Science and math books with nice covers

[Demystifier]

Serious books on math, physics and related sciences usually have covers which are quite boring and visually not very attractive. (Books that have something to do with Universe are a common exception, but when you see a few of them you have seen them all.) But sometimes, covers are really interesting and/or beautiful. Here you are encouraged to present examples of such nice covers of serious science books. Please provide either a picture of the covers or a link to the picture!

Here are my examples:

- Deligne et al (eds) - Quantum Fields and Strings: A Course for Mathematicians
- The covers are a funny and smart comic
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0821820125/?tag=pfamazon01-20

- Schwartz - Quantum Field Theory and the Standard Model
- The covers are a piece of modern abstract art
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1107034736/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I'm a sucker for bright colors
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1439850534/?tag=pfamazon01-20

On the flip side, here is an example of a cover I don't like. It really stresses me out just looking it!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0076774767/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Demystifier]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1439850534/?tag=pfamazon01-20

This links to another nice covers, the Schroeder's "An Introduction to Thermal Physics"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0201380277/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Demystifier]

On the flip side, here is an example of a cover I don't like. It really stresses me out just looking it!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0076774767/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Then let me stress you a bit more by applied philosophy:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0872209547/?tag=pfamazon01-20
(BTW, the book is great and it really is an example of useful philosophy.)

 

[S.G. Janssens]

I like the covers of Spivak's series. Here is part one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0914098705/?tag=pfamazon01-20

From that page, the other four volumes are just a click away.

 

[TSny]

I like this one
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/416EFbEYEpL._SX350_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

[Demystifier]

The series by Walter Greiner (who passed away less than a year ago) et al also deserves to be shown:

 

[Demystifier]

More abstract art:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/019966515X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Nature friendly covers of Student Friendly QFT:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0984513957/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[TeethWhitener]

The series by Walter Greiner (who passed away less than a year ago) et al also deserves to be shown:

These are great. Very Fauvist. It looks like they were all (? most?) designed by Emil Smejkal. I don't know if that means he's the artist as well. But they're pretty neat.

 

[mathwonk]

i like this cover, and the book, indras pearls:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UZ1KQA/?tag=pfamazon01-20another geometry book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1568812205/?tag=pfamazon01-20i like this one, but i am a sucker for quaint portraits of brilliant geniuses:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/048681243X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

full disclosure: i wrote the review of the english translation linked from this page.

 

[Amrator]

Some books I have seen and own.

Introduction to Black Hole Physics by Valeri P. Frolov
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198729111/?tag=pfamazon01-20

An Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics by Francis LeBlanc
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470699566/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Modern Electrodynamics by Andrew Zangwill
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521896975/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Foundational Concepts of Neuroscience by David E. Presti
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393709604/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0781778174/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[jasonRF]

The Earth's Ionosphere by Michael Kelley
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0120884259/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Random processes for Engineers by Bruce Hajek
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1107100127/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[jasonRF]

I like the covers of Spivak's series. Here is part one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0914098705/?tag=pfamazon01-20

From that page, the other four volumes are just a click away.

I agree those are beautiful books. I took one off the shelf at the library to flip through, though, and clearly I need to learn a few years of math before tackling volume I even!

 

[S.G. Janssens]

I took one off the shelf at the library to flip through, though, and clearly I need to learn a few years of math before tackling volume I even!

I am not sure about that, given your background I think you may already be prepared. If curious, also have a look at the first post in

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...ifferential-geometry-series-by-spivak.666556/

and the mentioned prerequisities (sic) in particular.

With that said, I never read the book(s) themselves. (Such is the pleasant thing about this thread: You can judge the book by its cover. )

 

[jasonRF]

(Such is the pleasant thing about this thread: You can judge the book by its cover. )

Best thing I've read all day!

 

[Tracey3]

Books by A.C. Kermode on Aerodynamics have phenomenal retro covers but are really hard to come by these days. Here is my personal favourite:
http://imgur.com/a/SnGe7

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Books by A.C. Kermode on Aerodynamics have phenomenal retro covers but are really hard to come by these days. Here is my personal favourite:
http://imgur.com/a/SnGe7

Someone is scared of formulas? :-)

 

[Tracey3]

Someone is scared of formulas? :-)

Haha, true. I like books like this because its like someone is telling you a story (Formulas spoil everything). :D
I suppose it all originates from the fact that I was told things like theory of relativity as bedtime stories.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Haha, true. I like books like this because its like someone is telling you a story (Formulas spoil everything). :D
I suppose it all originates from the fact that I was told things like theory of relativity as bedtime stories.

:-D
Your parents are scientists?

 

[Tracey3]

Your parents are scientists?

Actually my dad is a Biosystems Engineer and my mum is a Botanist.

 

[NFuller]

I always thought the cover on Griffith's introductory QM book was a bit strange. Here's the front and back:

 

[Amrator]

Actually my dad is a Biosystems Engineer and my mum is a Botanist.

I would argue botany is a science.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

@NFuller before reading the book the cat is still alive, in the end after it has bitten the poison and read it all it's burned out and found dead.

 

[Demystifier]

I would argue botany is a science.

If all science is either physics or stamp collecting, then botany is definitely stamp collecting.

 

[atyy]

Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Penguin Books Ltd; New edition edition (1981)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JVYQAK/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[atyy]

Foundations of Cellular Neurophysiology
By Daniel Johnston and Samuel Miao-Sin Wu
https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/foundations-cellular-neurophysiology

I never understood this cover, but it is one of my favourite books.

 

[vanhees71]

I would argue botany is a science.

Yes, and it also explains your dislikes for formulae and math ;-)).

 

[Jozape]

An Introduction to Error Analysis: The Studies of Uncertainties in Physical Measurement
by John R. Taylor
https://www.amazon.com/dp/093570275X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Nothing like a bit of dark humor. I also love clocks on a relativity book and really like:

Special Relativity: For the Enthusiastic Beginner
by David J. Morin
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1542323517/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Andy Resnick]

Serious books on math, physics and related sciences usually hove covers which are quite boring and visually not very attractive. (Books that have something to do with Universe are a common exception, but when you see a few of them you have seen them all.) But sometimes, covers are really interesting and/or beautiful. Here you are encouraged to present examples of such nice covers of serious science books. Please provide either a picture of the covers or a link to the picture!

Since nobody has yet made the joke: You really shouldn't judge books by their covers!

 

[Amrator]

Yes, and it also explains your dislikes for formulae and math ;-)).

You're quoting the wrong person. I love mathematics; I'm a physics major. That was Tracey3 who didn't like formulae.