Physics for Entertainment

First published in 1913, Physics for Entertainment became a bestseller in the 1930s and, although long out of print, was translated from Russian into many languages, inspiring science students around the world. Among those influenced was Russian mathematician Grigori Yakovlevich Perelman (unrelated to the author), who later solved the Poincaré conjecture and famously declined the Fields Medal. Perelman’s father, an electrical engineer, gave him the book to encourage his early interest in mathematics. In the foreword, the author describes the contents as “conundrums, brain-teasers, entertaining anecdotes, and unexpected comparisons,” noting that he quoted extensively from writers such as Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and Mark Twain because their imaginative experiments could serve as instructive illustrations in physics classes. The book explored a wide range of engaging topics, including how to jump from a moving car and why, “according to the law of buoyancy, we would never drown in the Dead Sea.” Many of its ideas remain popular among science teachers today.

Author Biography

Yakov Perelman (1882-1942) was a Russian and Soviet science writer and author of many popular science books. He has been known by his popular, witty and quite scientific works on physics, astronomy and mathematics, which are, moreover written in a marvelous language and are very readable.