Rating: 
Summary: Amazing!
Review: The world would be less beautiful if this book didn't exist. What a remarkable feat! The sequence that leads from the very basic concept of spacetime to the computation of the components of Riemann tensor by using forms and the Cartan equations is unparalleled. A lot of mathematical formulas follow from simple reasoning and ... drawings! The introduction of Schild's ladder to motivate the axioms for a (torsionless) connection is very clever. The introduction of curvature by means of geodesic deviation is very intuitive. The derivation of the expression for the geodesic deviation (and, consequently, of the expression for the Riemann tensor) is, again, completely intuitive. The chapter on spinors is very beautiful and useful. Still, I would never recommend this book for a beginner. For it is absolutely non-linear. I have been told that this corresponds to the ideas of Wheeler's concerning learning. Sometimes an argument at chapter 4 (say) depends on something that is intr! oduced in chapter 8. Also, the three tracks (first, second and boxes)interfere all the time, requiring much discipline from the reader. If, however, you already learned the basics (for instance, in Landau, Lifshitz), so that you know what you are looking for, "Gravitation" is unbeatable, of a class apart. I've seen mathematicians adopting the language introduced by them to explain tensors: a slot for each argument of the multilinear machine! Last, not the least, the Index and the References are of the highest quality. This shows respect for the readers. Drs. Misner, Thorne and Wheeler are to be congratulated.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction, good overview on applications
Review: This book can be divided into three logical parts. The first part includes an overview of 4 dimensional physics (spacetime physics, chapter 1), an introduction to special relativity (physics in flat spacetime, chapters 2 to 7), an introduction to the tensor calculus (the mathematics of curved spacetime, chapters 8 to 15) and describes in detail Einstein's general theory of relativity (Einstein's geometric theory of relativity, chapters 16 to 22).
This first part is the best introduction to the theory of relativity I have ever read. The mathematics is introduced in a very comprehensive manner, there are lots of exercises where the reader can get used to the tensor calculus. The physical explanations are just brilliant and what is more important general relativity is introduced in the manner Einstein itself viewed it: as a geometric representation of gravity! Other books on this subject formulate general relativity only algebraically (like quantum theory) but this hides the importance of the idea that all gravitational effects can be extracted from the geometry of spacetime. The algebraic formulation may be regarded as more modern by some authors, it must be said however that no algebraic formulation managed to give more physical insight. The algebraic treatment tries to unify the view of general relativity and quantum field theory, but the physical discrepancies between the two theories remain unsolved.
The second part starts with the application of general relativity to stars (stars and relativity, chapters 23 to 26), goes on to the universe (the universe, chapters 27-30) and to black holes (gravitational collapse and black holes, chapters 31 to 34), and describes finally gravitational waves (gravitational waves, chapters 35 to 37) and experimental methods (experimental tests of general relativity, chapters 38 to 40).
This second part is a good overview, but many details of the computations of the applications are not shown. For the readers interrested in the details the two volume book by Zel'dovich and Novikov "Stars and Relativity"/"The Structure and Evolution of the Universe" is much better (but also much longer).
The third part finally describes the frontiers of general relativity (frontiers, chapters 41 to 44). Like part two it gives a good overview not showing many computational details.
Rating: 
Summary: A Horrible Book on Gravitation
Review: This book in my opinion is one of the most overrated texts in science. It is voluminous and comprehensive and perhaps serves best as a reference for topics not easily found in other textbooks. However this text fares very poorly from a pedagogical point of view. The first four hundred or so pages introduces tensor analysis to the reader. The material is presently in overly simplistic terms to the point where the reader is treated as though he/she had nothing more than a first year calculus background. Differential forms for instance are likened to "bongs of (a) bell"; tensors are "machines", etc. The reader is better off with Bishop and Goldberg or Frankel. The lack of rigour and informal treatment of the mathematics sets the tone for the loose, heuristic style that is to follow for the rest of the book. Definitions are imprecise and clear proofs lacking. The boxes and excercises punctuating the text distracts from the reading. In short, if you feel that a mastery of the material must be gained from precise definitions and rigorous presentations rather than intuitive notions and sketchy derivations this book is not for you. Wald's is much better. For those of you less comfortable with differential geometry I recommend Weinberg's which is also very well written and readable. Misner's will benefit two types or readers. First, if you are a highschool student or college freshman with some calculus background you can gain some conceptual understanding of general relativity and how it works. You may enjoy looking at the the many diagrams in this book and reading some of the boxes. Second if you are already well trained in general relativity you can benefit by using this book as a reference, for it has much material. For the rest you can safely leave this book alone.
Rating:
Summary: Review of MTW
Review: This book is not suitable from a pedagogical point of view. Perhaps if the subject matter is already mastered it may be replete with insights not found elsewhere. The approach is bouncy and too cavalier for such a non-intuitive and difficult subject as general relativity. The mathematical approach advocated, although perhaps rich and deep, is not presented clear and precise. In addition, a consistent mathematical approach was not maintained. The lack of consistency (even within "track-1") was by design, I realize, yet it detracts from increased understanding since the presentation is not smooth and fluid. I felt as though I obtained a rough flat object and then told to make sharp incisive cuts. I still am not sure why the expression "bongs of bell" clarifies forms. Moreover, I know that tensors are "machines" so are a lot of other things which are not tensors. These two examples are not a substantiative critique; they do however indicate the tone. Weinberg, on the other hand, is a master of precision and clarity. His book is simply the best "advanced" book that I've come across. Bergmann may be an antique but for a beginner it is outstanding. What more can be said of Landau&Lifschitz? Simply, top notch. The best part of MTW is the actual apparatus described, in some detail, for tests of general relativity. In this, MTW has done a commendable job.
Rating: 
Summary: The complete reference book on General Relativity
Review: This is *the* reference book on general relativity. I personally did not find it to be a good book to learn GR from-- I found the breezy style to be annoying, and the method of approach to be confusing. For learning GR, I would recommend the much thinner books by Wald or Kenyon. But as a reference book, Gravitation is irreplacable.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Step-2 in Learning Modern General Relativity.
Review: This is a very good book on modern relativity and cosmology; although a few imporant astronomical findings were made AFTER the publication. The authors work very hard (and long!) in explaning the material to the readers.
However, you won't like the book if it is your first step towards general relativity OR you are very eager to learn it. This is simply because the development of the subject is very slow, and the length of the book will give you the false impression that general relativity takes years to understand (although it may take sometime to believe). The theory itself doesn't take very long to undersand, but it's implications may.
DON'T turn to this book for an introduction to Special Relativity(SR). It assumes you already know it and puts (SR) in a geometric language. Frist learn basic SR from any modern physics book. Likewise, for reasons given earlier, your Step-1 towards general relativity, should be Foster and Nighangle's book: 'A Short Course in General Relativity'.Because it is short,less demanding, and covers the basics clearly and completely. The fact that Foster's book uses old notation is not a disadavantage. Only when you see how meesy the old notation is, you will appriciate the modern notation of Thorne's.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book Covering General Relativity
Review: This is the best book available describing Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. In contrast to other books on the subject this one is an easy read.
Rating:
Summary: THE source for info!
Review: This is the greatest source of information ever constructed concerning the modern, relativistic perspective of the universe. Definitely not for the average individual who attempts to understand the entirety of spacetime by reading Scientific American. A mathematical achievement beyond words.
Rating:
Summary: This is a book of IDEAS
Review: This volume is absolutely neccesary for any serious student of gravitational physics. Although their are sections suitable for an upper division undergrad, this is a tome for the graduate student in Physics. The mathematical expertise required for the advanced Track-2 portions of the book are predominently graduate level and above. However, it is those very sections where the exotic topics of black-hole thermodynamics and quantum cosmology are addressed in all their splendor. There are areas of interest to students of math such as the introduction of differential forms and tensor index-slinging. All students of Physics should have at least cracked the cover of this book once before they receive their B.Sci. This is a thorough if dated (1975) exposition that deserves a place along side Peeble's 'COSMOLOGY' and Dirac's 'QUANTUM MECHANICS' in a list of 'must have' volumes for any Physicist (even those far removed from general relativity). With the possible exception of S. Hawkings, Misner, Thorne and Wheeler show their collective expertise on GTR with rigor and style. Even the typsetting, diagrams and the liberal use of explanitory boxes all serve to give the work a feel of completion. It is no wonder that in the physics literature it is often cited simply as MTW.
Rating:
Summary: a true classic
Review: Virtually everyone who works or who worked or who would like to work in GR brags up this book and boasts of reading it from cover to cover. Most have not. I, unfortunately, have. It rambles and is scatterbrained and halfa* on many topics. The would be investigator would be better off following another course of study in differential topology and differential geometry, almost any other relativity text or texts, and the literature. It should be kept in mind, however, that when this book was first published the global methods were like lie algebra was at one time - researchers writing papers for and to each other with nobody else in mind. This was a supposed attempt to make the material available to a wider audience. It may have degenerated into intellectual onanism.
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