Eli Bendersky's website The late Richard Feynman is a famous American physicist. He is mostly known for the Nobel Prize he got for his research on Quantum Electrodynamics, his work in Los Alamos during WWII on the development of the atomic bomb, and his excellent teaching, immortalized in his three part talmud "Lectures in Physics". Frankly, I knew he won a Nobel Prize, I just didn't know what for. And it wouldn't be of much help, since I don't know what quantum electrodynamics is (although I did study some beginning quantum physics in Uni...).
This book is Feynman's autobiography. I like reading biographies of great scientists (and smart people in general, like hackers), since it's very inspirational. This book is no exception, there's definitely a lot of motivation to be picked from it.
Richard Feynman was a very inspirational person. His greatest pleasure in life was thinking, as he mentioned several times in the book. Thinking about the world, understanding how things work. This endless curiosity is a must trait for every scientist, in my opinion. It shows well in Feynman's numerous hobbies. The book tells about his interest in radios, lock-picking, Portuguese, biology, painting, playing a musical instrument, Mayan mathematics, and others.
In everything Feynman was interested - he succeeded. For instance, as a physics professor looking for biology experiments to do, he actually did some important research. In lock-picking he became a real expert in opening safes during his work in Los Alamos. In music, he even took part in a Brazilian samba band. His paintings got to an exhibition, and a few were sold. Feynman tries to convey a message to the reader - do things because you like and enjoy doing them. Then, most chances are that you will eventually become good at them.
The book is written very well, in a light, entertaining style. It's quite short (only 130 pages or so), so it's a quick, fun read. Recommended.