to or based in one of the overall topics. The teaching style exhibited by Feynman is well thought out and should appeal to the majority of readers. However, Six Easy Pieces is meant as an introduction for the layman and is not suggested for those already experienced in the field.

In closing, Six Easy Pieces is an excellent introduction to the topic of physics, however it is just that - an introduction. Therefore, it is highly recommended for the layman, but not for the physicist.

Richard Feynman cohesively and cocisely explains the basics of physics in this book, aptly earning him the title "physics' most brilliant teacher". The genius of Feynman's writing is his uncommon ability to explain effectively concepts of physics often not explained as well by textbooks or other sources. For example, I found his explanation of uniform circular motion (that an orbiting object is "falling around" that which it orbits) extremely helpful. That Feynman was able to unlock some of the more arcane aspects of physics to those who had been attempting to understand them conceptually for years is further testimony to his brilliance. The book is therefore requisite for both those who are troubled by the study of physics and those enthused by it.

This book consists of what the editors consider to be six of the easier lessons from Richard Feynman's Lectures on Physics, a three volume work adapted from a series of freshman and sophomore level lectures given at Caltech in the 1960s. Each piece elegantly explains its intended topic without complicated or in depth mathematics. The reader will obtain the gist of the principles behind theses physical phenomena. Feynman whole heartedly admits to the limits of scientific knowledge of his time and in doing so very much dates his lectures. They nonetheless contain rich morsels of the knowledge of physics which will benefit the modern reader. This book is not intended to be an overview of physics. It assumes the reader has some basic education in some subjects, and a previous knowledge of elementary physics greatly helps to understand the pieces. More than anything, it is Feynman's style of teaching that is conveyed through the work's pages. The greatest joy in reading Six East Pieces is to experience Feynman's intuitive knowledge of physics and his subtly elegant conveyance of this topic.

As a college physics teacher, and like many other reviewers, I too found the content of this abridged version of Feynman's famous lectures not worth the price of the book, but as I listened to the tapes (and by the way, several are extremely poor quality), it occured to me that the brilliance that comes through is Feynman the Educator, not the Nobel Laureate, or physicist, or college professor......and from this standpoint this set is well worth both the cost and time to anyone who fancies themself as a teacher. I have degrees in education and get great reviews from my students on a regular basis, but that didn't stop me from learning a lot from Feynman about how to expand a student's perception, application, and analysis skills and for this addition to my own personal bag of skills, I thank him.

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.

From 1961 to 1963, Nobel laureate Richard Feynman delivered a set of lectures to classes in basic physics. By design, the contents of the lectures were transcribed, with the goal being the creation of a set of materials that could be used worldwide in the teaching of physics. Unlike so many abstract scientists, Feynman was an excellent teacher, able to explain the principles by using everyday analogies and without appeal to advanced mathematics. This book is a collection of six of those lectures, chosen for their appeal to the general reader.
The titles and topics of the lectures are:

i) Atoms In Motion - an examination of the atomic theory of matter and how atoms react with each other.
ii) Basic physics - the history of physics before and after the discovery of quantum mechanics.
iii) The Relation of Physics to Other Sciences - how physics can be used to explain chemical, biological, geological and astronomical phenomena.
iv) Conservation of energy - the fundamental principle of conservation of energy, and how energy can change form.
v) The Theory of Gravitation - the development of the theory of gravity from Kepler to Einstein.
vi) Quantum behavior - an explanation of some simple thought experiments demonstrating the weirdness of quantum behavior.

Feynman is also honest with his audience in saying that in many cases, the mechanism is not known.
Since the lectures were delivered forty years ago, many advances have been made. However, they still remain an excellent introduction to the basic principles of physics and can be read and understood by anyone interested in how the universe functions. They can also still be used as primer material in a basic physics course.

I have the QED and 6 Not So Easy Pieces. In general, Feynman makes physics seem easy. From this book I was able to get all the basics I needed. I highly recommend it!

You don't have to be a physicist to read this book! It has almost no equations at all! Feynman had the ability -and the patience- to try and explain things in different ways so he would make sure people understood him. I also read QED and Six not so easy pieces. They are a bit harder but great also!

I cannot believe I survived 18 years without reading this. I will concede that it does not teach you everthing there is to know about physics. It doesn't really even scratch the surface - there's really a lot more to physics than this.

It is, however, an excellent introduction to physics (or, rather, the basics thereof) and an essential resource to anyone thinking of getting involved in physics. In his characteristically lucid rhetoric, Richard Feynman teaches the beginning physicist how to think about things on his/her own - an essential in both the real world and science.

It is true that you cannot build a structure on something other than a strong base; accordingly, you can't be any kind of respectable scientist or science enthusiast without the knowledge contained in this book - and let me tell you, it won't be explained any clearer than this! Be sure to buy this soon.

Cosmologist Stephen Hawking wrote that "each equation will half the sales of the book". There are a few equations in this title, but are explained in such understandable terms as to make them worthwhile!

Personally, I am terrible at maths. I couldn't solve a path-integral if my life depended on it. Yet Feynman's way of explaining complex reactions and phenomena in easy-to-comprehend analogies helped me to see the world beneath our fingertips with relative ease.

Feynman's characteristic energy and excitement do shine forth in these lectures, and if you want a good place to start learning physics, or you want to learn but are mathematically inept, this book is an ideal starting point. Also recommended is "In Search of Schrodinger's Cat" by John Gribbin, which helped explain further the mysteries of the 'two-slit experiment'.

If you want to really learn physics, get a textbook and/or take a class with labs. The purpose of this book isn't really to teach you physics. It is, after all, only six of numerous chapters in Feynman's "Lectures on Physics." What it does is to give the reader a taste of the scope of the field, what physicists do, and what the study of physics is like without going in too deep. So, for the reader who does not really know about physics and has a slight interest in some basic concepts, this book is enjoyable and enlightening.

For the reader who has an extensive, or at least some, knowledge of physics already, I think this book would be even more fun to read. You have little to learn in the way of the content of what he teaches, and so you can focus on how he teaches and think about the examples he gives. It is by no means a waste of time unless you have read already the "Lectures on Physics." Feynman's lectures are much more exciting than any textbook, and reviewing basic materials from the perspective of someone like him is a worthwhile thing to do.

This is a collection of six chapters taken from the masterpiece "Lectures on Physics" by Feynman, selected by Robert Leighton and Matthew Sands. Thus if you have at least the Vol. 1 of "Lectures on Physics" this book is useless for you. If you're looking forward an introduction to Physics or something like that, this book also is not going to be useful since the original "Lectures on Physics" was wrote to be a Physics course for CalTech. The author didn't wrote these essays to be published isolated from the rest of the original and complete "Lectures on Physics"; Leighton and Sands just pick them up and released it this way for some weird purpose, since, as I said, the idea of the author was not to release these essays separately. I recommend that you acquire the full "Lectures on Physics" if you're interested in fiding lectures on basic Physics by Feynman.

The author was well intentioned when he developed the "Lectures on Physics" etc., but I don't think the editors were when they released this book. What is the meaning of it? For someone that wants lectures on physics by Feynman should look for the complete work, and someone that is interested in an introduction to it cannot take this one since it's very incomplete for this purpose (remember that since these are chapters from the full work, each of them is about just one single discussion topic on Physics, but not on Physics itself widely).

If you have been reading the reviews of this book you might be beginning to suspect that this book is a great place to start. You're right. Feynman uses easy to understand examples and relates them very well to his subject matter.
After I saw the 10 year anniversary edition to "A Breif History of Time" I felt guilty and I read my 10 year old copy. I should have read this book first. I would have been much better prepared to read the other. Both books were great but Feynman did a better job of relating the scientific to the mundane.

As a student of physics, I came to appreciate the teachings of Richard P. Feynman. In Six Pieces, the lectures he presents are both clear and simple. The book is a small sample of the larger collection, The lecture series, but in a small digestable chunks that everyone interested in how physics works will fully appreciate. As a teacher of physics now, I often brouse through these lectures to get ideas of how my lectures should flow, as Feynman's did. I hope to see more of these lectures in small books that illustrate the true nature of how things work. J.Camarena. Van Nuys CA.

Lucidly written with clear, almost easy to understand examples. Great for everybody, age 13 and up. Feynman's exposition of each topic amazes me. How i wish he was my physics teacher. The books is jam packed with information. Written and punblished for the genaral audience, Feynman's attempt to deviate from the complex and complicated mathematics is a successful one, although there is still some math,but simple ones. Get it now. Its a great book.

If you are a layperson in physics, I suggest this book as the best introduction to the field. Also, if you are a technical professional, who have already studied physics (and maybe have hated it), this book will show things in a much different and clever way, and I assure you'll have a very enjoyable time reading it.

Feynman's Lectures are considered to be one of the best introductory texts by Nobel laureates, e.g. Pauling's General Chemisty and Samuelson's Economics. However, the book is not appropriate as a freshman textbook. To shorten it up to make another pop science book directed at more serious readers was not a bad idea to begin with. But personally, I, too, like a reviewer below, felt slightly bored while turing pages. I confess, for practical insights, Epstein's Thinking Physics was much better.

What a delight and previlige to listen in on a master at work. My physics is now quite rusty (after 32 years !); but Dr. Feynman's cogent explanations sure whet the appetite. After a first hearing I replay the CDs while browsing through the book. This really brings home the point. I truly believe that this set should be required reading and listening for high school seniors and/or first year undergraduates. What a classic !! Just buy it and enjoy...

Feynman is regaurded as the greatest physics teacher of all time, and in this series of lectures for beginners, one clearly sees why. If you are beginning on the road to inlightenment through physics and are not sure where to start, these lectures will give you a firm grounding for exploration through clear examples and clear, concise writing.

As an avid admirer of intellectuals(Gertrude Stein, Einstein, Chomsky, Goodman,Said, et al)I couldn't have been happier finding out a new one, this being Richard P Feynman (1918-1988) and his book Six Easy Pieces. The book is divided into 6 or 7 chapters explaining different ideas of physics, this ideas being very simply, hence the same six EASY Pieces. The book doesn't use any equationis accept very elemantary ones. The first chapter devotes some time to the theory (or fact, whatever you prefer) of atoms, explaining how it works. Feynman also talks about,in different chapters, about the relation of physics to other sciences and ideas.

Feynman's gift is very simple. He understands physics. Not just the ideas of physics but how it relates to life and how it came about. Feynman knows how to use simple examples in life to make a point clear. Feynman also explains a mistake that a textbook makes in showing how atoms are seen through a microscope. It is just this kind of experience and truth that makes Six Easy Pieces a book that is incredible good. In the book Feynman talks about Newton's ideas of Physics and Kepler's thoughts and ideas of the orbit of the planets. Buy if you want a great explanation of the basic elements in physics.

July 12, 1999

First and foremost thank you for producing this initial release of Richard Feynman's Physics lectures.

I am a total fan of Richard Feynman's series of Physics lectures and enjoy them both for their knowledge and historic value but ...

I would really like to see a transcript made of this audio lecture and have it reproduced by a professional narrator like Jeff Riggenbach who has done work for audio scholar. Jeff Riggenbach's work is excellant! Listen to T-Rex and The Crater of Doom as one example.

I would repurchase all of the Richard Feynman Physics lectures done to date if this could please be done. The current tapes are OK but the sound quality and announciation could be so much better. Arnold Veness

buy this book if you enjoy the superious feeling you get after asking someone if they know why soup cools down when you blow on it... ha ha ha!!! this book is the perfect physics 101 class. or class primer. it's so great knowing the answers to all the teachers questions before taking the class......

What is remarkable about the book Six Easy pieces is that Richard Feynman is able to explain concepts in physics with simple examples that anyone can understand. He is also refreshingly honest -- he says "This is what we know" and "This is what we don't know" in a very straightforward way. The book is very good at explaining physics concepts and would make a good primer for someone who skipped high school physics. The book also explains the relationship of physics to other sciences (chemistry, biology, etc.) in a way that is simple and yet clear.

I admit from the onset that my review of this work is tainted by two facts: (1) I'm an engineer and not a physicist and (2) I've received enough lectures in physics to be utterly bored with almost the entire first half of the book. Don't get me wrong, Feynman is an utter genious. I was just bored with the book because it read like a Physics 101 class. His careful construction of our modern physical world piece by piece was interesting but not very informative. I wasn't impressed and it seemed to me that this book was simply published so someone could make money off of Feynman's lectures. I didn't see much here to make me sit up and pay attention instead I was busy mentally doodling while my eyes scanned the pages.

This is an outstanding collection of lectures, but you're going to want more. If you are a physics or math enthusiast (and have a long commute, like me), you may want to seriously consider purchasing the entire set of lectures at once, rather than wasting money on "Six Easy Pieces", then "Six Not So Easy Pieces," then buying the combined set that includes them all. (Yes, you can buy the entire 2-year course from Amazon Books.) Even on relatively "simple" topics, such as gravitation, it is amazing how Feynman can help open your eyes to the big picture that underlies the subject. The first lecture, "Atoms in Motion," as well as the 2nd, "Basic Physics," have deceptively s! imple titles. I am fairly sure you will not be bored by them. The last lecture, on quantum uncertainty, is by far the best. However, for this last lecture, you'll want to keep the diagrams handy for when you reach stoplights. If you can keep from applauding with the audience at the end of each lecture, even while driving, you will have accomplished what I could not. Enjoy!

Judging by the sheer number of biographies and other books, Dr. Feynman was indeed a most curious character. His voice, New York accent and humorous and direct delivery make this lecture series a joy to listen to. Physics has never been so clear and enjoyable!