Books that develop interest & critical thinking among high school students
I saw that some people wanted to learn physics after they saw
- Project TUVA lectures by Richard Feynman
- 10th classic classical mechanics lecture by Walter Lewin
- Surely you are joking Mr. Feynman book by Richard Feynman
To get people interested you need to show them that doing physics is COOL and is FUN.
Back when I was in my final two years of high school, there are a handful of books (the first two with co-incidentally similar titles!) that I remember reading and enjoying:
The Theory of Almost Everything by Robert Oerter - a great in-depth popular science book on 20th century physics and the goals of unification.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - very much a popular science book (covering many aspects of science from physics to geology to taxonomy). As from any Bill Bryson book, you can expect a lot of humour, storytelling, and generally an entertaining read. The science content is less than some, but still worthwhile.
Godel, Escher, Bach (GEB) by Douglas Hofstadter - this book is probably famous enough not to need an introduction. I actually read it in my earlier university years, but it's even more suitable for a keen final-year high-school student I'd think. It explores the very nature of the consciousness, thought, complexity, and beauty - and gives mind-opening insights fields as mathematical logic, music, art, AI, and physics.
try The Cartoon Guide to Physics by Larry Gonick
funny and smart!