The history of physics

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1. ghastmasterSep 2024
   You're referring to The History of Physics. An excellent read for a budding mind.

   Asimov was incredibly talented.

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2. troymcMar 2018
   The others are suggesting Bill Bryson, Brian Greene, Lee Smolin and Leonard Susskind books but they came quite a bit later. Good suggestions though.

   What stands out that I could read in the 1980s? I mentioned George Gamow's little book: One Two Three . . . Infinity: Facts and Speculations of Science.

   Many Carl Sagan books were available by then. Ask Google.

   Isaac Asimov wrote about everything, but his monthly essays in the Fantasy & Science Fiction (magazine) often covered some physics topic. I love how he tells the story: Always about the person, the time, the ideas, the meanings of the words, good analogies. He made it all seem so simple, but I know now that he was a master and loved it (and bragged about it too). Those essays were often collected into paperback collections, and my high school library got them.

   Asimov also wrote a History of Physics book. Really thick and long. I read it for a book report for English class, because I was a total nerd and it seemed like a fun project. Most others read a comic book because those passed as "non-fiction" (for real).

   One of the better textbooks is Introduction to Electrodynamics by David J. Griffiths. That one stands out in my mind.

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