Dean's Blog

The Letters of Richard Feynman

Perfectly Reasonable Deviations (from the Beaten Track)In spare moments I have been reading Perfectly Reasonable Deviations (from the Beaten Track)- The Letters of Richard P Feynman. Feynman was a Nobel Peace Prizewinner for Physics for his work on quantum electrodynamics, although he would be horrified to be introduced just in this way. He clearly had a passion for his work and a passion for life and this is reflected in his wide-ranging correspondence with family, friends and colleagues, as well as those who wrote to him out of the blue from all over the world as a result of his textbooks, research papers or from seeing him on programmes on television. In writing to young people, wondering about a career in physics, he encouraged them to do what you get the greatest pleasure from, develop your talents wherever they may lead , and if you have any talent or any occupation, that delights you, do it and do it to the hilt. He himself seems endlessly curious and though much of the physics (there is not too much!) I couldn’t understand, his humanity and enthusiasm shine through.