Rating: 
Summary: Easily understood intro to QED
Review: Richard Feynman, along with Schwinger and Tomonaga, won Nobel prizes in the 1960's for their development of quantum electrodynamics (QED). In this book, Feynman attempts to bring this esoteric field down to the layman's level and succeeds as usual. The chapters in the book are taken from lectures he presented to a largely nonscientific audience, but the material is not dumbed down. Of course, many of the details are left out since only years of study can provide a true understanding of the theory, but Feynman presents his lectures in such a way that only a reasonable amount of thought is needed to appreciate the basics of QED."The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" is an entirely appropriate subtitle to a book that attempts to explain the theory behind phenomena that escape our everyday experience and intuition. QED is arguably the most successful scientific theory in existence. Its predictions have correlated extraordinarily well with experiment although "prediction" in the QED sense is not what we are generally used to. The quantum world is inherently probabilistic. There are certain things we just cannot "know." We cannot predict which photons will reflect of a glass surface, but with QED, we can at least accurately calculate the percentage of photons that do reflect. That's just one of the results of QED that Feynman attempts to explain, and he does so in a very straightforward fashion. Feynman never insults the intelligence of his audience by pretending that the basics of QED are beyond its grasp, but instead repeatedly insists that no one really understands QED, but that should not prevent anyone from appreciating some of its results. With this attitude, Feynman explains the basics of partial reflection, particle interactions, and the discoveries of new particles, and he does all this through numerous figures and analogies rather than mathematical equations. Richard Feynman was not your ordinary physicist. He was a physicist's physicist and a great teacher (read James Gleick's bio of Feynman called Genius). His teaching abilities are in full display in this book as he is able to bring an incredibly strange theory down to the average reader's level. I highly recommend this book. It will tax your thinking abilities but will never insult them.
Rating:
Summary: Enigma - QED and Feynman are Outside Normal Experience
Review: Enigma - this term best describes QED, the notoriously non-intuitive basis of fundamental physics. But 'enigma" equally applies to this book, QED. Why is it so popular? Four lectures on quantum electrodynamics? Why would anyone, other than a physicist, rave about such a book? Feynman cautions the audience that they may not understand what he will be saying. Not because of technical difficulty, but because they may be unable to believe it, unable to accept what he is saying. "The theory of quantum electrodynamics describes Nature as absurd from the point of view of common sense. And it fully agrees with experiment. So I hope you can accept Nature as She is - absurd." I long had this problem. I wanted to understand why, in addition to how nature works. I wanted some philosophical understanding, some underlying meaning. I have come to accept that the fundamental laws (rules, behavior, whatever) of physics are not intuitive, but are incomprehensible in terms of common sense. To appreciate Feynman's QED lectures, you must have patience, some commitment (its not really difficult), but more than anything else you need a willingness to set aside disbelief and simply listen to a physicist talk about quantum electrodynamics. A willingness to accept that nature refuses to be understood. Analyzed, dissected, mathematically described (in a probabilistic sense), but not fundamentally understood. QED. I am largely unsatisfied by books for laymen on quantum physics, string theory, cosmology, and the like. My background includes some physics and I find that a bit of mathematics is more helpful than a great many analogies, no matter how cleverly constructed. QED should have been disappointing. But I gave it five stars. Feynman did not rely on analogies. He talks physics and experiments. Feynman had a wonderful clarity of thought, an ability to explain advanced physics, and all with a sense of humor. No math symbols, no complex numbers, no matrices, no wave mechanics, no advanced probability analysis - just simple addition of little arrows that shrink and turn. Feynman was unpredictable. He saw the world in unexpected ways. In a footnote he mentions that Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is really no longer a necessary construct. "If you can get rid of all the old-fashioned ideas and instead use the ideas that I am explaining in these lectures - adding arrows for all the ways an event can happen - there is no need for an uncertainty principle." Heisenberg relegated to a footnote! The casual reader may find some short sections a bit strenuous, particularly some of the more involved manipulations of arrows, but stay with it. As Feynman points out in the preface, these lectures represent physics accurately without distortions for simplicity. Nothing would need to be unlearned if you later majored in physics. Think about it. QED may lead you down a path heretofore not taken.
Rating:
Summary: Read it
Review: This book is great! There isn't much to say here that hasn't already been said. If you have a desire to learn about quantum mechanics but you lack a science background, this book simply cannot be beat. This is the only book that gives you the real deal. A Brief History, Elegant Universe, etc. all gloss over the topic. But don't fool yourself. Even though Feynman is a great teacher, this is not easy stuff. If you hope to really grasp what Prof. Feynman is saying you are going to have to really think about it. I remember reading one page over and over again for an hour until I grasped one concept. But it is definitely worth it in the end. I believe that anyone of above average intelligence (which I believe most people who read this sort of book are) should be able to fully grasp the ideas presented in this book. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Best intro book on QED
Review: This is the best book for the layman on the difficult subject of quantum mechanics. I've read much more technical works on the subject, but none of them can match Feynman's clear and concise explanations of the fascinating and paradoxical world of quantum mechanics. Feynman had a gift for explaining difficult physics concepts to the non-physicist, and this book is perhaps the best example of his ability to do this. Using primarily spatial concepts, visualizations, and diagrams rather than advanced math, Feynman clearly illustrates and explains many of the fundamental aspects of QED in a way that the non-specialist can grasp. A true classic in the field, and one that hasn't been equalled since in its clear and concise treatment of the subject. All in all, a great book from both a great physicist and great teacher.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I am an Electrical Engineer and had the usual education. It is a delight to read this book and learn about the fundamental theory upon which much of the Electrical Engineering profession is based. Much of what we are taught in schools is an approximation and sometimes wrong. It is great to learn, even if it is only qualitatively, about more accurate representations. I wish that Feynman were alive to keep updating his lectures with the latest developments. The lectures seem to have been last updated in 1980s and I am sure Physics has moved on since then.
Rating:
Summary: hmmm?
Review: I personally did not actually read this book although i am positive it is excellent. I may not be a physicist (although i wish to become one... and richard P. feynman is who i can only dream to become like) but i did discuss quantum electrodynamics with a physicist and ironically he could not even pronounce it and i could. i also have a question for future people who post and know alot about feynman; did he work on "enigma" during world war 2?
Rating:
Summary: A QED Teaser
Review: An excellent explanation of QED with no formalism. Good diagrams are used in place of the mathematics, with clear explanations and nice analogies to make this subject very accessible and understandable. This will certainly get the mind wheels turning, a very stimulating and fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: Richard Feynman always amazes me. This book is my first experience with QED. when I was just one high school student, I read it during a boring holiday, I was attracted by it at once!
the book tells you what is physics, tells you how beautiful physics is!
I think everyone who have fundamental physics knowledge can understand QED from the book,. someone usually say S.Hawking's"the brief history of time" is excellent, but I don't think so. the book is more excellent ,maybe the best popular science book!
Rating: 
Summary: Who needs hallucinatory drugs when we've got quantum physics
Review: This book will absolutely blow you away! If you're an armchair physicist and you thought you understood the universe, prepare to be blown away! The physical universe is NOTHING like you've ever imagined. If you thought Star Trek was way out there, you ain't seen nothin' yet! And the strangest part of all, is this branch of physics has stood up to scrutiny more than any other idea in the history of science! It's just plain freaky, but real! The only reason I don't give this book 5 stars is because the author committed a massive science flaw: He said, "There are no gears or pullies inside these things. Don't even look for them." Imagine that! A scientist telling you to do no more research for further answers! That cost him a full star in my review. Put this book on the top 10 reading list of all time! When you're done, search for information about faster than light transmission, quantum entanglement, and the real science of teleportation. Also, required reading: Alber Einstein's "Relativity, the Special and the General Theory" (or is it the General and the Special Theory?). You can't read one without the other. In my opinion, they make a complete set.
Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics
Review: Feynman shows that behind any concept, also a very difficult one, there are simple ideas and thinking strategy. Remarkable the correctness of the treatment also in a layman book.
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