Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman - Richard P.Feynman
Feynman's seemed to be a man who controlled and influenced his world through story. His character shone through and he was well known for being an enjoyable and fun person to be around. But he seems to leave out intimate details of his life in his writings. I felt he belonged to a generation with a respect for narrative and it's preparation. I can't decide whether the story about ants, wobbling plates and lock combinations are examples of raw curiosity and time wasting, or thoughtful and neccesary tangents to keep a brilliant mind healthy. If I had to take a guess, I would say that Feynman understood deeply the leverage one had by being curious and creative. So it's my interpretation of Feynman that his re-telling was used to emphasises of mythologize the creative scientist.