How does Hughes-Hallett compare, and what to read next?

[Opus_723]

I'm looking to do a calculus review, but I'd like to use a slightly more advanced book than I did earlier this year. (Part of a new theme for me. I'm almost finished with Purcell's book after stumbling on it in the library. My class was using Giancoli, so I've kind of just discovered this "honors" freshman level material, and loving it)

But I need to know what level I'm at first. We used the 5th edition of Calculus by Hughes-Hallett for single and multivariable calculus, I actually liked that book, but I don't know how good it's considered to be by folks who know better. So I wanted to know (from anyone who is familiar with Hughes-Hallett, I don't know how common it is) how it ranks among the standards that I've seen mentioned on PF. I would guess that it's around the same difficulty level as Stewart from what people say about that book? But I don't know if it's better or worse than Stewart.

Also, I of course would like to know what a good next step would be after Hughes-Hallet.

Thanks.

 

[mathwonk]

hughes hallet seems to be so bad that even an ordinary introductory book such as stewart would be a step up.

 

[Opus_723]

Good to know. Any info on what exactly its shortcomings are? What would one gain from Stewart vs. Hughes-Hallett?

 

[mathwonk]

sorry, i am not motivated to compare in detail the mediocre with the really bad.

 

[Opus_723]

I was just curious as to why it's so bad? Even a vague comparison would be useful. I'm a freshman, I haven't seen a lot of textbooks to compare.

 

[Mépris]

I don't know how good or how bad that text is but here are examples of good (the members here would agree that they are so, at least) books:
http://kr.cs.ait.ac.th/~radok/math/mat6/startdiall.htm
Spivak

Since you wanted an "honours" variant, I mentioned those two. There's also one by Apostol that is used at MIT and CalTech. Reed College professors (two of them; one is Jerry Shurman but I can't remember the name of the other) have lecture notes that they use for their honours calculus classes. I haven't used them myself but they're meant to be good. Look them up in case you're interested.

 

[Opus_723]

My university library has Spivak, I'll take a look at that. It might be a bit above me, but I'll try and push through a chapter or two and then decide.

 

[xristy]

Visit Amazon and read the reviews on the Hughes-Hallett for example to get an idea of what others have to say about the deficiencies.

As for other books Courant and John Introduction to Calculus and Analysis is quite good and may also be in your University's library.