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physics book recommendations

XanoXano Registered User regular
edited January 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
My question is this, can anyone recommend me an awesome physics book? So far I've started 'the elegant universe'.

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Posts

  • KyleWPetersonKyleWPeterson Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Paul Hewitt (who is awesome) has a book Touch This! Conceptual Physics for Everyone. I dunno if that's too basic of reading for you though.

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  • HalberdBlueHalberdBlue Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Since you mention The Elegant Universe, I'm assuming you're looking for a layman's book. Q.E.D. by Richard Feynman is really good, and its about something we actually know is true!

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  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    If you haven't read A Brief History of Time (Hawking), then that. Also, The Fabric of the Cosmos (Greene), Death By Black Hole (deGrasse Tyson) and Einstein's Relativity.

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  • Zombie NirvanaZombie Nirvana Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I'd start with Feynman. Not only was he one of the best Physicists (and teachers) of all time, but he's funny as hell and led a rather interesting life.

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  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Be warned that The Elegant Universe goes rapidly downhill about one third in.

    The Feynman lectures are good but they might be a little involved (they are notes from a lecture course rather than popsci books).

    Schroedinger's kittens was a good read. Although I can't remember who wrote it, but he's quite prolific and I've heard good things about the rest of his work.

    I'd steer clear of anything Hawking has out out. He may be a brilliant physicist but he's not a writer.

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  • HalberdBlueHalberdBlue Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Yeah, I wouldn't recommend the Feynman lectures unless you are actually learning the stuff in a class or something. All of his other books are great, though (except for Six Easy/Not So Easy Pieces maybe? I have an inkling in my mind that those are like the Feynman lectures as well, but I haven't read them so I'm not sure).

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  • Zombie NirvanaZombie Nirvana Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    They are actually reprints of some of the lectures.

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  • an_altan_alt Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    The Elegant Universe did drop off pretty quickly though I enjoyed the start.

    My top two picks for physics/QED books would be Q.E.D. and A Brief History of Time and both of those are ones to buy rather than borrow. The God Particle by Leon Lederman is a great read although a little dated. It's more from the experimental side of physics and the theory feels more tangible because of that.

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  • mkissinmkissin Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I went through a period where I basically devoured every pop physics book I could get my hands onto. The other recommendations of Schrodingers Kittens, A Brief History of Time and Q.E.D. are spot on. Get them.

    If you want something a little deeper and more mathematical (which, if you're anything like me, you will eventually) then I can recommend The Odd Quantum and The Road to Reality. Though be prepared to spend months working on the latter, it's a real behemoth. Worth every second though. It takes you from the building blocks of maths itself right up to quantum physics, and everything in between.

    Also, as an aside, A Short History of Nearly Everything is a good read for more of a general science thing. Try to get the illustrated version though.

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