Great Physics Book help?

Linguo

Would any of you kind people be able to recommend a really interesting physics book for my dad (and for me to read after:D) He has a physics degree but he's rusty and is undertaking some OU courses to brush up. I'd like a really interesting read rather than a text book if possible, thanks a million!

Morbert

"Road to Reality" by Roger Penrose

Michael Collins

Linguo wrote: »

Would any of you kind people be able to recommend a really interesting physics book for my dad (and for me to read after:D) He has a physics degree but he's rusty and is undertaking some OU courses to brush up. I'd like a really interesting read rather than a text book if possible, thanks a million!

Well the "Feynman lectures on Physics" 3-book set is very highly regarded. I have them myself and I do like 'em, maybe not as much as everyone else, but they are good. They are very wordy - Feynman likes his detailed explanations (which is where I have the problem I reckon). Check them out here:

http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-set-Set/dp/0201021153

Morbert wrote: »

"Road to Reality" by Roger Penrose

This is a crazy book. It has all sorts of advanced stuff in it. I really think that it's not ideally suited to the causally interested reader though. Some of the stuff in that (like Fourier Series) I thought I understood, but then reading it, he totally confused me. It's seems like it'd be very good for someone who has already learnt the material in detail, but just can't quite remember it.

Podge_irl

Michael Collins wrote: »

Well the "Feynman lectures on Physics" 3-book set is very highly regarded. I have them myself and I do like 'em, maybe not as much as everyone else, but they are good. They are very wordy - Feynman likes his detailed explanations (which is where I have the problem I reckon). Check them out here:

http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-set-Set/dp/0201021153

While I see where you are coming from, I think Feynmann's lectures are a fantastic introduction to physics. They are a little bit wordy, but he is fantastic at explaining the basic points of physics to a layman, or even advanced, audience. I haven't read the whole lectures series, partly because its just covering stuff I know already, but as a book I think its a fantastic introduction to physics. It really is like having a great lecturer discuss the topics right to you.

Linguo

Thanks so much for your help, the set looks very interesting! I'll try and see where I can get a good deal on them!

Michael Collins

Podge_irl wrote: »

While I see where you are coming from, I think Feynmann's lectures are a fantastic introduction to physics. They are a little bit wordy, but he is fantastic at explaining the basic points of physics to a layman, or even advanced, audience. I haven't read the whole lectures series, partly because its just covering stuff I know already, but as a book I think its a fantastic introduction to physics. It really is like having a great lecturer discuss the topics right to you.

Ah yeh, I do rate them highly. It's more of a personal thing - me being too impatient again.

Linguo

No luck finding them for a little cheaper yet but will keep hunting!

Michael Collins

Linguo wrote: »

No luck finding them for a little cheaper yet but will keep hunting!

To be honest I doubt you'll get them much cheaper than that Amazon link (which works out at €43 before delivary), unless you find them second hand. Not bad for three large books.

You're probably fairly limited in what shops stock them too. I think I remember seeing them in Hodges & Figgis in Dublin with a price tag of 3 digits!

sponsoredwalk

Road to Reality by Roger Penrose is probably the best bet for your dad if he's got a physics degree. This book is by no means an easy read however, from the 8th and 9th chapters on it assumes a basic understanding of Laplace Transforms and Multivariable Complex Calculus etc... and only gets more in depth. I'm sure your dad will find it very interesting as the book is concerned with the latest developments in current theoretical physics but doesn't go super crazy on the math.

If your looking for a good read that does not include the math I have other suggestions for you. You should really check out the descriptions of these off of amazon or wikipedia etc... They are challenging yet if you know virtually nothing about physics they will give you enough laymans knowledge to stay with the story completely. If you understand the physics then it will give you a deeper understanding.

"The Elegant Universe" - Brian Greene
"The Cosmic Landscape" - Leonard Susskind
"Black Hole War" - Leonard Susskind
"Warped Passages" - Lisa Randall
"Dreams of a Final Theory" - Steven Weinberg

Professor_Fink

Two suggestions which are not really physics books, but are very popular with physicists:
1) "The code book" by Simon Singh
2) "Gravity's Rainbow" by Thomas Pynchon

I certainly found the code book to be one of the most interesting books I have ever read, and it has significantly influenced my career.

ZorbaTehZ

Professor_Fink wrote: »

1) "The code book" by Simon Singh

I certainly found the code book to be one of the most interesting books I have ever read, and it has significantly influenced my career.

I read that book when I was about 13/14 and to be honest it was probably the book that originally got me interested in math/science. Incredibly interesting.