Any suggestion for general physics books for a beginner?

[johira]

I'm an IT student. I hated physics in high school and always wanted to skip physics classes,but recently after reading Stephen Hawking's book "the grand design" i think I'm interested in physics. i found this interest shocking but i can't help it. i want to read more and more. when i start reading "the grand design" i was really eager to understand the concepts cause it was the first physics book that i was reading, although i tried i just understood some parts,but i kept reading and finished it.
Now i want to make my knowledge in physics strong so if i read another book i could understand it well.
what are some general physics books that you can suggest to me in order to gain knowledge about the basic of physics?

 

[fss]

what are some general physics books that you can suggest to me in order to gain knowledge about the basic of physics?

Six Easy Pieces and Six Not So Easy Pieces, both by Richard Feynman.

 

[Daverz]

Understanding Physics by Isaac Asimov
Space, Time and Things by B. K. Ridley
It's About Time by N. David Mermin
Gravity and Thirty Years that Shook Physics by George Gamow

 

[n!kofeyn]

i second understanding physics by isaac asimov and anything by george gamov. gravity was great. these books aren't standard books when compared to textbooks, but they can't be beat for getting the ideas of physics across, as well as historical developments.

also, head first physics would be a good book to learn basic mechanics. don't be put off by the look of this book, as the head first series is extremely good. discovering relativity for yourself by sam lilley would be great to work through over a extended time period. it requires very little math background as it was developed through teaching adult and second career students relativity. when i mean very little math i mean all you need to know is high school math (that doesn't include calculus).

i personally must de-recommend hawking's books, as well as any of the other popular physics books like brian greene's. in my opinion i would stay away from them as they contain little useful information if you really want to learn physics, but this is just my preference.