Favourite Books

Vignettes in Physics Series: G Venkataraman - A collection of 15 books, a marvellous exposition of almost all areas of physics in a very lively way. You will not only learn physics from these books but also a lot of pristine English !!. Highly recommended for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The Feynman Lectures on Physics : Matthew Sands, Richard Feynman, and Robert B. Leighton (3 Vols) - A classic exposition of basic theoretical physics in a fresh way - Strongly recommended for first timers. 

Course of Theoretical Physics: Lev Landau and E M Lifshitz - 10 volumes of pure joy, These books are full of ideas whereas other books in the market are only a package of facts - These books are for people who have a basic knowledge of undergraduate level physics but still I think these books can be read by a new comer too.

The Theory of Relativity: Wolfgang Pauli - A classic book on the subject but a deep exposition of the subject in all glory.

The Principles of Statistical Mechanics: Richard Chace Tolman - A fat book but not for the faint hearted !, It has everything on statistical mechanics.

The Refrigerator and the Universe: Martin Goldstein, Inge Goldstein - Down rightly the best book to understand thermodynamics. I would say that the physical principles explained in this book are very beautifully done so that even a graduate student can understand the subject in a lively manner. Definitely any serious student of physics should own a copy of it and read it. 

Spacetime and Electromagnetism: Lucas and Hodgson - A unique exploration of relativistic electrodynamics with rare insights into the subject. Strongly recommended for physics enthusiasts. 

The Character of Physical Law: Richard Feynman - I would say that it is one of the books which has great physical insight into the governing laws of basic physics. Excellent read for anybody interested in physics. 

The Theory of Relativity of Motion: Richard Chace Tolman - A not so well known but a remarkable book which has a very clear treatment of special relativity. In fact, It has some chapters which are just out of the world when you read it and such treatments cannot be found in other books so easily for example, a chapter on relativistic thermodynamics !!

The Classical Groups - Their Invariants and Representations: Herman Weyl - A time tested classic on group theory and group representations. You can see the sparks as you read on. 

The Principles of Quantum Mechanics: P A M Dirac - A book which cannot be described by words. Every page has beautiful physics interwoven with mathematics. You have to read it to realise it.

Static and Dynamic Electricity: William Smythe - Again, an old timer but has each and everything on the subject. It has very many exercise problems which are severely tough but highly conceptual. 

Nuclear Physics: Enrico Fermi - A mind blowing exposition of nuclear physics in Fermi's own handwriting. It has several insights which are absent in other nuclear physics books.

Methods of Mathematical Physics: Courant and Hilbert (2 Vols) - Encyclopaedic treatise on mathematical physics which retains its classic stature.  

Lectures on Mechanics for Students of Physics and Engineering: J Aharoni - A very lesser known gem, hard to find, but has some sparks which are absent in other books.

Atomic Physics: Max Born - I would say Max Born is one of the most clearest expositors of modern rigorous physics. I specially like the appendices in the book which itself forms about 25 % of the book !

Physics for the Inquiring Mind: Eric Rogers - A classic fat book on general physics covering all branches of high school and college level physics but with a very fresh and a unique approach.

The Origin of Life: Alexander Oparin - A classic book on molecular evolution and life.

On Growth and Form: D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson - A book which created a turning point in the history of mathematics. It makes you see mathematics all around you.

The Modern Theory of Solids: Frederick Seitz - Its a colossal book on solid state physics, contains everything a student requires. Definitely a classic of modern physics.

A Treatise on Analytical Mechanics: L A Pars - A fat and an extra size book on classical mechanics. A labour of love. Contains practically everything on the subject. Somewhat hard to find in normal libraries.

A Course of Modern Analysis: E T Whittaker and G N Watson - Needs no introduction. The grand old treatise on special functions and modern methods of analysis.

The Theory of Functions: E C Titchmarsh - Old work horse on the theory of functions. 

A Course of Pure Mathematics: G H Hardy - This book is the bible of pure mathematics.

Advanced Calculus: Frederick Woods - A rock solid presentation of calculus. Has lucid explanations of stuffs not found in other places. In fact, it was said that, Richard Feynman learnt most of his math from here! 

Matrix Theory for Physicists: J Heading - Not a well known book but a small classic on matrix theory. Try to read it if you get your hands on it.

An Introduction to the Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable: E T Copson - A cult classic in the theory of complex functions. Riemann's conformal mapping theorem explained in one page !

Gravitation and Cosmology: Michael Berry - A small but a beautiful book on the subject. Still a classic.

The General Theory of Relativity: P A M Dirac - You cannot believe your eyes till you read it. A 56 page book (so thin) on such a topic ! but behold, it is one of the clearest and dependable treatments of the subject.

Quantum Computation and Quantum Information: Nielsen and Chuang - The bible in this field. Still going strong after 20 years of publication. Strongly recommended for people who want to enter this area.

Mathematical Biology: J D Murray - A beautiful classic in the mathematical treatment of biological and natural processes. Of course not for the weaker hearts !

Theoretical Mechanics: Ted Clay Bradbury - A very lesser known book among even physicists. It has good amount of compelling and interesting topics to read. Contents of this book is fresh and non-routine.

Principles of Optics: Max Born and Emil Wolf - A classic book on all areas of optics. You can find information which is not there in other books. Of course written in Born's inimitable style.

Collected Papers on Wave Mechanics: Erwin Schrödinger - Straight from the horse's mouth. You can find how using Hamilton's principle of rays, Schrödinger could corner upon his equation. Its a little rare book but if you get hold of it, please read it.

Solid State Physics: Ashcroft and Mermin - Undoubtedly a classic in this field. More intense than Kittel but has more rigorous insights.

Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell: A Zee - When you think that quantum field theory is a dry subject, read this book, It will soak you with wetness of beautiful concepts and gives a very physical treatment of the topics not to be found in other books.

Analysis, Manifolds and Physics: Choquet-Bruhat and Cecile DeWitt-Morette (2 Vols) - A modern classic of all the abstract ideas in physics which is borrowed from modern algebra. I feel it is mandatory for every person doing serious theoretical physics to have this as a desk reference.

Quantum Field Theory and Critical Phenomena: Zinn-Justin - A single volume fat masterpiece on critical systems in quantum field theory. You can find everything you want inside this. 

Some Modern Mathematics for Physicists and Other Outsiders: Paul Roman (2 Vols) - A rare and a hard to find classic. You will be really lucky to catch hold of it in a library. It has embellished mathematics and very beautiful explanation of concepts not found elsewhere.

Concepts In Quantum Mechanics: Frederick Augustus Kaempffer - Not a well known book and even hard to find in the best libraries also, but it has a clear, beautiful and an unusual presentation of quantum mechanics.

Theoretical Physics - From Classical Mechanics to Group Theory of Microparticles: Masataka Mizushima - Relatively underrated book, but it gives a very fresh approach to many of the standard topics in theoretical physics. Hard to find in libraries, but if you find a copy, you are very lucky. 

History of Hindu Mathematics: Bibhutibhushan Datta and Awadhesh Narayan Singh (2 Vols) - A masterly exposition of the subject of ancient Indian mathematics from the Bakhshali Manuscript to the period ending in 1900. You will be wonderstruck to see the plethora of solid contributions to the world of mathematics by our own Indian mathematicians and that too, much before western mathematicians.

A Concise History of Science in India: Bose, Sen and Subbarayappa - A fat and a highly acclaimed  authentic reference on various subjects related to Indian science like - mathematics, astronomy, medicine, technology, physics and chemistry. A solid reference no doubt. 

Mathematical Recreations and Essays: W W Rouse Ball and H S M Coxeter - A beautiful anthology of puzzles, diversions, essays and conundrums in mathematics from different areas. Thanks to dover for reprinting this. 

Approximation Methods in Quantum Mechanics: Migdal and Krainov - A delightful book which offers estimation methods to various problems in quantum mechanics. It is a classic of Russian science. Everyone who is seriously doing theoretical physics should read this. 

Tales and Parables of Sri Ramakrishna - A beautiful collection of short stories by none other than the great Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, It is published by The Ramakrishna Mutt and available easily online. Sri Ramakrishna is known to make very difficult things very simple.

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