Leonard Susskind's new book on QM is now out

  • Thread starter Thread starter jedishrfu
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Book Qm
AI Thread Summary
Leonard Susskind's new book on Quantum Mechanics, "The Theoretical Minimum," is now available and has garnered attention for its content and approach. Initial impressions suggest it is a solid resource, particularly for those looking to grasp fundamental concepts in quantum mechanics. Some users express concern over the choice of topics, noting that certain concepts may be unfamiliar to many physicists. The book is seen as a valuable tool for distinguishing between serious inquiries and less credible theories, as it sets a high standard for understanding quantum mechanics. It is recommended for readers seeking intuition on the subject, though it may not suffice for those pursuing advanced studies. Additionally, Susskind's accompanying Quantum Mechanics course on YouTube is suggested as a complementary resource.
Messages
15,450
Reaction score
10,151
Leonard Suskind's new book on Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum is now available. I bought a copy at the local Barnes and Nobles. It looks pretty good after briefly scanning it but I'll know more once I begin reading.

Can it be placed in the list of recommended books that Greg started up some time ago?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465036678/?tag=pfamazon01-20
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
I have seen the first "theoretical minimum" book by Susskind, and I think that the choice of topics is very bad. In particular, at pages 3-14 he presents some basics of discrete evolution, which large majority of physicists have never seen before.

But I think that owing to the title, the book is good to discredit crackpots. When some crackpot presents you his theory of the universe, you can tell him that first he must read the "theoretical minimum" and understand everything in it. Most likely he will not be able to understand it, which gives you a good argument not to make discussions with him anymore. Or if he will able to understand it, then he is not a total crackpot and a discussion with him is not a total waste of time.
 
I actually liked his first book.

With just a bit of calculus and the willingness to apply yourself you can see the real deal.

I had a quick look at Amazon and it looks good to me as a start. Again its the real deal and you have to apply yourself.

Thanks
Bill
 
Hi guys, first ever post! :)

I own the 1st Theoretical Minimum book from Susskind. Its a great source of intuition I think, but really basic for any kind of university course. So essentially, its either for people who want to get the intuition on the basics and carry on with a real book on the matter, or for people who just want to read about the subject (as a substitute for popularised books).

My 2 cents would be:

Check out his QM course on youtube because the book is based on that. If you like them, buy the book. :)
 
TL;DR Summary: Book after Sakurai Modern Quantum Physics I am doing a comprehensive reading of sakurai and I have solved every problem from chapters I finished on my own, I will finish the book within 2 weeks and I want to delve into qft and other particle physics related topics, not from summaries but comprehensive books, I will start a graduate program related to cern in 3 months, I alreadily knew some qft but now I want to do it, hence do a good book with good problems in it first...
TLDR: is Blennow "Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering" a good follow-up to Altland "Mathematics for physicists"? Hello everybody, returning to physics after 30-something years, I felt the need to brush up my maths first. It took me 6 months and I'm currently more than half way through the Altland "Mathematics for physicists" book, covering the math for undergraduate studies at the right level of sophystication, most of which I howewer already knew (being an aerospace engineer)...

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
3K
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
34
Views
5K
Replies
4
Views
4K
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Back
Top