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Rating: 
Summary: To the Berkeley graduate student below
Review: Although I do think that the book is over-rated, your critique is unfair. First, the book is not too advanced. Similar materials are used to teach university students in their 3rd or 4th year of studies, sometimes even earlier, in many countries. If you are not able to grasp the basic, how are you going to read the current papers in journals? How are you going to contribute new knowledge? It's better to start early with a young mind. Then, it is not a reference book (I don't need to say more in this). Also, you may be in the wrong course, or your professor suggested an unsuitable, but not necessarily bad, book for reading. The book was written with applied mathematics (you can surf around the net and see what applied mathematics means in the UK) courses in mind. You may find Lighthill's 'An informal introduction to theoretical fluid mechanics' or Tritton's 'Physical fluid dynamics' or Faber's 'Fluid dynamics for physicists' useful. Finally, I have confidence in the ability of a Berkeley student. You maybe smart, but you need to work hard too, very hard!
Rating: 
Summary: Classic in Fluid mechanics
Review: G.K.Batchelor was regarded as the leading figure in fluid mechanics from 1950 ~ 2000. He was a founder of AMTP(Applied mathmatics and theoretical physics) group in Cambridge Univ. and also a founder of 'Jounal of Fluid Mechanics', a leading and top class journal in the field of fluid mechanics. Also was a favorite student of G.I.Taylor.I think this volume is a bridge between the old classic(ex. H. Lamb's Hydrodynamics) and today's many texts for fluid mechanics somewhat biased to applications and computations. It deals with all branches of fluid mechanics except Gas dynamics, free convection, lubrication theory, magnetohydrodynamics and hydrodynamics stability. The first three chapters summarise basic concepts in thermo & fluid mechanics and trasport phenomena. I think chapter 1,2,3 are very severe and deep. And there are collections of important photos of fluid phenomena.(You can also refer M. Van Dyke's 'An album of fluid motion) Although the title is 'An introduction to...' it's not an introductory level, and the mathematics it deals are somewhat omitted. I think this text is an advance graduate level.
Rating: 
Summary: Fair introduction
Review: Good introduction of many ideas in fluid mechanics. Good for reference, but it is not a good book for learning the subject. If in fact you happen to have a solid math background you may find it very boring but still has many references to more useful sources.
Rating: 
Summary: Berkeley graduate student
Review: Hello, although this book is probably a classic book in fluid mechanics, I would have to say it is a bit advance. I am currently a first year graduate student at Berkeley and I find that this book is not a very good reference to my fluid dynamics class. To any mechanical engineering professor out there, choose a book that is a bit more elementary!!!
Rating:
Summary: The best introduction
Review: I used Batchelor several years ago for an introductory course in fluid dynamics for physic students, and found it generally satisfactory. It is probably the best available overall introduction. The negative review from the Berkeley student reflects more upon the student than upon the book, in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Great "introduction" to those well-versed in the subject
Review: If you get through this text, you are on your way to fluid dynamics mastery. It covers much more than most engineering students will need (or care to) know. It is an important text, but should be a complementary study aid.
Rating:
Summary: Good introduction
Review: This book introduces lots of stuffs. I will consider it
as reference purpose. Not that good for learning, especially
for beginners. If one has another book as textbook already,
with this book, he can have more comprehensive thinkings
about fluid dynamics. It's a good book right on from
textbooks to special-purposed books.
Rating:
Summary: Batchelor - Classic Fluid Mechanics Text
Review: This classic text outlines the fundamental theory of fluid mechanics. It is an excellent source for careful and exhaustive derivations of the fundamental equations and physical discussions of basic problems. It is NOT a user's guide nor an introductory text.
Rating:
Summary: A Real Classic in Fluid Mechanics
Review: You can usually tell when a textbook is written by an author from Cambridge. Batchelor is no exception. Classical approach with emphasis both on the theory as well as devolpment of a deep and intuitive understanding of concepts. The overall approach is fabulous, and Batchelor goes to painstaking details to explain concepts. The few complaints I have regarding the book though are that: 1) Being a mathematics student, I would have enjoyed seeing some complex methods of solving the fluid motion equations(specifically laplace's eqn) 2) Some of the explanations were a little long and repetitive. Could have been more concise in certain areas, and given readers some credit for capacity to understand.
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