The Strangest Man Audiobook By Graham Farmelo cover art

The Strangest Man

The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom

Preview
Get this deal Try for $0.00
Offer ends May 6, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Strangest Man

By: Graham Farmelo
Narrated by: B. J. Harrison
Get this deal Try for $0.00

$14.95/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends May 6, 2025 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Paul Dirac was among the great scientific geniuses of the modern age. One of the discoverers of quantum mechanics, the most revolutionary theory of the past century, his contributions had a unique insight, eloquence, clarity, and mathematical power. His prediction of antimatter was one of the greatest triumphs in the history of physics.

One of Einstein's most admired colleagues, Dirac was in 1933 the youngest theoretician ever to win the Nobel Prize in physics. Dirac's personality is legendary. He was an extraordinarily reserved loner, relentlessly literal-minded, and appeared to have no empathy with most people. Yet he was a family man and was intensely loyal to his friends. His tastes in the arts ranged from Beethoven to Cher, from Rembrandt to Mickey Mouse.

Based on previously undiscovered archives, The Strangest Man reveals the many facets of Dirac's brilliantly original mind. A compelling human story, The Strangest Man also depicts a spectacularly exciting era in scientific history.

©2009 Graham Farmello (P)2009 Audible, Inc.
Physics Professionals & Academics Science Science & Technology Inspiring Thought-Provoking
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_webcro805_stickypopup

Critic reviews

  • 2009 Costa Book Award (Biography)
  • 100 Notable Books of 2009 (New York Times)
  • Books of the Year 2009 (The Economist)
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Science & Technology, 2010

"Farmelo proves himself a wizard at explaining the arcane aspects of particle physics. His great affection for his odd but brilliant subject shows on every page, giving Dirac the biography any great scientist deserves." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A must-read for anyone interested in the extraordinary power of pure thought. With this revelatory, moving and definitive biography, Graham Farmelo provides the first real glimpse inside the bizarre mind of Paul Dirac." (Roger Highfield, Editor, New Scientist)

What listeners say about The Strangest Man

Highly rated for:

Fascinating Biography Well-researched Story Calm Narration Insightful Portrayal Suspenseful Account
Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    350
  • 4 Stars
    174
  • 3 Stars
    87
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    11
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    262
  • 4 Stars
    123
  • 3 Stars
    46
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    9
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    278
  • 4 Stars
    103
  • 3 Stars
    57
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    8

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Paul Dirac won 1933 Nobel Prize in physics

This is one of the best books in terms of detail and insight into the brilliant character of Paul Dirac 1902-1984. Graham Farmelo, a British Physicist, has obviously done in-depth research, and I understand he had access to many of Dirac’s personal papers. The book won the 2009 Costa book award. The book is less a scientific biography than other books on Dirac, it emphasizes more the development of Dirac’s personality and the story of his relationship with his relations and colleagues. I learned a lot about Dirac, including his work on the atomic bomb during World War II. Dirac is responsible for several of the great breakthrough in 20th century physics and mathematics. He found the fundamental insight into quantum mechanics and remains the basic understanding even today. His textbook on Quantum Mechanics remains a rigorously clear explanation of the fundamental idea of quantum theory. He also developed the Dirac equation which is the basis of particle physics. He is known for developing quantum field theory, quantum electrodynamics and the understanding the role of magnetic monopoles in electromagnetism. Dirac was the youngest theoretician to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics (1933). He also won the Max Planck Medal and the Copley Medal. He was the Lucasian Professor of mathematics at Cambridge University. The chair is now held by Stephen Hawking. Dirac’s work was so advanced we are only just beginning to prove and use his work. B. J. Harrison did an excellent job narrating this long book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

As good as a Dirac biography could be :-)

Well written and particularly well read. Enjoyable and interesting if you like the history of physics. If the history of physics is not already your thing, you may not find this an exciting volume. I really enjoyed it but would not likely listen again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Dirac

I liked it all. very interesting person, very interesting life. I liked dirac! thank you for the book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good book, agree with others regarding narration

I agree with several other reviews - enjoyed this listen since the material was strong enough, held my interest, despite the poor narration. Someone, please instruct the narrator regarding pronunciation of the word "experiment". Since listening, the word "expirimint" is still ringing in my ears.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Like a Novel

I felt like I was reading an adventure novel rather than a biography. The book is well written and flows nicely, packed with good physics, and fun characterization.
The naration was great too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great book, dreadfully read

Farmelo provides exceptionally clear explanations of some very difficult science as well as a fascinating portrait of Dirac the man set in a vivid historical time. A testament to the book that it survives the affected reader, who repeatedly misplaces emphasis in a sentence, uses a jarring, artificial diction, and emotes as if he were reading a romance novel.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent

If you are interested in science, quantum mechanics, or strange people, this is a great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Amazing! Thoughtful and articulate with regards to one of the greatest minds in the 20th century

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great biography and overview of particle physics

A work on Dirac by a physicist who loves Dirac. History, math, people, family, it's all here.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Insanely good

What a masterful writer Mr. Farmelo is! Enough said.

Listen to it. It is very long but you will laugh, you will get upset, you will not believe how removed from his environment he could become and you will miss him once he is gone. Good-bye Mr. Dirac.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful