Reddit mentions of The Feynman Lectures on Physics (3 Volume Set)

If you're looking for a very simple intro, try Isaac Asimov's Understanding Physics.

If you want something more in-depth and you're comfortable learning some math as well, try Richard Feynman's Lectures on Physics.

I would recommend Feynman's lectures. From your description, it seems like your foundation in physics are weak, therefore reading the lectures will really help you.

That you start and that you continue is more import than where you start.

For math, a good book to start with is Understanding Engineering Mathematics by John bird. It's available for free download on gen.lib.rus.ec. It has tons and tons of fully worked examples and covers just about everything from 1+1 to Fourier Series.

The Feynman Lectures on Physics are highly praised, but I've not read them.

I also highly recommend you get familiar with the history of any subject you wish to study. Here are just two examples of histories of math and physics.

Here's a look at the required reading for freshman physics:
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~ph1a/

Frautschi: https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Universe-Mechanics-Heat-Advanced/dp/0521715903

Feynman Lectures: https://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-Set/dp/0201021153

You simply can't go past the Feynman Lectures on Physics for an approachable and enjoyable comprehensive introduction. Also available via bittorrent if you are poor (Feynman would approve).

There's also a support site (http://www.feynmanlectures.info/).

Some reviews if you're interested

If you like Feynman, you might try the Feynman Lectures on Physics, which is a 3-book set covering everything from mechanics to QM to E&M to fluid dynamics. It definitely has that Feynman charm to it. It won't give you the math overview, though, but you're probably better off just picking that up as you go if you've already had calc. If you go much further you'll eventually want linear algebra, though.

>a couple of science books about physics

Any chance it's A Brief History of Time and The Feynman Lectures on Physics?

The Feynman Lectures on Physics

http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-set-Set/dp/0201021153/

http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-set-Set/dp/0201021153

In my opinion the best reference for this is Feynman, but is buried, and you probably wouldn't appreciate what he's saying unless you already understood what he was saying (I didn't learn from that reference, I only read it much later and liked it).

Let's start with a simple example. Let vi be the components of the vector v in the coordinate system with x going to the right and y going up on the screen. If you tilt your head 90 degrees to the right then you have a new coordinate system with x' going up and y' going left (note the primes). In both coordinate systems the vector v is the same, but the components vi and v'i are different. For example, let's say in the first coordinate system v1 = 3 and v2 = 1, then in the second v'1 = 2 and v'2 = -3.

In general we can say two coordinate systems are related by a rotation Bii' (note the prime on the subscript) such that,

v'i' = Bii' vi (using the Einstein summation convention)

If an "object" transforms (when the coordinate system is changed) according to that equation, then it is a first order tensor. Second order tensors follow the relation

A'i'j' = Bii' Bjj' Aij

and so on. So the real answer is, when you change coordinate systems, what happens to the components. If the components change according to those two equations (or their natural extensions for higher order) then they are tensors. Otherwise they're not.

The Feynman lectures books and videos are really really good.

The Feynman Lectures

Yeah, I hear you. I also had my fair share of awful high school teachers.

As for Feynman, he is indeed a great inspiration. Lately I considered buying [his three volume lectures on physics] (http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-Set/dp/0201021153/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=) but I found it a little expensive. Fortunately it’s available online as well.

All the other books people are mentioning are light fare: Read this - http://www.amazon.com/The-Feynman-Lectures-Physics-Volume/dp/0201021153

It will take you from zero science knowledge to a lot. The explanations and teaching methods are excellent.

... me too?