3 Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, and Statistical Mechanics v2

This is version 2 of a series of videos for physics textbook suggestions. Links to my piazza sites are below:

8.323 Quantum Field Theory - A Students Perspective

Course Term: Other
Access Code: QFT

PH200 Topics in Theoretical Physics

Course Term: Other
Access Code: Ph200

PH 300 Group Theory in Physics

Course Term:Other
Access Code: ph300.

[billbez]

Kudos. Excellent review of the important books in Classical Mechanics, Electro-M, and Stat Mechanics. Honest discussion on pros/cons of each book.

[douglasstrother]

Zangwill's "Modern Electrodynamics" is a welcome compliment to Jackson; the bibliography is extensive and the problems are interesting. Chapter 8 on "Poisson's Equation" and Chapter 14 "Dynamic and Quasistatic Fields" are particularly compelling.

[BarriosGroupie]

Morin from Harvard has written a fantastic mechanics book that starts at college level with the basics, leading to the standard topics found on a typical undergraduate physics course. I loved Landau's classical fields book which quickly gets to the heart of the subject via the principle of least action; leading to the conservation laws, which I found very elegant. But I suspect this was inspired by Weyl's Space, Time Matter book.

[harshsharma]

Hi, thanks for the recommendations. Please look up the statistical mechanics book by Raj pathria it is very comprehensive book on stat mech.

[douglasstrother]

The 3rd edition of Jackson omits "Plasma Physics & Magnetohydrodynamics" which is a big negative.

[niccc]

Great recommendations! Thanks for this!

[Masterslavemorality]

How about advanced Electromagnetism by Robert Wald

[matthew]

I actually took the course taught by John Preskill. Kittel and Kroemer is a pretty good book.

[stevedowney]

Hi Mark. You didn't mention the only Statistical Mechanics book that I have on my shelf. "Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics" by F. Reif. Any thoughts? Maybe too old (1965?)

[kathieharine]

I have both first édition and third of Jackson. Glad I kept the first.

[stevedowney]

I have "Classical Dynamics of particles and systems" 4th ed. by Marion. Would you recommend this and then Goldstein for someone who took these courses in 1962-64? I would like to re-acquaint myself with Physics in my retirement.

[emet]

I found Goldstein to be a very difficult book. You find it easy?

[MATT-llzf]

How is Electrodynamics by Julian Schwinger.

[ordinaryperson.__]

Is it good if I start with classical mechanics John Taylor and move to goldstein?