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Rating: 
Summary: Classical textbook.
Review: I have found this book to be an excellent resource during my PhD and postdoctoral studies in molecular simulations. It is concise, rigorous and spans the classic problems in statistical mechanics more thoroughly than any other text. The development of the central axioms and theorems and connection with macroscopic thermodynamics is quite enlightening.I have studied the sections on: foundations, perfect gases, imperfect gases, crystals and liquids. The book also covers kinetic theory, reactions and more. The book is necessarily concise and therefore is a bit difficult as a first course. However a diligent graduade student could conceivably "slog" through it and would later come to appreciate the rewards. For a cheaper alternative, turn to the other classic of this field by T. L. Hill.
Rating:
Summary: Really Good!!!
Review: It's a fantastic book!. I'm studying it every day, and learn something new every day. Everyone should have this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The standard, but maybe not the best
Review: McQuarrie's book is typically the standard text in many undergraduate and graduate programs, but I believe there are many other resources to learn statistical mechanics in a much clearer way. I find the following things to be particularly annoying about the book:
1) The typesetting! The pages are very difficult to read, especially equations. It's a very old typeface and my eyes literally hurt after reading McQuarrie for too long.
2) Very few problems are worked out. Many important concepts that should involve more detailed discussion are simply left as exercises to the student. I believe that more peripheral results and extensions of fundamental material are better left as problems, as opposed to fundamental results.
3) The glaring absense of good discussion on spin systems (such as Ising magnets) and critical phenomena. These are VERY important topics in modern statistical mechanics. I would recommend the following if you want to find good books on statistical mechanics:
1) If you want one comprehensive volume, use Linda Reichl's book.
2) If you are only interested in statistical thermodynamics, use David Chandler's book.
3) If you want both statistical thermodynamics and nonequatilibrium statistical mechanics, use Chandler and Robert Zwanzig's book.
Also, Kubo's statistical thermodynamics book is really good. I really would not recommend McQuarrie. Save your eyes and get a more modern book with at least a better typesetting.
Rating:
Summary: The standard, but maybe not the best
Review: McQuarrie's book is typically the standard text in many undergraduate and graduate programs, but I believe there are many other resources to learn statistical mechanics in a much clearer way. I find the following things to be particularly annoying about the book:
1) The typesetting! The pages are very difficult to read, especially equations. It's a very old typeface and my eyes literally hurt after reading McQuarrie for too long.
2) Very few problems are worked out. Many important concepts that should involve more detailed discussion are simply left as exercises to the student. I believe that more peripheral results and extensions of fundamental material are better left as problems, as opposed to fundamental results.
3) The glaring absense of good discussion on spin systems (such as Ising magnets) and critical phenomena. These are VERY important topics in modern statistical mechanics. I would recommend the following if you want to find good books on statistical mechanics:
1) If you want one comprehensive volume, use Linda Reichl's book.
2) If you are only interested in statistical thermodynamics, use David Chandler's book.
3) If you want both statistical thermodynamics and nonequatilibrium statistical mechanics, use Chandler and Robert Zwanzig's book.
Also, Kubo's statistical thermodynamics book is really good. I really would not recommend McQuarrie. Save your eyes and get a more modern book with at least a better typesetting.
Rating: 
Summary: 2 Books in one
Review: This is a good book, but it's not a graduate text for the first half. If you're just reading it and not taking the class, buy Hill instead (it's $10). McQuarrie learned how to teach SM from Hill and it shows. The second half is a whole different story. It's research level material, but is perhaps out of date. Lastly, Karl Freed and Stuart Rice teach from this book, which should be worth far more than my review.
Rating:
Summary: 2 Books in one
Review: This is a good book, but it's not a graduate text for the first half. If you're just reading it and not taking the class, buy Hill instead (it's $10). McQuarrie learned how to teach SM from Hill and it shows. The second half is a whole different story. It's research level material, but is perhaps out of date. Lastly, Karl Freed and Stuart Rice teach from this book, which should be worth far more than my review.
Rating:
Summary: Modern, concise text on stat. mech.
Review: This is the book to go for those working on molecular simulations and looking for the math background and derivations leading equations of interest. Due the fast moving on several subjects the reader should have at hand other texts like Tolman and Hill to review in depth some parts.
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