Rating: 
Summary: Best Book on Subject - 4 Stars for Self Studyers*
Review: *This review is subject to change as I proceed through the text. I have only finished through Chapter 8 (Path Integrals), which is barely 25% of the book. Why do I give it 4 stars for self studyers? For people who are self-studying there is a serious drawback, the problems in the text are simply not rigorous enough. Fortunately there are tons of problems available on the net from quantum classes taught at universities throughout the world. Unfortunately but understandably this may not last, because many course websites are now password protected. Given this trend I think its imperative for Shankar to expand on the problem sets offered in the book, while also expanding the answers(not solutions)in the book. This will allow self-studyers to gauge their understanding of the material better.
Some might claim that there are books of problems available for purchase. While that's true, some people don't have an endless reserve of cash to spend on Physics texts. That being said Shankar without question has developed one of the best Physics texts I have seen. This was the first book to really make sense of Dirac notation while simultaneously incorporating matrix mechanics. Absolutely stellar. The first Chapter alone is worth the price of the book. After having meticulously gone through the first 8 chapters I can honestly say that using this book has been thoroughly rewarding, which was not the case with the Griffiths book which I had used in 1997 when I took intro to Quantum as an undergrad. Even with the reservations stated above this text succeeds in its claim as a self-contained text, which makes it great for self-study.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book on Subject - 4 Stars for Self Studyers*
Review: *This review is subject to change as I proceed through the text. I have only finished through Chapter 8 (Path Integrals), which is barely 25% of the book. Why do I give it 4 stars for self studyers? For people who are self-studying there is a serious drawback, the problems in the text are simply not rigorous enough. Fortunately there are tons of problems available on the net from quantum classes taught at universities throughout the world. Unfortunately but understandably this may not last, because many course websites are now password protected. Given this trend I think its imperative for Shankar to expand on the problem sets offered in the book, while also expanding the answers(not solutions)in the book. This will allow self-studyers to gauge their understanding of the material better.
Some might claim that there are books of problems available for purchase. While that's true, some people don't have an endless reserve of cash to spend on Physics texts. That being said Shankar without question has developed one of the best Physics texts I have seen. This was the first book to really make sense of Dirac notation while simultaneously incorporating matrix mechanics. Absolutely stellar. The first Chapter alone is worth the price of the book. After having meticulously gone through the first 8 chapters I can honestly say that using this book has been thoroughly rewarding, which was not the case with the Griffiths book which I had used in 1997 when I took intro to Quantum as an undergrad. Even with the reservations stated above this text succeeds in its claim as a self-contained text, which makes it great for self-study.
Rating:
Summary: The best intro to QM
Review: A very clear and well-written introduction to QM. The first two chapters give a very nice introduction/review of linear algebra that forms the basis for the rest of the book. I have looked through or read many of the other QM texts out there. If you are trying to learn QM on your own, get this book and ignore the rest. Very good price too! The only drawback is its large size.
Rating:
Summary: Just read it : This is THE book on QM !
Review: After introducing all the mathematical tools necessary to follow a Dirac-notation-based QM course, you are smoothly brought into the world of quantum mechanical applications. Throughout the book, you see that the author understands very well where the conceptual as well as mathematical difficulties lie while learning QM for the first time and responds to the reader's needs instantly. There happens many times that you ask yourself a question about a topic that you have just read and that you find the clearest answer to that question a few pages later. Another remarkable point about this book is the consistent cross-references among the book's chapters encouraging the reader to learn the subtly inter-woven relationships among different aspects of quantum theory. If you are serious about learning QM thoroughly and are willing to acquire a very well-founded formation in this subject, pick up this book and benefit from its beautiful and coherent approach !
Rating:
Summary: The Best Introductory QM Book I've Seen
Review: After several QM classes using other textbooks, the clarity of Shankar's book stood out.
A thorough reading of the first chapter, on the mathematical techniques of QM, rendered
previously mysterious calculations fully comprehensible. Furthermore, like all good
"introductory" textbooks, it has continued to serve as a valuable reference during my
career in physics.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent and Mature Standard Text
Review: As a junior I took a class in graduate Q.M. from a stereotypically difficult instructor who used Ramamurti Shankar's book. The joy of this book is that it is.. 1. Well planned - the book's first few chapters cover the basic mathematics a student needs before even attempting to describe Schrodinger's equation. It treats advanced topics appropriately and introduces them at the correct time. 2. Surprisingly self-contained. The book is great for a mid-to-advanced level undergraduate student who wishes to learn independently. 3. A "real" introduction to Q.M. - not simply Griffith's version, which, to my dismay, skips the mathematical rigor needed in a Q.M. text. Unlike Jackson's E&M, the mathematical rigor is necessary and not confusing or futile. The only downfall some students have indicated about this book is that the later chapters "feel" like they lack the grace of the early ones, perhaps because Professor Shankar covers many advanced topics. In an answer to this, I say that while I took the course, the later chapters were only confusing because I had forgotten some of the relevant equations and postulates from the previous chapters. If a student simply reads carefully and uses this book as a complete reference, (and takes the time to do so,) he will not find it confusing in the least.
Rating:
Summary: A very thorough and readable introduction to QM.
Review: Dr. Shankar's book on Quantum Mechanics is the best introduction to QM I've ever read (and I've tried to read several!). Although the book contains a very thorough first chapter introducing the mathematical machinery of QM, it doesn't get bogged down in mathematical details that mystify the beginner. As a second year master's student in physics, I was delighted to discover a book that I could read on my own so as to fill in the (unfortunately many!) gaps in my understanding of QM. I recommend it to anyone trying to learn QM on their own and encourage any professor teaching an advanced undergraduate course on the subject to seriously consider using this book as the course text. I only wish that I had seen it as an undergrad!
Rating:
Summary: Doctor/Author highly recommends this...using it currently.
Review: Have a passion for quantum theory, particulary as it applies to the possibility of entanglement in brain hydrogen bonds. Have been working with Dr. Brian Greene from Columbia in a tutorial and using this book...excellent. He recommended it and I love it having attempted self-teaching in several others. Check out "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain" Giuffre,DiGeronimo, 1999 for good tips on optimizing your brain to handle this stuff!!! All the best to Dr. Shankar...Kenneth Giuffre MD, author,"The Care and Feeding of Your Brain"
Rating:
Summary: This book has what you need to learn quantum mechanics.
Review: How many quantum mechanics textbooks can you think of that have funny jokes in them? Shankar's Principles of Quantum Mechanics has everything a student needs to gain a deep understanding of the fundamentals, including an introduction to the math and notation used in upper-level university quantum mechanics courses, treatment of the uncertainty relations and their origins, angular momentum, the hydrogen atom, perturbation theory, scattering, correspondence between classical and quantum mechanics, and humor. Shankar also explains the context in which quantum mechanics was invented. While the writing is concise, it is full of insightful observations, and numerous irresistable, yet deep, questions to ponder. On the other hand, the explanation of the basics is clear enough and unassuming enough that if you had to, you could learn quantum mechanics just from this book, in spite of an incomprehensible professor. As a graduate student, I still refer to this text whenever basic quantum mechanics questions arise. Although I used this book originally as an undergraduate taking quantum mechanics, it has inspired me more than once as I struggled through graduate problem sets and derivations for my research. I enthusiastically recommend Shankar's book to juniors and seniors at the university level, and to others at a higher level seeking a clear explanation of the fundamentals of quantum mechanics.
Rating:
Summary: It gives the reader a very good insight of subject.
Review: I am a NUCLEAR PHYSICS student in PERSIAN GULF University,
Bushehr, IRAN.
We study this book as our textbook for Quantum Mechanics.
I have TRIED to study another book on subject, which made me completely confused! Professor Shankar's great book, gives the reader a very good insight and undrestanding about the subject, both in the PHYSICAL concepts and Mathematics used in this field.
I strongly recommend this book to everyone wants to undrestand QUANTUM MECHANICS, also it is a misterious subject, but this book opens holes in your mind and makes you think deeply about QM. It also makes you undrestand the mathematics used in QM theory, what many other books don't ofer.
Read chapters 1,2 and 4 very deep ! These are the core of the book, and you will undrestand the rest !
One more thing: Try to Undrestand Quantum Mechanics this way, by Using Algebra and Linear Vector Spaces, as this book does. I don't think the Wave Mechanics view is a very good idea, specially for beginners. This book also has A VERY GOOD PRICE !
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