No Ordinary Genius

Sykes made three TV documentaries about physicist Feynman (1918-1988) in the late '80s, including a BBC feature by the same title as this photo-hagiography. Illustrated with more than 130 photos and reproductions of such ephemera as Feynman's childhood notes on science books and encyclopedia articles, the text is mostly from Sykes's scripted interviews and from Feynman's own Curious Character stories. Nonetheless, the range here is broadened by contributions from 18 family members and colleagues. A chapter on Feynman's role on the Challenger Committee, which investigated the causes of the 1986 explosion of NASA's Challenger space shuttle in which seven astronauts died, casts more light on the investigation than on Feynman. The format is reminiscent of the physicist's bestsellers, e.g., Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman , with pictures. Sykes's off-putting calculated reverence, however, doesn't conceal his subject's inimitable, irrepressible spirit. (May)