Need a better applied analysis textbook

[Pengwuino]

Right now our class is using Differential equations & linear algebra, Edwards & Penny, 2nd edition... and this book is like some sort of religious experience. You close the book not knowing what exactly happened, equations were falling from the sky, water turned into wine and you aren't really sure how in the world it happened and that some divine force had just come down and waived their hands and expected you to know exactly what was going on.

The course description of this course is "Introduction to ordinary linear differential equations; solutions by power series and Laplace transforms. Solution of systems of equations. Introduction to Fourier series. Using computer software as an exploratory tool. "

I think i need a better textbook... and i'd love a better professor but i don't think that's happening. Any suggestions?

 

[quantumdude]

A good book for linear differential equations and systems thereof (with applications) is Modeling and Analysis of Dynamic Systems, 3ed, by Close, Frederick and Newell. I took a course from the 2nd edition of the book (before Newell came along), and Close was actually my professor. I didn't care for his teaching "live, in person" but the book suited me just fine. I still use it as a reference.