Part 1: He Fixes Radios by Thinking! Summary and Analysis

The book begins with Mr. Feyman's memories of being a boy, about eleven or twelve years old, who liked to build and fix radios. Rather than following a narrative arc, the chapter provides us with a collection of radio anecdotes, setting the stage for the anecdotal organization for the rest of the book, and introducing us to its central character who, even at this young age, is clearly inquisitive, highly intelligent, and mischievous.

Among the radio-related anecdotes are a "burglar alarm" prank he used to startle his parents when they walked into his room one night. He also tells us how he learned to pick up radio signals from other cities, which allowed him to learn what happened on syndicated radio programs an hour before his friends and family knew.

He...