Reviewing Mechanics: A Course of Theoretical Physics Volume 1

[VoxCaelum]

How is "Mechanics; a course of theoretical physics volume 1", by Landau and lifshitz?

I have recently bought Volume 2 of this series (the classical theory of fields) because it was recommending for an undergrad course I'm following.
I was wondering how good this first part was. I'm mainly interested in expanding my knowledge on the principle of least action and how the hamiltonian formalism follows from this. My previous encounter with least action is the lagrangian formalism as far as it's explained in "Classical Mechanics" by John R. Taylor.
Also I was wondering what a good book was to brush up on my knowledge of Linear Algebra or at least the part that's required to gain a keen insight into classical field theory.

 

[niklaus]

I really liked Landau, but I've only really used it after studying with a different book beforehand. He has a way of wording things very clearly and concicely, but for a first encounter it may be almost a little too concice. I don't know Taylor's book so I can't say whether that is enough to fill in the details Landau leaves out.
I use it as the first reference when I need to look up something in classical mechanics and it's a real joy to read now.