Statistical Mechanics 3rd Edition by Pathria and Beale

[Whitehole]

I would like to know if I'm the only one finding Pathria's book not organized and somehow I have an uneasy feeling when reading it. What are other graduate books in statistical mechanics (aside from Kardar's book which is more organized but too concise)? How does Pathria's book compare to others?

 

[mpresic]

I prefer Pathria and Beale to any graduate statistical mechanics book that I know of. I actually took a Statistical mechanics from one of the authors. Perhaps, Landau and Livshts is a near second. The subject graduate statistical mechanics has always been a hard one to approach. I liked statistical nechanics but I know many cases where students who do well in the course are uncomfortable with it.

 

[mpresic]

I just thought of another one. Statistical Mechanics by Kerson Huang, although I have only read about 100 pages in that one.