Rating: 
Summary: This is THE Book. Period.
Review: The Feynman Lectures on Physics are one of the best book I have ever read, in all fields. No, to be true this is the book I value the most, not just 'one of' an elite. And yet I would not suggest that it be used as the _only_ introductory text for a physics course. On the contrary, I think that one should rely on other books to get aquainted with the subject and only later venture to read THE Book to let Feynman really explain what was _thought_ to be understood.The commemorative edition has been cast in three nice hardback volumes: the first one is mainly about the basics of physics, mechanics, thermodynamicas and optics. The second one is devoted to a classical treatment of electromagnetism, elasticity and hydrodynamics. With 'classical' I mean that the treatment is somewhat more conventional than that adopted in the other two volumes, where you can feel Feynman's different approach. Finally, the third volume is devoted to quantum mechanics from a perspective different from most other introductory texts on the subject. All in all this collection is a must have for anyone who has an interest, albeit indirect, in Physics. Caution: these books can be enlightening. Always wear shades to protect your eyes from the light that seeps through.
Rating:
Summary: The best science teacher ever?
Review: I hold the opinion that Richard Feynman was the best physics teacher of all times. I keep his three red volumes always at the main position of my bookshelves, aside Dirac's "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" and the Landau-Lifshitz collection. What is it that puts them in a class apart from every other introductory text? A Nobel-prize winner, Giaever, I think, said that he seldom had to reach for other book of physics than Feynman's. On the other hand, the very respected mathematician Gian Carlo Rota gave it a bad review, orienting students to go instead to Halliday-Resnick for help. Perhaps these opposite opinions give us a clue: Feynman's "Lectures" are the sole book to present basic physics as a living subject, as real physics, that thing that researchers slowly build in their day-to-day toil.For the author, as always, strived to rebuild everything almost from scratch, sometimes with great originality. This explains why we never grow tired of it. It explains too why it "lacks" the organization of a text designed solely by pedagogical purposes. It's an asset, rather than a liability. If you are a beginner, use both (Feynman and Halliday-Resnick). In Feynman you'll see the magic and understand the beauty of a career in physics, as in nowhere else.
Rating:
Summary: Not perfect, but certainly the best.
Review: I am an undergraduate student,working on a double major in math & physics. Having found classroom teaching unmotivated, I ventured out to teach myself. This is the best I've found. Feynman was a very smart man and I can only wish that I could have had him as a teacher. The concepts are clear (for the most part) and he makes it interesting. Some things are not explained as well as they could, which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5, but I think that's a shortcoming of the medium and not the author or the text. Some things just have to be learned hands-on, or with a teacher next to you. Reading a book brings you close but it's not the actual thing. Overall, excellent learning experience. Makes me look forward to the bizarre world of physics.
Rating:
Summary: Feynman -- simply the best physics teacher of his era
Review: Feynman's famous three-volume set is an edited set based on his lectures to the introductory physics classes at Caltech, which are widely considered to be among the best lecture series ever published. Feynman takes a different approach from the typical introductory physics textbook. His point of departure perhaps assumes a higher level of mathematical sophistication than most introductory or survey texts. Also, his choice of topics is not as broad and comprehensive as many modern surveys of introductory physics. What makes Feynman's work remarkable is the his manner of explaining physical principles underlying a topic, instead of simply presenting the traditional expression of a rule and its formal mathematical expression. When one completes reading a section of Feynman's lecture, if one has the mathematical sophistication one will obtain a "feel" for how the topic fits in the broad context of physics as a whole. As a note of caution: most introductory physics surveys do not present material with use of matrix mathematics. Feynman assumes familiarity with the basics of matrix algebra, and this fact makes his presentation challenging to many students. In various sources I have read that his lectures were well attended by students in the upper division portion of their education and many graduate students and faculty, while the freshman audience intended may have been poor. That reflects the series as being a high-level conceptual overview reflecting the unified structure of physics. Perhaps not suitable for introductory physics instruction to any but the most advanced students.
Rating:
Summary: The best science teacher ever?
Review: I hold the opinion that Richard Feynman was the best physics teacher of all times. I keep his three red volumes always at the main position of my bookshelves, aside Dirac's "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" and the Landau-Lifshitz collection. What is it that puts them in a class apart from every other introductory text? A Nobel-prize winner, Giaever, I think, said that he seldom had to reach for other book of physics than Feynman's. On the other hand, the very respected mathematician Gian Carlo Rota gave it a bad review, orienting students to go instead to Halliday-Resnick for help. Perhaps these opposite opinions give us a clue: Feynman's "Lectures" are the sole book to present basic physics as a living subject, as real physics, that thing that researchers slowly build in their day-to-day toil.For the author, as always, strived to rebuild everything almost from scratch, sometimes with great originality. This explains why we never grow tired of it. It explains too why it "lacks" the organization of a text designed solely by pedagogical purposes. It's an asset, rather than a liability. If you are a beginner, use both (Feynman and Halliday-Resnick). In Feynman you'll see the magic and understand the beauty of a career in physics, as in nowhere else.
Rating:
Summary: Quite simply the best-- but not for everyone
Review: This book is easily the most clear, lucid, book there is on college level physics (though it can be confusing at times!). It must be understood, though, that these lectures were delivered to Caltech students; Caltech's average math SAT is like 780. So buy the book, but don't get discouraged if its hard! Feynman intended the lectures to be hard even for caltech students.
By the way it helps a lot if you know a little about the subject beforehand. Its easier to absorb they information that way.
Rating: 
Summary: Confusing but decent
Review: I spoke to soon earlier. This is a fairly good book. I'm going to get an"0 of # people foudn this review helpful" but what do I care. If You want me to druel over this book then why even bother looking at reviews?
Rating:
Summary: Not perfect, but certainly the best.
Review: I am an undergraduate student,working on a double major in math & physics. Having found classroom teaching unmotivated, I ventured out to teach myself. This is the best I've found. Feynman was a very smart man and I can only wish that I could have had him as a teacher. The concepts are clear (for the most part) and he makes it interesting. Some things are not explained as well as they could, which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5, but I think that's a shortcoming of the medium and not the author or the text. Some things just have to be learned hands-on, or with a teacher next to you. Reading a book brings you close but it's not the actual thing. Overall, excellent learning experience. Makes me look forward to the bizarre world of physics.
Rating: 
Summary: Overrated.
Review: These books are not bad, as they do have their definite style: informal, chatty, and unorthodox. I believe it's mainly these characteristics, more than the depth of physical insight, which make these books popular. Physics is an intensely intellectual subject of sterling beauty. It is also impersonal. It is no wonder that in the process of climbing this intellectual mountain, many of us long for the relief of the "human touch", to alleviate psychologically the rigor of thought that is demanded of us. This, I believe, is the fundamental reason for the popularity of these books, whose unorthodox style serves as the relief. Besides, who wouldn't want to feel as if Feynman were talking to you personally? Of course, Feynman's celebrity status among groupie physicists also helps. Much has been made of the clarity of the explanations. While the explanations are good, they are not outstanding. While at times original, they are not necessarily pedagogically superior. For textbooks, there's really no sense for the author to strive to be original just to be different. On any given subject, there are many competent authors out there who convey physics better than Feynman, although few of them have been granted the over-used title of a "genius". Overall, while I think these books are reasonably good, they certainly don't live up to the hype that seems to surround everything Feynman touched.
Rating: 
Summary: Pathetic
Review: This book series is horrible and the author is highly overrated. Its just a bunch of confusing, wretched nonsense. For a decent physics book, try Einstein's "evolution of physics".
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