Choosing a QFT Book: Easy to Understand & Good Exercises

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The discussion centers on choosing between Zee's "QFT in a Nutshell," Peskin and Schroeder's introductory QFT book, and Ryder's QFT text. Zee's book is noted for its engaging first chapter and broader range of physics topics, but later chapters are criticized for being less effective. Peskin and Schroeder's book is considered the standard for US graduate schools, offering exercises and a focus on high-energy physics, while Ryder's text emphasizes functional integral methods but lacks exercises. Srednicki's book is also mentioned for its concise chapters and exercise sets, though it has fewer solved problems. Ultimately, the choice depends on the reader's preference for clarity, exercises, and depth of physical insight.
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i am having a big issue in deciding whether to read zee's qft in a nutshell book. peskin and schroeder's intro to qft, or ryder's qft book. I have heard the first chapter of zee's qft book is great but the other chapters get progressively worse because they are a general outline of the applications of qft. i am looking for a book out of these choices that is easy to understand and has good exercises to do. thanks.
 
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Ryder's book contains no exercises, It starts with SL(2,C) group (Lorentz group),
It mainly focuses on functional integral methods.
Zee's book have some exercises, and contains wider range of physics than the other two.
Peskin and Schroder book seems to be the standard book in US graduate school, it contains exercises, and suitable for high-energy physics students.
 
Many claims this to be the very best QFT intro book: http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~mark/qft.html

Qft in a nutshell gives you more physical insight I've heard, but don't really show you the mathematical in its full glory.

Excersices: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3540290621/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Also this book might contain excersises, many of the books in this series contains good examples and solutions for introductory purposes. https://www.amazon.com/dp/3540290621/?tag=pfamazon01-20
Altough it has not been released yet.
 
Three texts i used in graduate school many years ago:

Aitcheson and Hey

Mandl & Shaw

Bjorken & Drell.

Now Bjorken and Drell is old, really old but it is a very good text to work thru.
 
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I own the Srednicki's book. I haven't went through all of it but it's very nice. Chapters are very short, concise, and are concluded with an exercise set. As a result there are hardly any solved problems. I really like this book.
 
waht said:
I own the Srednicki's book. I haven't went through all of it but it's very nice. Chapters are very short, concise, and are concluded with an exercise set. As a result there are hardly any solved problems. I really like this book.

Hoho, short chapters give a sense of success!
In fact, there are many QFT classics:

Book by A. Zee; book by Peskin and Schroder, Book by Steven Weinberg
Book by L. Ryder; Book by P Ramond, etc. etc. just name a few.
 
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