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Rating: Summary: A masterpiece Review: Chandra translated Newton's Principia from the geometric language that Newton was forced to use into language that is immediately familiar to a modern audience. As such *every* physicist should be forced to read this book from cover to cover, or else face the *shame* that they have not. This is truly a piece that every physicist will enjoy and find thought provoking at the deepest level.
Rating: Summary: Not What I expected Review: I expected this to be a walkthrough for people like myself who have a knowledge of physics but are far from being experts and are interested in reading the classics of science. This is a guide for the modern Professor of Physics, not a guide for the common reader as it says. If I had known that I wouldn't have bought it. I get the impression that there is certainly a demand for such a walkthrough. I thought this would be it. A BIG disapointment!
Rating: Summary: Uncommon price for a book intended for common reader Review: I have not read this book, but would love too. But the price is just too high for a book that is intended for the common reader. It is unaffordable for the common reader. (NOTE: My stars rating is meaningless because I have not read the book.)
Rating: Summary: Before you slag this book off, hold on a minute Review: This book was written by the Indian-American Nobel Laureate who proved that the upper limit of white dwarf stars are incapable of being over 1.2 solar masses. Now Chandra(the author of this book), who was amongst the most meticulous of theorists and who worked with bigwigs like Dirac, Bethe, Fermi and Von Neumann amongst the most luminous, wrote this massive treatise on Newton's Principia. This is chandra's take on Newton's work. Don't think its a light read - It isn't. You cannot take it with you to starbucks sipping your cappucino and browse the work. You'll need to be at a table with a straightback chair and concentrate intensely. If you know Chandra's work, then you will know that chandra always said just about what was required and said it in very beautiful English. His English probably has the most beautifully constructed sentences ever among scientific works. So essentially this is about a 20th century giant interpreting the work of THE giant of all time. This is NOT a verbatim reproduction in English of the original latin publication. If you can get this book cheap on e-bay, buy it because it is worth it. It is expensive for a reason. Its beautifully written and bound very beautifully in a red jacket with Newton's bust and handwriting on the jacket. If you bought it, the red cover is attractive enough to make it stand out of your living room book shelf. Most importantly, Chandra tackles each aspect of Newton's principia in a most profoundly original manner. GET IT if you can afford it and if you can't, try a used book place. But get it anyway.
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