Six Easy PiecesSix Easy Pieces
Score Modern
What it's about
In the early 1960s, Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, taught the introductory physics course at Caltech, and his lectures became one of the most famous physics textbooks ever. This short book collects six of the most accessible: on atoms, on the basic laws of physics, on how physics relates to other sciences, on the conservation of energy, on gravity, and on the strange behavior of the quantum world.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written. Feynman was one of the greatest teachers in history, and his excitement about physics comes through on every page.
You'll love it if you liked
The Lives of a Cell
The Dragons of Eden
The Making of the Atomic BombGood to know
It uses some equations, but very little math is required. The audio recordings of the original lectures are wonderful.
By the numbers
- Readers81 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller22 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #28 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #229 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #455 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
A Deepness in the Sky
Infinite Jest
Parable of the Sower
Good Omens
Blindness
I Know This Much Is TrueExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 1990sTop 25 · 273 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Six Easy Pieces worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written. It ranks #455 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Six Easy Pieces about?
In the early 1960s, Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, taught the introductory physics course at Caltech, and his lectures became one of the most famous physics textbooks ever. This short book collects six of the most accessible: on atoms, on the basic laws of physics, on how physics relates to other sciences, on the conservation of energy, on gravity, and on the strange behavior of the quantum world.
How long does it take to read Six Easy Pieces?
About 3 hours (138 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Six Easy Pieces?
If you liked it, try The Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas, The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan or The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes.