How does a scientist decide which problem is worth working on? That was the question which faced Leonard Mlodinow when he became a researcher at Caltech. How could he live up to the expectations placed upon him? Fortunately he had Richard Feynman down the corridor to talk to, and this book is the result of their many discussions. The answer seems to be that if you need to ask the question then you shouldn't be doing physics - indeed Mlodinow eventually gave up his career in the subject. Rather you should be driven by your desire to sort out inconsistencies in the current state of things. Feynman's Rainbow is a highly readable book - I read most of it in one go, and I can recommend it to anyone who wants to find out how scientists decide to do what they do. Continued..

The first part of the book looks at the Phanerozoic eon - that is the Cambrian Period to the present, and tells mostly of the history of geology in Britain. The second part is more wide ranging, starting with the formation of the earth, and although it is based on a jorney into the Grand Canyon, in fact it takes a more global view. Continued..

A principal part of the book is the pictures, both of the space program, and of the many aspects of design which were affected. Sometimes one feels that copyright problems have prevented a particular image from being shown, but there are plenty in the book so this doesn't matter too much. The copy I read had a bright pink cover, highlighting the sense of fun and novelty that the book is presenting. Continued..