The Feynman Lectures on Physics, The Definitive and Extended Edition: Amazon.ca: Richard P. Feynman, Robert B. Leighton, Matthew Sands: Books

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The revised edition of Feynman's legendary lectures includes extensive corrections and updates collated by Feynman and his colleagues. A new foreword by Kip Thorne, the current Richard Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech, discusses the relevance of the new edition to today’s readers. This boxed set also includes Feynman’s new Tips on Physics — the four previously unpublished lectures that Feynman gave to students preparing for exams at the end of his course. Thus, this 4 — volume set is the complete and definitive edition of The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Packaged in a specially designed slipcase, this 4 — volume set provides the ultimate legacy of Feynman’s extraordinary contribution to students, teachers, researches, and lay readers around the world.

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This revised edition of Feynman’s legendary lectures includes extensive corrections Feynman and his colleagues received and Caltech approved. This boxed set provides Volumes 1-3 together with Feynman’s Tips on Physics making this the complete and definitive set of The Feynman Lectures on Physics. For all readers interested in physics.

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Amazon.com: 4.7 out of 5 stars (50 customer reviews)

213 of 222 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another incarnation of a classic, Oct 10 2005

By Ursiform - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: The Feynman Lectures on Physics, The Definitive and Extended Edition (Hardcover)

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.

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Everlasting Feynman lectures!, Jan 21 2006

By Javier �lvarez "vulcanian" - Published on Amazon.com

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: The Feynman Lectures on Physics, The Definitive and Extended Edition (Hardcover)

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.

59 of 67 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic to be enjoyed in a new edition., Aug 31 2005

By Keith Dow "Keith Dow" - Published on Amazon.com

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This review is from: The Feynman Lectures on Physics, The Definitive and Extended Edition (Hardcover)

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.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 50 reviews 4.7 out of 5 stars