The Feynman Lectures on Physics

The three-volume transcription of the introductory physics course Feynman gave at Caltech in 1961–63 — mechanics, radiation and heat; electromagnetism and matter; quantum mechanics — now free to read online at Caltech’s site.

Why it’s on the list: Named in the replies to @SpencrGreenberg asking what non-fiction book taught you the most about how the world really works — a crowd-sourced list Kyle recovered by hand and saved. Read literally, it is the answer to that question.

Page count omitted: this is a three-volume set, so no single figure applies.

Where I saw it: In the replies to @SpencrGreenberg asking “What non-fiction book taught you the most about how the world (or how humanity or society) really works?” (June 5, 2025). Kyle recovered the reply list by hand and saved it to his “Books To Read” Apple Note; the full transcribed list lives on A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet).

Connections

• A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• Richard Feynman — the lecturer.
• Science — the subject.
• Open Source Knowledge — the portfolio idea this sits closest to: Caltech publishes the whole course free online.