Quantum Field Theory: The Why, What and How by T. Padmanabhan

[soviet1100]

Author: T. Padmanabhan
Title: Quantum Field Theory: The Why, What and How
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3319281712/?tag=pfamazon01-20
Springerlink (Previews of chapters): http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-28173-5

 

[Joker93]

I would also like to know what are people's thoughts on this.

 

[Demystifier]

I like this book because if offers a rather fresh view of QFT, different from most other existing QFT books. For instance, even though the book is written for high-energy physicists, it contains a lot of condensed-matter style of thinking, especially with respect to interpretation of UV divergences.

 

[Moayd Shagaf]

Will maybe its a good supplement for Zee, and Peskin.
Just start with it alongside with Zee, and After finish it, go for Peskin, I think Padmanabhan is excellent writer, he have books about Astrophyiscs and Gravity.

 

[Joker93]

I like this book because if offers a rather fresh view of QFT, different from most other existing QFT books. For instance, even though the book is written for high-energy physicists, it contains a lot of condensed-matter style of thinking, especially with respect to interpretation of UV divergences.

What about the level of the textbook? Does it compare to Peskin's?

 

[Demystifier]

What about the level of the textbook? Does it compare to Peskin's?

At the level of technical difficulty, it is comparable, but Peskin is somewhat more difficult. At the level of conceptual depth, I think Padmanabhan is much deeper.

 

[Moayd Shagaf]

What about the level of the textbook? Does it compare to Peskin's?

You can say that this book is the Mini-version of Zee book,I really surprised in the way Padmanabhan explain things , you can't compare it to Peskin, since Peskin is about how to compute things, and this book is about how to think the right way in QFT, but if you mix these two together you'll be very Suprised that you learn QFT better.

 

[Joker93]

At the level of technical difficulty, it is comparable, but Peskin is somewhat more difficult. At the level of conceptual depth, I think Padmanabhan is much deeper.

A little off topic but, what do you think of Manoukian's two-volume textbook on Quantum Field theory?

 

[Joker93]

You can say that this book is the Mini-version of Zee book,I really surprised in the way Padmanabhan explain things , you can't compare it to Peskin, since Peskin is about how to compute things, and this book is about how to think the right way in QFT, but if you mix these two together you'll be very Suprised that you learn QFT better.

A little off topic but, what do you think of Manoukian's two-volume textbook on Quantum Field theory?

 

[Demystifier]

A little off topic but, what do you think of Manoukian's two-volume textbook on Quantum Field theory?

I haven't seriously study it, mainly because my first impression was not very high. But I like the idea of the second volume to put the both major competitive approaches to quantum gravity in one book.

 

[Whitehole]

Is Padmanabhan's book suitable as a supplement for a first course (Blundell, Schwarz, etc)?

 

[Moayd Shagaf]

Is Padmanabhan's book suitable as a supplement for a first course (Blundell, Schwarz, etc)?

Yes it is, Trust me, Its a wonderful book to get idea what QFT is, its like zee without GUT and Application Chapters,

 

[Joker93]

Yes it is, Trust me, Its a wonderful book to get idea what QFT is, its like zee without GUT and Application Chapters,

A question. I have been through nearly all of Blundell's textbook (QFT for the gifted amateur) and a big chunk of Zee's QFT nutshell.
Do you think that Padmanabhan's has anything new to offer me? Or, do you think it is time to go to higher level textbooks or is Padmanabhan's textbook at an even slightly higher level than Blundell's and Zee's?

 

[vanhees71]

Well, then I'd recommend to try Weinberg's three-volume set (starting with Vol. I of course).

 

[Joker93]

Well, then I'd recommend to try Weinberg's three-volume set (starting with Vol. I of course).

I heard that Weinberg's volumes are even more advanced than Peskin's textbook though.

 

[vanhees71]

Yes, but if you really worked through Blundell, I think you should be able to understand Weinberg already. If you think you need something in between, I'd rather recommend than M. Schwartz's book than Peskin&Schroeder. The only textbook, I'd not recommend is Zee's Nutshell. I find it pretty confusing since the nutshell chosen was too small to adequately cover the comprehensive amount of topics Zee aims to present.

 

[Joker93]

Yes, but if you really worked through Blundell, I think you should be able to understand Weinberg already. If you think you need something in between, I'd rather recommend than M. Schwartz's book than Peskin&Schroeder. The only textbook, I'd not recommend is Zee's Nutshell. I find it pretty confusing since the nutshell chosen was too small to adequately cover the comprehensive amount of topics Zee aims to present.

Thanks.
And, how is the level of Padmanabhan's textbook compared to these?

 

[vanhees71]

I don't know Padmanabhan's book yet. So I can't say anything about it.

 

[Moayd Shagaf]

A question. I have been through nearly all of Blundell's textbook (QFT for the gifted amateur) and a big chunk of Zee's QFT nutshell.
Do you think that Padmanabhan's has anything new to offer me? Or, do you think it is time to go to higher level textbooks or is Padmanabhan's textbook at an even slightly higher level than Blundell's and Zee's?

Padmanabhan is at the level of zee and Blundell, If you study Padmanabhan and Zee, You must go for advanced book like Peskin, Weinberg is Complete but I think you must take it after Peskin, But another thing I need to say, I never study from Schwartz Book, but this doesn't mean you don't take it, people hear like it I think.

 

[Joker93]

Padmanabhan is at the level of zee and Blundell, If you study Padmanabhan and Zee, You must go for advanced book like Peskin, Weinberg is Complete but I think you must take it after Peskin, But another thing I need to say, I never study from Schwartz Book, but this doesn't mean you don't take it, people hear like it I think.

Truth is that I have been through Peskin' first two and a half chapters but did not like it a lot. I supplemented it with Tong's QFT lecture notes and it made things much better.
But, upon studying a few sections of Schwartz's textbook, I found it to be much better than Peskin's.
[Note that Maggiore's textbook is also nice although some chapters/sections are very brief to be of aby use(like the non-Abelian gauge theory part)]