Tuva or Bust
Encyclopedia
Tuva or Bust! is a book by Ralph Leighton
about the author and his friend Richard Feynman
's attempt to travel to Tuva
.
The introduction explains how Feynman challenged Leighton, at the time a high school math teacher, "Whatever happened to Tannu Tuva?" Since Feynman had a reputation as a prankster and had proven himself entirely capable of inventing a fictional country name to confound friends, Leighton assumed it was made up. But the country existed, and the pair became fascinated with this hard-to-reach destination, at the geographic center of Asia
, which had become a republic in the Soviet Union
. They made it a goal to travel there, which, for Americans in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was extremely difficult.
In many ways, the attempt to travel to Tuva is an allegory for Feynman's perpetual curiosity to discover new things, and how he inspired his friends, admirers and protégés to do the same. During their decade-long quest to travel to Tuva, Feynman was suffering from cancer, and died shortly before the visas finally arrived; this book describes "Richard Feynman's last adventure".
The book describes the difficulties and various attempts Leighton and Feynman made to obtain permission to travel to Tuva. It also describes the culture, language and history of the place. Included with some editions of the book is a small plastic turntable record of Tuvan throat singing.
Ralph Leighton
Ralph Leighton is a biographer, film producer, and friend of the late physicist Richard Feynman. He recorded Feynman relating stories of his life. Leighton has released some of the recordings as The Feynman Tapes. These interviews became the basis for the books Surely You're Joking, Mr...
about the author and his friend Richard Feynman
Richard Feynman
Richard Phillips Feynman was an American physicist known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics and the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, as well as in particle physics...
's attempt to travel to Tuva
Tuva
The Tyva Republic , or Tuva , is a federal subject of Russia . It lies in the geographical center of Asia, in southern Siberia. The republic borders with the Altai Republic, the Republic of Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, and the Republic of Buryatia in Russia and with Mongolia to the...
.
The introduction explains how Feynman challenged Leighton, at the time a high school math teacher, "Whatever happened to Tannu Tuva?" Since Feynman had a reputation as a prankster and had proven himself entirely capable of inventing a fictional country name to confound friends, Leighton assumed it was made up. But the country existed, and the pair became fascinated with this hard-to-reach destination, at the geographic center of Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, which had become a republic in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. They made it a goal to travel there, which, for Americans in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was extremely difficult.
In many ways, the attempt to travel to Tuva is an allegory for Feynman's perpetual curiosity to discover new things, and how he inspired his friends, admirers and protégés to do the same. During their decade-long quest to travel to Tuva, Feynman was suffering from cancer, and died shortly before the visas finally arrived; this book describes "Richard Feynman's last adventure".
The book describes the difficulties and various attempts Leighton and Feynman made to obtain permission to travel to Tuva. It also describes the culture, language and history of the place. Included with some editions of the book is a small plastic turntable record of Tuvan throat singing.
External links
- Tuva or Bust!—A Review by Bobby Matherne
- Richard Phillips Feynman - The Last Journey Of A Genius (video)