Book Description

This powerful study guide makes sometimes-daunting material accessible. More than 240 problems solved step-by-step help students gain a firm grasp of proper methods and a solid foundation for further study. All the essentials of this basic course are covered clearly and concisely, cutting study time and making important points memorable. The next-best thing to a private tutor, this study guide helps boost grades and proves ideal for professionals, too, who wish to study solo to master this discipline.

Reviews (11)

Schaum's Quantum Mechanics
The rapidly rising Israeli science represented by Peleg et al. produced here an unusually concise, clear, and well organized presentation of a complicated subject with the benefits of worked out problems. They managed to do this with little sacrifice of detail, providing a mathematical background chapter and even a chapter on the foundations of quantum mechanics with six postulates and a discussion of the Schrodinger versus Heisenberg pictures. Dirac's bra and ket notation is explained and used frequently, and the difficult subject of spin receives its own chapter. The book keeps up with latest trends in mathematical and physics research by having three chapters on solution/approximation methods (one of the main recent trends in mathematics and physics is obtaining solutions and approximations for equations including those of Schrodinger, Einstein, Navier-Stokes). The complicated topic of scattering theory receives its own chapter, as do angular momentum and radiation by semiclassical treatment. For more detailed works, see my reviews of Cao, Carlip, Kursunoglu, etc., and also the book Quasi-classical Methods.

Good Supplement
The problems are advanced. Does not cover density matrix, time reversal symmetry, and wigner-eckart theorem. Prior familiarity with quantum mechanics is helpful. Detailed solutions are provided. The book accomplishes its purpose: provide detailed solutions to benchmark questions in quantum mechanics. The book is very helpful. I recommend with high regard.

Too Advanced
I have taken an introductory course in quantum and am now studying intermediate quantum. This book has been of no help. This book is way too advanced and should be entitled, "Schaum's Outline of Quantum Mechanics for Post-Doctorates of Physics."

Re: Low on solved problems
This refers to the 'Low on Solved Problems Review'
I cannot think of a more inaccurate thing to say, even if you didn't like the book. The whole book is *full* of solved problems, that's the whole point. My main critique is that there are too many errors but most of them aren't hard to spot. Anyone studying quantum should get this book and use the solved problems to help you understand how to solve those tricky quantum questions (just beware of errors and you should be ok).
Make sure you also pick up the 'Problems and Solutions on Quantum Mechanics' from Y-K Lim et al at the University of Science and Technology in China.

Low on solved problems
Did not contain enough exhaustive solutions to really help those who need to get over the "math hump". The text runs together and subject areas are not clearly seperated. It's like an abridged textbook. I expected more math help and less theory help. If your looking for a suplement to QM classes as an undergrad the Dover books are better at doing the math. The Schaum editors left their forte behind with this one.
Update 11/03 - Half-way through second quarter in undergrad QM...still no help from this text. It attempts to be another textbook when it should double the solved problems both basic and complex. Problems should be solved from several angles and at various levels of approach. ... Read more

Book Description

In The Quantum Theory of Fields, Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg combines his exceptional physical insight with his gift for clear exposition to provide a self-contained, comprehensive, and up-to-date introduction to quantum field theory. This is a two-volume work.Volume I introduces the foundations of quantum field theory. The development is fresh and logical throughout, with each step carefully motivated by what has gone before, and emphasizing the reasons why such a theory should describe nature.After a brief historical outline, the book begins anew with the principles about which we are most certain, relativity and quantum mechanics, and the properties of particles that follow from these principles.Quantum field theory emerges from this as a natural consequence. The author presents the classic calculations of quantum electrodynamics in a thoroughly modern way, showing the use of path integrals and dimensional regularization. His account of renormalization theory reflects the changes in our view of quantum field theory since the advent of effective field theories.The book's scope extends beyond quantum electrodynamics to elementary particle physics, and nuclear physics.It contains much original material, and is peppered with examples and insights drawn from the author's experience as a leader of elementary particle research. Problems are included at the end of each chapter. This work will be an invaluable reference for all physicists and mathematicians who use quantum field theory, and it is also appropriate as a textbook for graduate students in this area. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Excellent for those knowing QFT. Difficult for new learners
A superb reference book, and one that those with some grounding in quantum field theory can learn many good things from. However, I believe students trying to learn what many consider a difficult subject will have a tough go of it. Being so brilliant, Weinberg may have trouble (not so rare in physics)teaching at the level of the students, rather than from the level of the accomplished. Nevertheless, this is a book everyone in the field should have on his/her bookshelf.

Simply Brilliant
For those who are receptive to its charms, this book is simply indispensible to any high energy physicist. This book is not terribly "intuitive"(in the sense that things are derived heuristically just to the point that the result seeems plausible), nor does it take a purely mathematical standpoint, emphasizing the unbending rigour of all proofs. Instead, it offers something far, far more valuable to any physicist; namely it offers truly profound physical insight into the fundamental principles of nature. This book is so chock full of brilliant profound ideas that it seems as if Weinberg put into this book almost all of the insights he has had over the course of his long, productive, and Nobel Prize winning career. He offers a truly logical presentation of particle physics, starting from the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics (superposition principle especially) and the principle of invariance under the Poincare group modulo time and spatial inversion, as well as the principle that distant measurements do not affect each other, and derives, with a minimum of simplifying assumption, the whole, wonderful edifice of quantum field theory. This set of volumes contains almost all that we know about QFT, but somehow, magically, it is not encyclopedic; it is instead refreshingly original and, as I have said before, truly profound. Also, unlike many other QFT texts, it very clearly points out how the assumptions of the theory could be weakened, and also gives an indication of what sorts of theories come from these modified assumptions. The whole book is simply fascinating, but I found the chapter on general renormalization theory particularly enlightening, especially the section on "nonrenormlizable" theories. I learned, in a particularly clear, inspiring way, that these theories are not any more or less renormalizable than standard model theories, when all terms alowed by symmetry are included in the Lagrangian. Although these theories might seem as if they have little power of prediction (after all, there are an infinite number of parameters to the theory), but in fact Weinberg argues that the nonrenormalizalbe interactions are strongly suppressed at low momenta, so it is possible for low energies to create an effective perturbation theory, which yield in this regime astonishingly precise prediction. On the other hand, Weinberg is quick to point out that for large enough energies, this perturbation expansion simply does not make sense, and that THIS is the reason why quantum gravity based on the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian makes no sense for energies at the scale of unification.
Although this book is truly wonderful, I would not recommend reading it as an introduction to QFT. This book is simply too intense and profound for the uninitiated. Instead, I would recommend as a first introduction Ryder's fine text, which yields enough insights to give the reader a taste of the ideas behing QFT but not so many that the reader is overwhelmed at first, followed by Peskin-Schroeder, which gives the student all of the tools that he/she will need for almost any QFT calculation.

An excellent text in QFT
Weinberg's book can be considered a masterpiece in QFT. The quality of physical insight, the mathematical details, and the logical coherence of the development of the subject as a whole are simply brilliant and outstandingly original. The book assumes a certain level of mathematical sophistication on the part of the reader; this, however, is essential; without this, the technical grasp of the subject cannot be complete.

One note to readers who wish to purchase the book:
I had a bad experience with Amazon on this purchase. They shipped me an older print of the book at the current price of the latest 2002 print and refused to correct the problem. I had no alternative but to return the book and obtain it from another source. So, be aware of this problem if you wish to buy it from Amazon or elsewhere. Make sure you buy the latest edition. There have been quite a few corrected editions since the book was first published in 1995 by CUP.

Brilliant but hard, a book for advanced students only
Let me start by stating the essentials:

1. If you are a grad student in theoretical physics or you already have your Ph.D, buy this book! If you are an amateur trying to figure out how the universe works this book will simply break your heart because you will understant none of it.

2. The book is beautifully printed by Cambridge University Press. You don't see this sort of quality often these days, when the European-style el cheapo paper back has become the norm.

3. It is an expensive book, but Amazon has some bargain re-sellers. I bought my copy at a substantial discount. It was supposedly second-hand but had obviously never even been breathed on. And it got here in two days.

4. This is a book mainly about formalism and mathematics. If you get about half-way through you will eventually reach some discussion of experimental results but this is not the emphasis here.

5. Finally, on a personal note. I am a retired theoretical physicist and about forty years ago I even wrote a paper on quantum electrodynamics. So I thought that maybe I could attempt to read this book. I know the words, Hermitian operators, Lorentz transformations, stuff like that. Yet I'm having a very hard time getting through it. After about a month of trying I'm about to give up. I can read chapters 1 and most of 2, but after that it becomes too hard for me. One problem is that it is not often explained what the point of all that complicated mathematics really is. It certainly does not give me a better understanding of the physical world although I suppose it would do that if I persevered long enough. That's why I gave it only 4 stars.

Good if you know math and not much physics
You can read Weinberg's textbooks with joy and profit knowing a decent amount of mathematics and not much physics. Both "Gravitation and Cosmology" and "The Quantum Theory of Fields:vol I" are very self-contained. The ideas develop beautifully, naturally, and clearly. You might have to re-read but you won't need another reference for the topics that he covers, and you won't be overwhelmed with inessential or improperly motivated material. ... Read more

Book Description

Quantumelectrodynamics (QED) was the subject of "QED - The Strange Theory of Light and Matter," the popular book by Richard Feynman which was first published by Princeton University Press in 1985.Feynman makes passing references to the fact that the book is based on a series of general lectures on QED which were first delivered in New Zealand.Feynman had doubts about the accessibility of the lectures on QED to a general audience, and chose not to initially deliver these lectures at his native Caltech.Rather he chose remote New Zealand as his testing ground and in the process, gave the New Zealand physics community the dubious honor of being the guinea-pigs for his QED lectures.At Auckland University, these lectures were delivered in 1979, as the Sir Douglas Robb Lectures. Althoug h the published version of "QED - The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" is an excellent self-contained description of the subject, watching an unedite d Feynman delivering the lectures reveals his style and enthusiasm for his subject in a way which is impossible in a printed medium.Direct quotation s from the lectures provide fascinating additional insight both into the material of QED itself and into Feynman's character.4 VHS video cassettes .NTSC version (North American standard). ... Read more

Reviews (59)

A classic in the physics community!
QED. It's not Quod Erat Demonstrandum; no, it's not even Quickly Ends Dandruff. Then, what is it? Quantum ElectroDynamics. Now, if you're ignorant of physics, you're probably still thinking, "That says a whole lot. What is it?" By this rather formidable name, you might not be able to tell if you want to read the book or not, so I'll synopsize. Over three quarters (75%, if you prefer--ooh, I can do math!) of this book explains movements and interactions of electrons and photons expressed as probabilities. The last section discusses a variation of QED, quantum chromodynamics (i.e. quarks). Unlike some abstruse conjectures (most notably, string theory), quantum electrodynamics can be and has been experimentally verified. In fact, it is the most accurate theory ever devised! This does not mean that QED is totally compliant with common sense (fortunately; physics addicts often find common sense to be rather dull--and incorrect!). The reader learns to accept that light does not always travel in straight paths, that light reflects from all parts of a mirror, and that electrons can travel backward in time. Richard Feynman, who (along with Sin-Itiro Tomonaga and Julian Schwinger) was awarded the 1965 Nobel Prize for his work on this theory, elucidates QED so that even those who have never before studied physics can understand it. (To be more accurate, they can understand *how* QED works; Feynman admits that no one, himself included, truly understands *why* QED works.) If you already are familiar with the theory, you are likely to become bored with this book. On the other hand, I'm not sure that this book is the best for physics neophytes, since it is specific in explaining this one given area (even skipping the historical background present in most popular accounts of physics). You might want to first obtain more general knowledge of modern physics. If you find optics interesting, definitely read this book. For anyone who wants a deeper knowledge of modern physics or chemistry, an understanding of quantum electrodynamics is a sine qua non, and this book is probably the most explicit introduction on the market.

~pythia~

Earnest Enthusiasm and Elfish Delight
*QED* is an edited version of four lectures delivered to a lay audience at UCLA in 1983. It conveys Feynman's unique combination of earnest enthusiasm and elfish delight at the fact that "the way we have to describe Nature is generally incomprehensible to us." (p. 77) It is probably true that the book can be profitably read by every class of reader, from Feynman's physicist peers to street people (if this is not the contemporary equivalent of "the man in the street," why isn't it??) who have never studied physics. Feynman was a great communicator, and knew how to throw out a lifeline of wit, reason, or good sense in the midst of the most bewildering complexities. Twenty-first century humanity urgently needs to integrate something of the quantum view of reality into its common understanding of things, and Feynman's work is a precious contribution toward that end. Highly recommended!

Illuminating
Get it? Illuminating. This book explains the interaction between light and matter, which is illuminating. If you understand the pun, then you have the brain capacity to understand this book.

Richard Feynman possessed some kind of special brand of genius which enabled him to masquerade as a regular guy. He was able to cut to the quick of Nature's mysteries and explain in plain english what he saw there for the benefit of those of us lacking in genius.

Feynman freed us from the need to relate to quantum physics by memorizing a set of arcane mathematical expressions, and delivered to us a way of understanding the probabilistic nature of quantum reality by drawing a bunch of little arrows pointing this way and that. His method, known as "Feynman diagrams", is so simple that it seems almost childlike, yet it works every time.

The theory of Quantum ElectoDynamics is the most complete theory that science has in its arsenal. The theory explains 99% of everything we see at the classical level of reality. Feynman was never quite able to tie in the oddities observed in the interaction of nuclei or gravitrons, but reality as we observe it is more or less dictated by the interaction of electrons, and this theory describes that interplay perfectly.

Feyman's "sum over histories" explains reality even better than Newton's seemingly incontrovertable laws of Nature, which in actuality, decribe only the end result of the sum over histories. Where Newton described one reality, the one observed by all of us, Feynman described every microscopic reality, each as real as the other, and all culminating in the one macroscopic reality as described by Newton. Feynman described particles moving faster than light, and even backwards in time - all of which is explained in his "strange theory of light and matter", and all of which is endlessly verifiable in the laboratory.

For anyone willing to break out of the Newtonian mindset which humanity has been in for over 300 years, and which is still taught in today's high school science classrooms, this book is a must read. Treat yourself to 150 pages of plain english which will infuse you with wonder for the rest of your days.

Excellent
I am an Electrical Engineer and had the usual education. It is a delight to read this book and learn about the fundamental theory upon which much of the Electrical Engineering profession is based.

Much of what we are taught in schools is an approximation and sometimes wrong. It is great to learn, even if it is only qualitatively, about more accurate representations.

I wish that Feynman were alive to keep updating his lectures with the latest developments. The lectures seem to have been last updated in 1980s and I am sure Physics has moved on since then.

Easily understood intro to QED
Richard Feynman, along with Schwinger and Tomonaga, won Nobel prizes in the 1960's for their development of quantum electrodynamics (QED). In this book, Feynman attempts to bring this esoteric field down to the layman's level and succeeds as usual. The chapters in the book are taken from lectures he presented to a largely nonscientific audience, but the material is not dumbed down. Of course, many of the details are left out since only years of study can provide a true understanding of the theory, but Feynman presents his lectures in such a way that only a reasonable amount of thought is needed to appreciate the basics of QED.

"The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" is an entirely appropriate subtitle to a book that attempts to explain the theory behind phenomena that escape our everyday experience and intuition. QED is arguably the most successful scientific theory in existence. Its predictions have correlated extraordinarily well with experiment although "prediction" in the QED sense is not what we are generally used to. The quantum world is inherently probabilistic. There are certain things we just cannot "know." We cannot predict which photons will reflect of a glass surface, but with QED, we can at least accurately calculate the percentage of photons that do reflect. That's just one of the results of QED that Feynman attempts to explain, and he does so in a very straightforward fashion.

Feynman never insults the intelligence of his audience by pretending that the basics of QED are beyond its grasp, but instead repeatedly insists that no one really understands QED, but that should not prevent anyone from appreciating some of its results. With this attitude, Feynman explains the basics of partial reflection, particle interactions, and the discoveries of new particles, and he does all this through numerous figures and analogies rather than mathematical equations.

Richard Feynman was not your ordinary physicist. He was a physicist's physicist and a great teacher (read James Gleick's bio of Feynman called Genius). His teaching abilities are in full display in this book as he is able to bring an incredibly strange theory down to the average reader's level. I highly recommend this book. It will tax your thinking abilities but will never insult them. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive textbook utilizes Green's functions and the equations derived from them to solve real physical problems in solid-state theoretical physics. Green's functions are used to describe processes in solids and quantum fluids and to address problems in areas such as electron gas, polarons, electron transport, optical response, superconductivity and superfluidity.The updated third edition features several new chapters on different mean-free paths, Hubbard model, Coulomb blockade, and the quantum Hall effect. New sections have been added, while original sections have been modified to include recent applications.This text is ideal for third- or fourth-year graduate students and includes numerous study problems and an extensive bibliography. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Containing too many misprints.
Unfortunately, the 3rd edition of Mahan's book contains enormous number of misprints. Sometimes, it is impossible to understand what is meant by the author without consulting the previous edition. For example, in Sec. 4.1.5. the author refers in the text to the equation which apparently should be between Eqs. (4.126) and (4.127) but which had been omitted. At the same time, some evident drawbacks of the previous edition have not been corrected. For example, the definition of the thermodynamic average used in Sec. 3.6 is different from that used in the previous sections, although it is not mentioned in the text. Despite the book is an excellent introduction into the field of Many-Particle Physics, I would recommend to the customer to either buy the previous edition or to wait for a new one.

Bien detaille, comprehensible.
Un excellent livre sur un sujet d'actualite. G. Mahan discute de nombreuses en detaillant a chaque fois les etapes necessaires et en ne negligeant pas les explications ni les liens entre les differentes theories. Vu le prix, courez a votre bibliotheque pour vous le procurer! ... Read more

Book Description

Field Quantization is a thorough introduction to the physical ideas and techniques of this subject, starting from an elementary level. The initial chapters deal with the quantum mechanics of systems having many degrees of freedom and with classical Lagrangian field theory. Subsequently, both the traditional method of canonical quantization and the modern approach using path integrals are studied. The material is presented in considerable detail and accompanied by a large number of worked examples and exercises. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Introduction
This book starts with classical field theory and moves on to some simple, but very relevent examples of nonrelativistic field quantization. Greiner works through all important relativistic system of free particles before a spectactular introduction to Feynman rules via quantum electrodynamics as the primer. The book finishes with a nice introduction to path-integral quantization. This book covers mathematical detail of relativistic field theory in a simple way, making it an excellent introductory text.

Detailed guide to QFT
The book's focus is on carefully explaining what quantum field theory is. Starting from classical field theories, ie. the harmonic chain, Greiner goes on to discuss 2nd quantization for spin 0, 1/2, and spin 1 fields. The results are then applied to derive the perturbation expansion for interacting fields. The last sections on quantization with path integrals is also well written, and contains more details than eg. Sakurai. Throughout, many (sometimes tedious, but) instructive examples are presented that lots of other authors just assume to be understood already. ... Read more

Book Description

Mr Tompkins has become known and loved by many thousands of readers (since his first appearance over fifty years ago) as the bank clerk whose fantastic dreams and adventures lead him into a world inside the atom. George Gamow's classic provides a delightful explanation of the central concepts in modern physics, from atomic structure to relativity, and quantum theory to fusion and fission. Roger Penrose's new foreword introduces Mr Tompkins to a new generation of readers, and reviews his adventures in the light of current developments in physics today. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Very Entertaining
I wish they made an animation movie from this book. This is very nice introduction into Modern Physics expecially for those who is interested in Physics in young age but does not have rigorous knowledge of mathematics or physical concepts to understand it or for those who knows it but can not explain it to a teenager. Concepts covered is Relativity and Quantum Mechanics where speed of light is reduced to very low valus or Planck constant is increased to managable levels. You can see the strangness in everyday experiences.
Very fun to read or to give as a present to young future Physicist.

Superb Intro to Modern Physics
I first read this about 50 years ago in graduate school, and was wonderfully stimulated. Despite many advances since, this book is still thoroughly up-to-date (except for particle physics and quarks). I remember mainly how Mr Tompkins suffers in a room where the speed of light has been reduced to 100 mph. Could never again think of simultaneity again in quite the familiar Newtonian way. That is but one example of the freshness of view that Gamow's fun-loving mind creates. It taught me more than most formal texts; and with so much more ease.I hope that he and Lewis Carroll have found each other in Heaven, and are discussing how to educate and amuse.

It helped me understand...
I'm a novice at this subject matter, and I've recently started reading introductory books on quantum physics for fun. I read, "The New Quantum Universe" prior to reading this. This easy to read book filled in some gaps that that I had. It helped me grasp some concepts that had otherwise passed over my head when reading the other book.

I understand that this is a classic text and I can see why. It's fun to read, and provides a foundation for further understanding. It explains uncertaintity, radioactive decay, and electron shells especially well.

I may not fully appreciate the concepts I was able to internalize from this book for quite some time. I can say that I strongly recommend it to the layman or anyone who's eager to understand some basics of this incredible field of study.

An alltime favorite!
A lovely reprinted edition of a peral from Gamow. The original edition has been out of print for a number of years. This 1993 edition has added commentary and a fascinating bio of Gamow. He was born in Odessa, in what was then Russia, --before the Soviet Union. The story of his escape to the West is straight out of a thriller. Only it is real! Gamow was referred to by a journalist, some time during the Cold War, as "the only scientist in America with a real sense of humor". He can take the most technical stuff and make it simple. Fun too! The book:--Intellectual treats, whimsy, but deep. Illustrated with lovely drawings by Gamow himself. Much of it can be understood by a child, and other parts might require a little concentration. All of it is great fun. Follow your imagination, and while you explore, you will learn about Einstein's theory of relativity. And in unexpected ways! You will see the wonders of physics thru the eyes of a child. With his unexpected thought experiments, Gamow has captured the imagination of generations of readers, and he has inspired a degree of curiosity that comes naturally to children.
The author George Gamow started in nuclear physics, during the Golden Age of Physics, worked with Niels Bohr in Copenhagen, then later in the US, on the Manhattan Project during WWII; and after the War, he was professor in Boulder Colorado. He has a building on campus of The University of Colorado named after him! He is one of the few scientists who wrote popular books. They are precious pearls, and they have been equally popular with my parent's generation as with mine. For awhile they were out of print, but luckely some have now been reprinted in recent years!
Other Gamow titles: Biography of Physics, Atomic Energy [dedicated to the hope of lasting peace], Physics of the Strapless Evning Gown,...We are lucky that Dover has reprinted some of them. Gamow's list of scientific accomplishments includes a 1948 landmark paper on the origin of chemical elements, the Big Bang model, and later work with F. Crick on DNA and genetic coding.-- Do more Gamow editions, Dover!
Review by Palle Jorgensen, September 2003.

Good introduction to modern physics
This book is about 50 years old, but it has aged well. The basic ideas discussed in the book have not changed, although some discoveries in the intervening years have made a few parts obsolete. Gamow's writing is witty, yet rigorous. Without compromising scientific accuracy, he manages to make his narrative engaging and entertaining.

Gamow touches on some classical topics, as well as relativity and quantum mechanics. For instance, he explains probability theory and how it relates to thermodynamics using a vignette about a gambling system to win at Monte Carlo.

The author, renowned for his contributions to 20th Century physics and to its popular exposition, assumes a fair amount of sophistication on the part of the reader. This does not mean that it will be beyond the reach of most people, but it will challenge the reader.

This book is one of the recommended readings for a class I teach at drphysics.com. Many of my students have found this book to be helpful. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

Still a Standard Text
Very well written and with a comprehensive explanation of the basics of advanced quantum theory. This is the place for understanding about computing propagators and Feynman diagrams to arbitrary order.

Plus, the Dyson equation! At last, you can find out what made Freeman Dyson famous amongst physicists. You can decide whether this ranks in importance to Feynman's and Schwinger's discoveries.

The problem sets are nontrivial. Which will be appreciated by you, AFTER you have attempted them. (Whilst you are in an allnighter, trying to finish a problem set, your opinion may differ!)

The book does not cover superstrings, because those came after its publication.

classical text for many particle theory
This book is one of the most famous textbooks for the many
particle theory. I like it and recommend to anyone who studies
many particle theory for the first time. But, I should make some
comments on this book. First, this book does not contain any
descriptions for the path integral method, which is now very
popular in the field of many particle theory and is compactly
explained in Negele and Orland. Second, applications seems to be
somewhat old. This is inevitable and not author's fault. For
example, modern nuclear theory goes far beyond the RPA. Third,
authors focused on the perturbational expansion of the Green's
function and did not give explanations how to use the Feynman
diagrams to calculate the energy corrections for the fermion
systems, which is found in March, Raimes and Gross.

Anyway, this is a good book. I hope everyone likes it!

A second year graduate student
Very consistent and easy to learn book. I like this book much more than famous one by Abrikosov,Gorkov, Dzyaloshinskii.

Excellent Book
Do you want to learn basics in many-body physics? This book will provide your needs!

Green's function in many-body systems: ABC
This book is especially suitable for junior grads and senior undergrads who want to know the diagramatic techniques of Green's function method. ... Read more

Book Description

Balances mathematical discussions with physical discussions.
* Derivations are complete and the theory is applied whenever possible.
* Gasiorowicz is a world class researcher in quantum physics. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Smart, short, splendid
I've learned quantum physics twice now. First, with McQuarrie's "Physical Chemistry", with its 1000+ pages, and then with this book. I didn't learn anything the first time around that I wouldn't have learned in Gasiorowicz's book. It's short, which is *always* good, but manages not to leave anything important out. Don't look for examples, but if you're content with learning the full wave theory of quantum mechanics, this is the book for you. With the possible exception of Griffiths, this is the most fun quantum physics book out there.

For those of you interested in learning QM on a more sophisticated level without necessarily putting in more work, I recommend Griffiths "An Introduction to Quantum Mechanics," or for the really brave amongst you, Sakurai's "Quantum Mechanics" and "Advanced Quantum Mechanics" series.

1st place winner for the bland book award!
This book is so bad I ended up hating the book and the course. I was really looking foward to the start of the semester. This book made me look forward to finals.
Inadequate explanations is what kills this text. I think Mr. Gasiorowicz forgot the text was ment for undergraduate students. Its guaranteed to leave anyone in a total state of consternation.

A good solid INTRODUCTION
People seem to expect a lot from an introductory book. However, this is seldomly seen in introductory textbooks. This book does give a solid introduction to quantum mechanics. Although it presents some of the topics poorly at times (especially the chapters after and including the one on abstract representation of states), it does cover them in a rather readible manner. A good thing about the book is that the author is not verbose. He quickly gets to the point, which can be seen from the short chapters of the book. It's not mathematically rigorous, however, it does expect the student to be comfortable with linear algebra. For mathematical rigor, I recommend Landau. Another recommended book is the one by Shankar.

Save it for later
To call this an introductory text is ridiculous. We used it in my first quantum course and everyone hated it. I got another text from the library and stuck to that. This book is better suited as a reference for someone who is already familiar with quantum theory. If you use it to learn QM for the first time, it will leave you thinking that physics has nothing to do with physical reality at all, but rather with mathematical tricks. He almost never mentions the physical meaning of whats going on with the math. Very discouraging for the novice. If you want people to think you're smarter than you are, buy this book. Just don't tell them that you don't understand it either when they're flipping through it.

Do not buy this book, it is not worth [the money]
This book is so worthless it even fails as a door-stop (barely 500 pages). His absolutely poor mathematical treatment is only outshadowed by his the innumberable amount of typos. He attempts to cram all of quantum mechanics into a book that fits in your pocket and the only thing that happens when you pick it up, is you gain five pounds. Change your major, drop out, or find a new interest before buying this book. I recommend R. Liboff's "Introductory Quantum Mechanics" either 3rd or 4th edition. ... Read more

Book Description

This advanced undergraduate-level text provides a formulation of the quantum theory in terms of qualitative and imaginative concepts outside classical theory. A broad range of specific applications follows, worked out in considerable mathematical detail. Also included: an examination of the relationship between quantum and classical concepts. Preface. Index.
... Read more

Reviews (9)

I (think) I finally understand...
The age of the book is what gives it a huge advantage to today's typical QT and QM textbook. Instead of presenting the concepts in the "status quo" of physics (usually just a ridiculously brief intro to why QT started, and then presenting Operators as things almost perfectly synonymous to classical concepts and continuing from there), this book really goes through the history of where all the math came from. Bohm is very careful about teaching you what parts of the math are just convenience tricks (like Operators) versus real necessities to QM. And also what parts are just based on just experiments. Unlike today, in the 1950's, QT and QM were still suspect theories, so students were taught of the known and possible holes (no pun intended :) in the theory. Bohm points these out throughout the whole book.

Disappointed
I bought the book because of the good reviews below and the low price. I was a little disappointed with Bohm's explanations and wordings of concepts that I already know. I think that it'd be difficult for someone to learn anything from this book unless (s)he is already familiar with quantum mechanics. Anyhow, the book is still a good buy considering it is at least 5 times cheaper than textbooks on quantum mech.

A Crystal-Clear Gem of a Book-- Lucid and Insightful
Don't let the original 1950's publication date fool you. This book is as relevant and important today as it was when it was first published.

In fact, Bohm's lucid, pointed three-page preface-- in which he outlines in simple English the three exact ways Quantum Mechanics differs from Classical Mechanics (which I had never seen done before and which few physics students ever really grasp)-- that ALONE is worth the price of this book.

Let me help you understand why, without reservation, I feel this book to be a masterpiece of clarity in exposition.

When I first learned Quantum Mechanics-- and, as I have come to learn, my experience was not atypical-- it was basically axiomatic: "Here are these mathematical techniques. If we do this and that and then that to this function, then we can predict certain things about experimental results." I found this a tremendously difficult-- not to mention frustrating-- way of learning things. Mathematically intense, but with little physical understanding.

I memorized the rules, and did OK in my courses, but what I really wanted to know was: WHY was I doing these things? Where did this stuff COME from? And, most importantly, what did this stuff MEAN?

I got bits and pieces-- only hints, really-- from several other textbooks. When I got to grad school, I was excited to finally learn what it all meant. Unfortunately, my grad course was more of the same type of calculation-- just calculating more difficult things! In fact, I had almost given up at really understanding what it all MEANT, and was ready to take my graduate Quantum professor's advice to "Just learn the techniques and use the stuff" when I came across David Bohm.

In a textbook that is more wordy than most novels-- and yet, in which not a single noun is extraneous or out of place-- Bohm takes us on a clear and exciting tour of WHERE Quantum Mechanics comes from, exactly HOW it developed from Classical Mechanics, exactly how it DIFFERS from Classical Mechanics, and, finally, what it all MEANS physically.

He does this by consistantly referring to experiment, by devloping mathematical techniques as necessary, and by discussing and explaining in clear prose what such concepts as the wave function actually MEAN.

It is difficult to overemphasize how comfortable one feels reading this book--- you feel that you are being guided with a firm yet gentle hand by one who truly understands what it means to truly EXPLAIN something. (For all the praise that is heaped on such texs as the Feynman Lectures and Landau and Lifshitz, they can't shake a stick at Bohm's abilities at lucidity in exposition.)

Finally, after developing the traditional calculational techniques, in the last sections of the book Bohm discusses such alternatives as the "hidden variable" theory in balanced yet intriguing ways, and leaves you wanting more.

If I am disappointed in anything, it would be only this:

Why didn't this Shakespeare of physics authors write more?

Philosophical-Technical
This is a book for you to read again and again through your whole life. When you are an undergraduate, lots of good technical information are found in this volume regarding, for instance, wave packets or the hydrogen atom. As you get more experienced and, of course, if you have some interest in the philosophical issues raised by the subject, the book turns to be a reference again.

A thoughtful and very readable text
This is perhaps still the best way to enter quantum mechanics. This book was not written in haste: there is depth in almost every page. Yet, very little is assumed of the reader, but that he has a genuine interest in learning the subject, and patience to read it sequentially, calmly, and ponder about it. There is, then, no better guide.Do not think you will miss the computation techniques: they are all there. This is a complete book. It will teach you the orthodox view. Then, if you care, read the other books by Bohm, to learn of possible alternatives. ... Read more

Book Description

Common sense tells us that matter doesn't vanish into thin air, a particle and a wave have little in common, and good knowledge leads to good prediction. Yet when we move beyond the range of everyday experience and into the world of quantum physics, things prove to be very different: particles of matter can be annihilated, waves and particles are two faces of matter, and the outcome of some experiments is completely unpredictable.

As Kenneth W. Ford shows us in The Quantum World, the laws governing the very small and the very swift defy common sense and stretch our minds to the limit. Drawing on a deep familiarity with the discoveries of the twentieth century, Ford gives an appealing account of quantum physics that will help the serious reader make sense of a science that, for all its successes, remains mysterious. He tells a good story while depicting both the subatomic world and the world of physics research as lively places populated by highly interesting characters. At the core of this book are the "big ideas" of quantum physics, including granularity (matter and some of its properties, like energy, are "lumpy"), wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, the nature of bosons and fermions, and superposition and entanglement (an atom can be in two or more states of motion at once).

With strikingly clear writing, and with engaging illustrations by Paul Hewitt, The Quantum World imparts a sense of wonder and a knowledge of the strange laws governing the atoms, nuclei, and fundamental particles that inhabit the quantum world.

Reviews (1)

The most readable description of quantum physics
This book is pure pleasure. It reads a bit like an adventure story as the author explains how the concepts of the quantum theory were developed to make sense of experimental results in the subatomic realm. The author's engaging style makes quantum theory seem almost easy! This book is by far the best effort to bring the meaning of quantum theory to the nonscientist that I have read ... Read more

Reviews (3)

On the right track, but...
Mr Goswami appears to be on the right track with this research, however where the book falls down is that the sources he cites in support of his argument seem to be taken at such face value. I find this lack of 'scientific' methodology quite surprising since he has taught physics for 32 years. Certainly I agree with Mr Goswami that the standard 'proofs' are not available for this work, but even so, he needs to find a middle road, so that it doesn't just end up as just another 'new age' book. And that would be a shame! Somewhat different, but a good example would be 'Old Souls : Compelling Evidence from Children Who Remember Past Lives' by Thomas Shroder. In addition, chatty idea's sessions with his wife, limit one's ability to take his writing seriously. Finally, Mr Goswami should pick up the phone and call his publisher, who just-so-happens to publish 'Astral Dynamics: A New Approach to Out-of-Body Experiences' by Robert Bruce. Goswami will have many questions answered by reading this book. And, in the case of Bruce, I was willing to ignore any lack of scientific method, because from the moment you pick up the book, you KNOW that he knows what he is talking about. By comparison, Bruce's book is a groundbreaker.

The esoteric made understandable
When death occurs in the family, our rational minds cry out to know more about life after death. Religions offer consolation that God is love and there is heaven beyond, but we wonder if there are any confirmations from studies of human minds which open doors to the after-life. Accordingly we have eagerly picked up books promising answers only to be quickly disappointed. Too many scientific words such as collective unconscious, determinism, morphogenetic fields, non-locality, etc., at best leave our minds only dimly grasping the author's intent. Reading into other cultures about dharma, maya, moksha, jivanmukta and vedanta, will cause us to send another promising book back to the library, or our lower book shelves, unread.
Aware of this too often encountered problem, the author of Physics of the Soul, has included a thirteen page glossary explaining the meaning and purpose of the lesser known words he has used. To those attempting to become adequate in reading this and similar books, such a service is a godsend. Using Goswami's glossary, we can not only understand his Physics of the Soul, but also, find light from numerous books previously beyond our comprehension.
Amit Goswami, along with other writers who have given many lectures and workshops, is aware of certain frequently asked questions. These he thoughtfully answers in chapter eleven. Here again, Physics of the Soul should draw, and hold, a much wider circle of readers than most books on similar esoteric concerns.

Physics of the Soul
English is obviously not the native language of Mr.Goswami. There is no flow to his writings. He also has a knack of making simple concepts seem complicated. Although there is good content and direction in his book, the considerable energy needed to complete it, may make it not worth the effort. This book is best suited for a retired person with unending time and patience, and a knack for converting Sanskrit into English. ... Read more

Book Description

A revision of a successful junior/senior level text, this introduction to elementary quantum mechanics clearly explains the properties of the most important quantum systems. Emphasizes the applications of theory, and contains new material on particle physics, electron-positron annihilation in solids and the Mossbauer effect. Includes new appendices on such topics as crystallography, Fourier Integral Description of a Wave Group, and Time-Independent Perturbation Theory. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Clarity makes this book ideal.
This book served as the text for an undergraduate course in quantum physics. It is very readable; Eisberg uses the perfect mix of formal mathematics and qualitative analysis to paint a very coherent picture of quantum mechanics. Each argument is thoughtfully constructed to be both rigorous and lucid. Well worth the price to any serious student of physics.

Clear Introduction to Quantum Physics
I am using Eisberg's and Resnick's text to review quantum physics. I am particularly impressed by the author's development of plausibility arguements for the mathematics before developing the mathematics itself. I found the first couple of chapters a bit laborious, but the succeeding chapters are very well-written. I was particularly impressed by the chapter on Schroedinger's Theory of Quantum Mechanics and the chapter on Solutions of Time-Independent Schroedinger Equations. I found the text particularly useful for self-instruction and review.

Buy Griffiths Instead
This book was confusing, chaotic, and utterly disapointing. If your professor assigns this book I suggest you do not buy it but borrow from a friend. Instead use Griffiths to learn QM. Since moving onto graduate school I have learned just how little I learned from this book. Moreover, I was confused about simple issues in QM which Cohen-Tannoudji quickly and clearly dispelled. This book actually hurt my education. I can not for the life of me understand how anyone could give this book 3, 4, or even 5 stars.

Great introduction, focused on understanding
This book is an excellent introduction to Quantum Physics. This book gives the non-expert reader an insight into the tremendous explanatory power of quantum mechanics. It describes why and how Quantum Mechanics was developed, and it is primarily concerned with the understanding of concepts and ideas, rather than focusing on mathematical techniques. For this reason it might appear a little verbose to some readers.

The first five chapters gives the reader a good insight into the history of Quantum Physics and to why classical mechanics was insufficient. Chapter 6 is an excellent overview of how to solve the Schroedinger Equation in a few specific cases, at the same time as the reader is given a very good "feeling" for how Quantum Mechanics works. The remainder of the chapters focuses on specific situations, applications and phenomena's.

There are plenty of books that use less mathematics, but I do not believe they give a good understanding of the topic. There are also plenty of books that uses a lot more complex mathematics, but they are not for beginners. I recommend this book as an introduction to Quantum Physics for undergraduate physics students, engineers, science professionals, and mathematically literate others.

For reference, these are the chapters in the book:
(1) Thermal Radiation and Plank's Postulate
(2) Photons--Particlelike Properties of Radiation
(3) De Broglie's Postulate--Wavelike Properties of Particles
(4) Bohr's Model of the Atom
(5) Schroedinger's Theory of Quantum Mechanics
(6) Solutions of Time-Independent Schroedinger Equations
(7) One-Electron Atoms
(8) Magnetic Dipole Moments, Spin, and Transition Rates
(9) Multielectron Atoms--Ground States and X-Ray Excitations
(10) Multielectron Atoms--Optical Excitations
(11) Quantum Statistics
(12) Molecules
(13) Solids--Conductors and Semiconductors
(14) Solids--Superconductors and Magnetic Properties
(15) Nuclear Models
(16) Nuclear Decay and Nuclear Reactions
(17) Introduction to Elementary Particles
(18) More Elementary Particles

I liked Appendix A, "The Special Theory of Relativity". In only sixteen pages, the authors succeed to correctly explain the special theory of relativity. I also liked Appendix C, "The Boltzmann Distribution", which was good concise description of classical statistical mechanics (you need to understand it, to understand why it was not good enough).

One of the best
This is one of the best introductory quantum mechanics textbooks. Since the mid-twentieth century, the tendency to avoid philosophical problems in favor of sheer calculation--a tendency supported by Dirac's famous maxim "follow the mathematics"--has resulted in increasingly terse books laden with practical formulae. There may be no returning to the period in which calculation and meditation went hand in hand, but at least this book has enough prose to raise issues of realism and reality, calculability and motivation, discovery and error. I can't imagine the attitude of students (and reviewers!) who prefer the equations alone. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A critique of Dirac's book
I think it's time someone evaluated Dirac's book more critically. Yes, I am in awe of him just like the next physicist, but I think I owe this review to potential buyers of this book. Please note that:

1. This book is NOT the bible of QM. It's thin and quite lean. You will not find yourself using it as a reference, since there are much better books out there for that (Messiah, Cohen-Tannoudji, and other epic accounts of QM).

2. This book is, indeed, elegant, but in the following sense: it almost always travels the shortest distance between two points, i.e. teaches you only whatever is necessary for obtaining a certain result, and/or formula. Therefore, its

3. Its first part, which introduces the bra-ket notation, confuses mathematical and physical ideas. For instance, Dirac states "we now make the assumption that there is a one-to-one correspondence between bras and kets", an assumption which is actually unnecessary owing to the Riesz theorem, which assures us that such a correspondence exists.

So, who is this book suited for, in my opinion? I think that only an experienced reader who would like to gain insight into the way Dirac understood QM should read this book. Otherwise, my verdict is: forget it, there are much better books out there. If you're starting out, try Shankar. If you're more advanced, check out Sakurai for some good insights. If you're looking for a reference - see above.

A generalized approach to quantum theory
The purpose of Paul Dirac's "The Principles of Quantum Mechanics" was to bring into an extremely valuable theory, but a dirty theory a decidedly unifying mathematical elegance. This has been wonderfully achieved. For a serious student this book is an excellent place to begin.

Dirac in this had to decide on the mathematical form in which quantum theory could be unified. Any author must decide at the outset between two methods. There is the symbolic method, which deals directly in an abstract way with quantities of fundamental importance, and there is the method of coordinates or representations, which deals with sets of numbers corresponding to these quantities. The second of these methods has usually been used practically exclusively.

The symbolic method, however, seems to go more deeply into the nature of things and to be more amenable to generalization into principles. For example, it enables one to express the physical laws in a neat and concise way, and will probably be increasingly used as it becomes better understood and its own special mathematics gets developed. It was for this reason that Dirac chose the symbolic method introducing the representatives later merely as an aid to practical calculation. This has necessitated a complete break from the historical line of development, but this break is an advantage through enabling the approach to the new ideas to be made as direct as possible.

Quantum mechanics as defined by Dirac is the application of equations of motion to atomic particles. It was first shown that atomic particles are subject to equations of motion when Bohr set up his theory of the hydrogen atom. The next big development was made when Bohr's student Heisenberg discovered the need for a non-commutative multiplication. The domain of applicability of the theory is mainly the treatment of electrons and other charged particles interacting with the electromagnetic field.

Eventually, a way will be found for adapting the high-energy theories into a scheme based on equations of motion, and so unifying them with those of low-energy physics.

An Underappreciated Classic
First, a disclosure: this was my first QM text. That's right. I picked it up as a sophomore in electrical engineering. This could easily have nipped any hope for a career in research. Rather, I was immediately taken by the undeniable elegance of the exposition. (I distinctly recall my first impression of the discussion on page 9 which is exceptionally lucid on the subject of what QM does and does not tell us about quantized fields, because this is something I had already struggled with unsuccessfully.) Moreover, Dirac reduces QM to what it really is: a few remarkable postulates about how Nature is; and a whole lot of linear algebra. Dirac was arguably a mathematician first and asserted, elsewhere, that it is more important that out theories have beauty than truth in the physical world. Anyone who can at least entertain this notion may gain much from this often overlooked classic, largely free of the pedagogically distracting baggage of wavefunctions. One reviewer has noted that the notation is archaic or cumbersome; I must kindly demur.

Don't miss reading Dirac
The first edition of this book (including bras, kets and all that) was published when the author was 28. Ponder that a bit, you hot-shots who would scrimp on the stars you give this book.

I agree with an earlier reviewer that the first chapter alone justifies buying the book. I have long kept this book on my shelf to remind myself about how beautifully expository prose can be written, and how far I have to go to equal it.

BTW, in my experience it's possible to learn a lot from it about QM even as a first book on the subject, if you know some linear algebra.

Still worthwhile to read and study
This book goes all the way back to 1930, the year it was first published, and a time when quantum physics was undergoing rapid development, both in terms of applications and theory. The author was one of the major contributors to these developments, and in this book has outlined his idiosyncratic approach to quantum physics, including relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics.The author's insight into quantum physics is extraordinary and that makes this book unique among the books on the subject.

The author introduces immediately the principle of superposition as the tour-de-force of quantum theory in chapter 1 after discussing the inadequacy of classical mechanics in explaining the data on specific heat and atomic spectra. The polarization and interference of photons is used to motivate the principle of superposition, and then the concept of a quantum state. The famous Dirac bra-ket formalism is brought in to give the state concept a mathematical formulation. This is followed in chapter 2 by a mathematical formulation of observables, these being operators that act on the kets, with their adjoints operating on the bras. The eigenvalues of these operators are then the physically realizable results of experiments. The author's discussion on the physical interpretation of this formalism is fascinating and should be read by anyone desiring an in-depth understanding of quantum physics.

The formalism up to this point has been purely algebraic, so to apply it to physical problems one needs a representation. This is done in chapter 3, wherein the author also introduces the famous "Dirac delta function". The commutation relations between observables, not of course arising at all in the classical theory, are discussed in chapter 4. The "Poisson bracket goes to commutator" is the theme of the chapter, and one that was followed for several decades, until the advent of the path integral formulation. The Schroedinger and Heisenberg representations make their appearance here, as well as the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

Once the ideas of the preceeding chapters are accepted, there is no turning back on the consequences they entail, some of them quite bizarre at first encounter. This already becomes apparent even when solving for the time development of quantum systems, which is done in chapter 10 for the free particle and motion of wave packets.

More applications are treated in chapter 11, such as the harmonic oscillator, and the author shows how to incorporate angular momentum and spin into the quantum theory. He also treats the central force problem, and derives the selection rules for the hydrogen atom. Readers get their first taste of perturbation theory in chapter 12, via the problem of atom in an external electric field. All of these problems illustrate beautifully the ability of quantum physics to fit the experimental data.

Particle accelarators were of course coming on to the scene at the time this book was published, and so collision problems are discussed in chapter 13. The important effects of resonance scattering and spontaneous emission are discussed in detail by the author.

Even more anti-classical phenomena in quantum physics arise in chapter 14, which deals with systems of identical particles. The description of these is done with symmetrical and antisymmetrical states, and the resulting boson/fermion distinction is outlined and discussed in detail. The author also gives an interesting discussion of permutations as dynamical variables. He constructs a theory for a system of n similar particles when states of any kind of symmetry properties are allowed. The theory does not correspond to any existing particles (and the author acknowledges this), but he uses it as an approximation to a collection of electrons. Permutations are constants of motion in this theory, and for a system of electrons he shows that more than two electrons cannot be in the same orbital state. This "effective" theory of electrons is interesting because in its derivation one sees the explicit need for spin variables, even though spin forces are neglected by the author. This is a neat illustration of the Pauli exclusion principle.

In chapter 20, the author develops a theory of radiation, giving a first glance at relativistic quantum theory, i.e. quantum field theory. The theory as he constructs initially however should more properly be called many-body quantum theory, as no explicit "field quantization" is performed, although his result is essentially the same: a collection of quantized harmonic oscillators which he shows to be equivalent to a collection of bosons in stationary states. He applies this theory to the case of a collection of photons interacting with an atom. When describing the interactions between photons and atoms, he then makes the connection with fields, treating the atom first classically and the field of radiation as a vector field. The resulting theory is quantized using the "canonical" approach and the author derives all the now standard quantities, such as the Kramers-Heisenberg dispersion formula for photon scattering.

Dirac is well-known for his work in quantum field theory, and he delves into it in the last two chapters. His famous derivation of the "Dirac equation" is given here, but interestingly, he does not refer to the wave functions in this equation as "spinors". He does show the equation is Lorentz invariant, and then studies the electron in a central force using the equation, giving the all-important fine structure of the energy levels. And of course, the theory of the positron is discussed here. The treatment of quantum electrodynamics is done from a canonical quantization viewpoint, and the discussion of electrons and positrons is now legendary. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Stephen Hawking, science's first real rock star, may be the least-read bestselling author in history--it's no secret that many people who own A Brief History of Time have never finished it. Hawking's The Universe in a Nutshell aims to remedy the situation, with a plethora of friendly illustrations to help readers grok some of the most brain-bending ideas ever conceived.

Does it succeed? Yes and no. While Hawking offers genuinely accessible context for such complexities as string theory and the nature of time, it's when he must translate equations to sentences that the limits of language get in the way. But Hawking has simplified the origin of the universe, the nature of space and time, and what holds it all together to an unprecedented degree, inviting nonscientists to share his obvious awe and love of the unseen forces that shape it all.

Yes, it's difficult reading, but it's worth it. Hawking is one of the great geniuses of our time, a man whose life has been devoted to thinking in the abstract about the universe. With his help, and pictures--lots of pictures--we can seek to understand a bit more of the cosmos. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (146)

A Mandala of the Universe
Stephen Hawking is a phenomenon of our age. We are all familiar with his tragic form: confined by Lou Gehrig's disease to a wheelchair, unable to move, his great mind reduced to communicating through the medium of an unearthly computerized voice. Just as we sometimes believe the blind are gifted with second sight or uncanny musical ability, most of us can't help suspecting that Hawking has been compensated for his disability by being granted a special insight into the true nature of our Universe, that he has somehow seen privileged to see the face of God.

Such notions were no doubt behind the incredible success of his first book, "A Brief History of Time" (1988). Considering the difficulty of the subject matter, which can best be expressed through complex mathematical formula, and the fact that it was the first book of its kind to top bestseller lists around the world, this work soon became notorious as the most unread book of all time.

With the release of "The Universe in a Nutshell," the great physicist has descended from the Mount Sinai of scientific wisdom with a fresh set of tablets engraved with the secrets of the Universe. Keen to avoid the mistakes of the first work, this book is markedly more accessible, less text heavy, and extremely well illustrated, with half the book consisting of various diagrams that enable the reader to get the gist of such advanced concepts as 11-dimensional supergravity, multi-dimensional spacetime, p-branes, string theory, and time loops, to mention a few.

Most of the concepts presented here are pure mathematical constructs that have little chance of being empirically proven or disproven for some time yet. They therefore exist as a kind of Buddhist mandala, helping us to contemplate, without fully understanding, the immense mystery of our Universe.

With a style reminiscent of the science writer Isaac Asimov, the book succeeds in being a lot more readable. Inevitably this has brought charges of 'dumbing down' and oversimplification. "The Universe in a Nutshell" nevertheless remains a challenging and entertaining read, and ideal as the kind of book you want to leave lying around at home to give visitors an idea of just how deep and intellectual you really are (even if you aren't).

Actually 4 and a half stars
This is a well written book on a very difficult subject. Hawking has a very engaging style and is very funny at times. Unlike a previous reviewer, I thought the pictures added a great deal. Sometimes the captions for them didn't explain much. Its also difficult to express in a picture multidimensional branes. I liked how he explained relativity and quantum mechanics, but honestly if you've read Brian Greene then Hawking's treatment is more of the same. I think his main theme is to keep an open mind to all these potential theories (not including the Big Bang which the scientific community has shown its validity experimentally over and over again) and to give an overview of each of them. He gives a brief bibliography, spliting it up into technical and non-technical books. I would recomend this to anyone interested in the universe and the research about the universe. If you come with a closed mind then don't waste your time.

"Curled Dimensions" or Just Mimicking the Usual Three?
Sir:
"Curled Dimensions" or Just Mimicking the Usual Three?
The claims by Hawking (The World in a Nutshell) and Greene (The Elegant Universe) to be close to a theory of everything (TOE) are premature in two essential ways:
1.A true TOE would start with a definition of theory and proceed to a theory of knowledge or epistemology.
2.The idea that nature has 10 or more hidden spatial dimensions "all curled up" is just an artificial way to give their physically impossible one dimensional strings enough degrees of environmental freedom to mimic a real three dimensional object.
3.Wolfram's "New Kind of Science", along with Fredkin's attempt to model the world as a cellular automaton will not work either, for cellular automata can neither be programmed nor given a physical basis. There is neither computable software nor identifiable hardware.
4.I discuss all this in my forthcoming booklet "The World" (Core Books, Summer, 2004, drudin@radix.net). See also www.worldtheory.org.

INSTITUTE FOR AXIOMATIC KNOWLEDGE
AND SYSTEMATIC EDUCATION
Annapolis, MD USA
Donald O. Rudin, M.D., President.
Professor, Mathematical Epistemology

An amazing look at the beautiful wonders of our universe
In The Universe in a Nutshell, the amazing scientist Stephen Hawking takes the reader on a journey of all the various theories concerning the nature of our vast universe. These theories are so fantastical that they really stretch the limits of your imagination, yet they are grounded in real research by some of the best minds in the world.

Hawking addresses topics such as the quest among much of the physics community to unite Einstein's theory of relativity with quantum mechanics, which would describe the universe on scales of lightyears all the way down to the atomic level. He introduces amazing concepts such as imaginary time and the possibility of our universe consisti