The Theoretical Minimum

[ydoaPs]

This is, quite frankly, the single best popsci book I've ever read. Most books introducing science to the public talk in analogies, so they're often simplified to the point of being useless and/or wrong.

 

 

This book, however, doesn't do that. It doesn't shy away from the math. In fact, aside from the first chapter, there's at least one equation on just about every page. Susskind doesn't assume that you know any math, though, so he walks the reader through the math. He teaches the reader how to follow (and if you're a quick study, do) basic derivatives, integrals, and multivariable derivatives/integrals. He makes the actual physics accessible (without being condescending) rather than just giving you the Cliffnotes version.

 

If you only know algebra, and have always wanted to be able to understand classical physics, this is definitely the book to pick up. If there were a freely available pdf version, I'd email it to every crackpot that graces the the site with their presence. While the subtitle is inaccurate (it should be "what you need to know to start following physics" rather than "what you need to know to start doing physics"), this really is the single best popsci book introducing the lay person to physics.

[imatfaal]

The Lecture series - The Theoretical Minimum by Susskind at Stamford is superb - but again pretty hard work and does not shy from maths. It's a course he runs in the evenings for interested laypersons. The recordings of the lectures are all available at Stamford, on itunes and probably elsewhere .

 

http://www.newpackettech.com/Resources/Susskind/

And the book is now winging its way to me.

[ydoaPs]

Hopefully, there will be future volumes based on his lectures on QM and Relativity (which are also available on iTunesU and YouTube).

[imatfaal]

Hmmm - love the book so far but I am less convinced on the exercises and web-based answers. I decided that it would be fairly pointless to skip the exercises, and equally silly to not check the answers I had come up with. Firstly there are quite a few typos in the equations in the book - which is pretty damn sloppy. And secondly the answers are not nicely displayed or explained.

 

Even in the opening pages I think the answer to Exercise 2 is lacking and the answer to Exercise 3 is wrong - it doesn't, in my hideously ill-informed opinion, answer the question that is being asked.

[ydoaPs]

I just skipped all of the exercises because I already knew the math, so I can't really comment.

[pwagen]

I ordered the book a week ago. So I will give a review from the view of a complete idiot in the field, once it arrives.

[imatfaal]

I just skipped all of the exercises because I already knew the math, so I can't really comment.

 

I thought that might be the case - and to be honest nothing has stretched me yet; but I remember hitting a brick wall in lecture series so I am being conscientious

 

 

I ordered the book a week ago. So I will give a review from the view of a complete idiot in the field, once it arrives.

 

There is always camaraderie in idiocy - I look forward to joining you.

[ydoaPs]

One thing I did notice about the math is putting periods at the end of equations. Be sure not to confuse the periods with ill-printed time derivatives.

[ydoaPs]

So, pwagen and imatfaal, what'd you think overall of the book?

[pwagen]

Thanks for the reminder. The preface has been very interesting thus far. Will get to it A.S.A.P!

[ydoaPs]

The second book in the series (about Quantum Mechanics) is available for pre-order on Amazon.

[EdEarl]

Susskind's lectures of the Theoretical Minimum, Quantum Mechanics, and others are available on youtube. The String and M-theory lectures go through what Susskind says is a simplified math of string theory for a photon. Perhaps more books are coming.

[pvanas]

Re "...typos...sloppy."

 

This is important: http://www.madscitech.org/tm/errata.pdf

[ydoaPs]

I ordered the book a week ago. So I will give a review from the view of a complete idiot in the field, once it arrives.

Did you ever finish it?