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| Gravitation (Physics Series)
Paperback
Author: Charles W. Misner, Kip S. Thorne, John Archibald
Publisher: W. H. Freeman
Release Date: 1973-09-15
ISBN-10: 0716703440
ISBN-13: 9780716703440
List Price: $121.27
Average Customer Rating:
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Someone Please Write A Companion Problem Book w/ Solutions
| Customer Rating:  | | Sure this book is great, but what it really needs for self-study is a two volume companion book which lists all of the exercises with detailed solutions. Similar to the way _Problems in Real Analysis: A Workbook with Solutions_ by Charalambos D. Aliprantis is the companion book for the real analysis textbook _Principles of Real Analysis_ by the same author. There is a problem book for general relativity with solutions, but its approach is so different from that of _Gravitation_, that it is pretty useless as a companion book. |
The best book on General Relativity
| Customer Rating: | No book comes close to this one in comprehensive detail about General Relativity. It includes great discussions and explanations of virtually all the ramifications of General Relativity, or opens options for more exploration. Math starts out at the Algebra level, and escalates far beyond my ability. Still much of the math can be followed by those like myself who have "math anxiety."
Anyone who aspires to understand this portion of Einstein's genius can gain enormously from it.
If you do not know these authors, they are at the forefront of enlarging the comprehension of General Relativity, and physics. |
Gravitation
| Customer Rating: | | I have had access to this book for only about a month. Most physics-oriented books mix abstractness with errors, making their books of less value than being useless. Most mathematics books take the usual view: why make a subject comprehensible when with a little work, your book can be totally incomprehensible. The book "Gravitation" by Wheeler, Thorne, etc. is the best book I have seen both from the viewpoint of the mathematics, as well as Physics. Hoever, I still suggest using the book "Gravitation" with the books by Spain, Sokolnikoff, and Civita by your side (as a double check). I also suggest books that provide more comprehensive coverage of subjects such as Manifold theory and the Calculus of Variations, and even a book or two dealing with Differential Geometry. |
Amazing - Not for beginners
| Customer Rating: | As a child I used to ask my father "Does space go on forever? And if it doesn't, what is on the otherside??' My father of course had no idea. It has since been a subtle quest of mine to fine answers to these questions. I, as well as every person on this planet, have heard Einstein's name thousands of times while growing up. He is a legend; having been dead for several decades still his face is on a poster in every mathematics room I've ever entered.
But, though I've known his name since I was 3, I did not learn what it was that made him so special, or what E=MC^2 means until I was 18 years old. In my opinion, special and general relativity should be taught to every preschooler until this aspect of the universe BECOMES intuitive.
Anyways, to the book. Having only a small background in calculus (Calc I, II and multivariable calculus) and having never taken an advanced physics class past newtonian mechanics with calculus applications, I do not have the skills necessary to decipher this book - but I do not intend to put it down until I have deciphered it and understand every bit of it.
In order to learn this book, one MUST have mastered differential calculus (differential equations); without it you will find yourself lost. Also, a background in Relativity is a must. A small background will get you by - read The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene. And then you may tackle this beast. If you complete this book, you may consider yourself one of maybe half a percent of the world who truely understands Einstein's amazing accomplishments and you will understand why it is that his face is the face you have come to know as the stereotypical mad scientist. |
Two books in one
| Customer Rating: | The Author attempts the very remarkable objective of satisfying everybody's needs in one single book. For that purpose the book is divided into track 1 and track 2 sections. Unfortunately, this attempt is, in my opinion, not completely successful. Advanced GR readers will surely find too many trivial topics in the book, while beginners will have difficulties even with track 1 pages. My review will provide the advanced beginner's point of view. I read all track 1 sections and a few track 2 at the beginning of the book.
The first part of the book where geometrical objects, one forms and tensors are described is very pedagogical. However, as more advanced topics are introduced you are left with the unease feeling that something important is left behind. The answer is clear, what is missing is track 2 contents, but track 2 are much more difficult to read. By reading just track 1 sections you are led too fast to the deeper results of GR. The treatment is too superficial and a lot of results are taken for granted; or referred to track 2 pages.
There are a lot of exercises and examples in the book. However, few exercises are solved and the examples frequently refer to sideways difficult physical topics, surely not meant to clarify the main text.
The huge size of the book adds up to its reading difficulties. It is heavy and overwhelming. I usually try to reduce costs by choosing paperback editions, but the size of this book could justify a hardcover version.
In summary I must say this is not a book for beginners. I found its writing style confusing and my knowledge in GR was little improved by reading track 1 sections. To my discharge I must say I read without difficulties Foster & Nightingale's and Carroll's but could not get through Wald's. My recommendation would be to start with Foster's, then continue with Carrols's and next, what's next? Misner's is surely not a good third step.
The book may be more appropriate for advanced students. I intend to follow the author's suggestions and make a second reading including the most interesting track 2 sections.
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