Theoretical Physics

Rating:
Summary: From the great tradition of German Lehrbucher
Review: Georg Joos was an experimental physicist, yet wrote this outstanding compendium of classical theoretical physics, a model of clarity and simplicity, not to mention soundness. Perfect for learning something when the time is short! I recalled having learned AC circuits from it, using complex numbers, one day before the exams, and learned it thoroughly (and passed!). Freeman Dyson lists this book as the one from which he learned most of Theoretical Physics. What more could be said?

Rating:
Summary: Excellent summary for undergraduate/graduate student
Review: I am a Physicist, and in the event of preparing my general post-graduate exam I have not found a better summary for review my knowledge in Physics. From Vectors to Modern Physics, I found a great quantity of material and problems adequately inserted in text which can help every Physicist, no mater his (her) personal interest, to expand his (her) ideas. I recommend it widely. I used this book as sel-study and I am completely satisfied

Rating:
Summary: For prospective buyers...
Review: I was looking for a good introductory book on theoretical physics that I would use to teach myself the material. Being on a limited budget, I decided to get this one.

The first impression I got was that this book requires a good math background. I'd recommend at least multivariable calculus, with a solid grasp of partial derivatives and vector analysis. The book does an OK job of covering a few topics, namely vector analysis, certain topics in complex analysis, introductory calculus of variations and what the book calls "the theory of waves and vibration" which looks like harmonic/Fourier analysis.

After going through several chapters, I realised that this book was NOT written for those who have never studied its topics before. I got the impression that I was expected to have covered the material before. I always felt that the book was skipping vital points and jumping straight into the equations. A book on "theoretical" physics should concentrate on explaining the topics first, and then introducing the math.

Anyway, this book is pretty useless if you want to teach yourself the material for the first time; if you've already covered every, however, you'll find it to be a very concise and thorough reference.



Rating:
Summary: comprehensive introduction, excellent for self-study
Review: This is an excellent book, at least for people with a mathematical background. The book covers the classical topics thoroughly, and contains a large number of carefully worked out problems. The chapters on "atomic theory" are a little dated, but given how cheap the book is, even if you only work your way through the first 150 pages, it's a real bargain.

Perhaps there are better books around now, but I learned physics out of this while a graduate student in mathematics in the mid 70's, and at the time it was the best introductory overview I could find. It isn't as slick as The Feynman Lectures, which I think make a better first course, but if you need to learn the classical stuff in more depth, this is an excellent book.