This book is a doorway to really understanding Physics. It was written in the early 80s of the last century; that's almost 40 years ago. It concentrates on the historical development of science, it is less concerned with long proofs and laws deduction. Abbott tells the story behind the scientific ideas and how they were developed into what we study in modern-day books. A must-read for science students.
Superb text. This is one in a million.... Probably the best physics textbook I've come across, other than New School Physics by Anyakhowa or maybe even better. It simplifies Physics like ABC. If you have a phobia for physics, I really recomend this text!