Looking for an efficient and engaging Thermodynamics textbook?

[Gauss M.D.]

Using this godawful textbook (Fundamental of Thermal-Fluid Sciences, Cengel) for Thermodynamics. It's thick as three bibles, has lots of pretty pictures, constantly goes off on tangents, avoids 'advanced' stuff like calculus like the plague and is filled to the brim with problems involving converting fahrenheits to celsius, looking stuff up in tables and various unnecessary numerical computations.

In other words, it's a typical engineering textbook.

Can anyone direct me to an introductory level book, or even better a pdf, without a bunch of fluff, preferably one with interesting, compact problems? Not looking for grad-level treatment, just something more to-the-point.

 

[Poley]

I like Introduction to Thermal Physics by Schroeder. It'll teach you the engineering side (how to solve all the gas law problems, heat engines, etc.) but it also gives you the more interesting statistical mechanics approach. Definitely oriented towards more serious physics.

There's no lack of rigor, but you'll need to be comfortable with partial derivatives. If you want to study the last few chapters, the basics of quantum mechanics is useful as well. No knowledge of thermodynamics is assumed.