Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character) by Richard Feynman

Why Did I Read This Book?

Lately I've been feeling my life has been a bit boring on a micro scale.  What better to read than about the adventures of a curious character to get some inspiration?

How Did I Hear About This Book?

Again, from a Tim Ferriss podcast, but this time I don't recall which one, only that this book came highly recommended.

What Did I Learn From This Book?

Wow.  Where to start?  Feynman has a way of teaching lessons through anecdotes that I haven't read before.  He split the book into a series of short stories about particular themes in his life that aren't always chronological, but each of which has a lesson to be learned from that isn't directly stated but still obviously apparent.

If I was to sum up my learnings from this book, it would be that one should try many different things and always say yes.  Story after story he shows his willingness to try new things and what comes out doing so, and in doing is the most interesting person I've read about.

Here's a short list of his accomplishments:

• Won the Nobel Prize in physics
• Marched in a Brazilian carnival band
• Sold drawings professionally
• Played drums for a ballet showing
• Learned to pick locks
• Watched the first atomic bomb detonated
• Taught in Japan and Brazil

Other than win the Nobel Prize (realistically...) and watch the first atomic bomb detonate, all these are attainable by anyone.  He makes them feel so in reach, so simple to do, that I'm inspired to try some new things myself.

Why can't I be like Dick Feynman?

Favorite Clippings

All the time you’re saying to yourself, “I could do that, but I won’t”—which is just another way of saying that you can’t. [Loc 945]

...that you don’t have to be responsible for the world that you’re in. So I have developed a very powerful sense of social irresponsibility as a result of Von Neumann’s advice. It’s made me a very happy man ever since. But it was Von Neumann who put the seed in that grew into my active irresponsibility! [Loc 1905]

It’s a simple process, but practice helps a lot. You learn how hard to push on things—hard enough so the pins will stay up, but not so hard that they won’t go up in the first place. What is not really appreciated by most people is that they’re perpetually locking themselves in with locks everywhere, and it’s not very hard to pick them. [Loc 1981]

I'm not an English major, but I think that's a metaphor.

It was a brilliant idea: You have no responsibility to live up to what other people think you ought to accomplish. I have no responsibility to be like they expect me to be. It’s their mistake, not my failing. [Loc 2539]

One day, about 3:30 in the afternoon, I was walking along the sidewalk opposite the beach at Copacabana past a bar. I suddenly got this treMENdous, strong feeling: “That’s just what I want; that’ll fit just right. I’d just love to have a drink right now!” I started to walk into the bar, and I suddenly thought to myself, “Wait a minute! It’s the middle of the afternoon. There’s nobody here. There’s no social reason to drink. Why do you have such a terribly strong feeling that you have to have a drink?”—and I got scared. I never drank ever again, since then. [Loc 3017]

This one actually has inspired me to not drink for the last week.

“This is something! This guy is trying so hard to impress me, he’s willing to buy this for me. If I’m ever going to tell the story…” So I said to him, “Well, OK, introduce me.” [Loc 3330]

This reminds me of the advice that says you should live your life like you're the main character in a movie (i.e. don't be a villain, be interesting).

When you’re young, you have all these things to worry about—should you go there, what about your mother. And you worry, and try to decide, but then something else comes up. It’s much easier to just plain decide. Never mind—nothing is going to change your mind. [Loc 3510]

I've been unconsciously applying this to my life, for example with jobs, schools, and living situations.

I’ll never make that mistake again, reading the experts’ opinions. Of course, you only live one life, and you make all your mistakes, and learn what not to do, and that’s the end of you. [Loc 3822]

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool. [Loc 5154]

So I have just one wish for you—the good luck to be somewhere where you are free to maintain the kind of integrity I have described, and where you do not feel forced by a need to maintain your position in the organization, or financial support, or so on, to lose your integrity. May you have that freedom. [Loc 5215]

This may be the #1 filter for places I work in the future.

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Anyone wanting to live a more interesting life.  Hopefully that's everyone, so I recommend this book to anyone.

My rating: 10/10 (my new favorite book!)