String theory books and lectures for general interest

[Lordznon]

I am very bored and looking for entertainment such as a book or lecture having to do with string theory. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Hoku]

The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene is probably the most popular book on it. I would guess that it's fairly easy to read based on both its popularity and the clarity conveyed through the Nova series of the same name. I haven't read the book but I have the Nova dvd's, which I found clear and interesting. I guess the book is a little more technical and detailed.

 

[humanino]

http://www.stringwiki.org/wiki/String_Theory_Wiki
At undergrad level, Kiritsis or Zwiebach

One of my first encounter was Hatfield, it is also listed from the link above, and I liked it. It also covers some QFT.

 

[xepma]

Here's "the real deal": a graduate course in string theory. Not really light material though.

http://pirsa.org/speaker/Freddy_Cachazo (part 1-5)
http://pirsa.org/index.php?p=speaker&name=Katrin_Becker (part 6-10)
http://pirsa.org/index.php?p=speaker&name=Melanie_Becker (part 11-15)

 

[humanino]

For videos, there is also
String Theory for Pedestrians
Constantin Bachas

 

[Grytviken]

I'll also recommend Brian Green's novels. I still remember the pop in my brain when I finaly managed to fully grasp relativety. He also paints a pretty clear picture about the what and what-nots of everything quantum, even if you find yourself backtracking.

As far as string theory goes, I really wish they would have called it string model because the patchwork of additions and suppositions leaves this theory hanging by a thread IMO.

Nevertheless I owe a lot to Dr. Green and would recommend his books to anyone interested in physics not just string theory!

Oh and forget the videos, it's like comparing tolkien/potter to their films releases: a lot of shine, but there is just no intimacy.

 

[humanino]

I owe a lot to Dr. Green

Then maybe you can spell his name next time ?

 

[sponsoredwalk]

Then maybe you can spell his name next time ?

Haha, lmao-ness

http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=a063319

This is something I came across just two days ago, looks good but haven't watched them yet.

NB: There are three lectures, click the 2 & 3 beside "other occasions".

http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=a044402

This I believe goes hardcore into it, but I haven't checked it just read the description.

http://www.asti.ac.za/lectures.php

These lectures are very listenable. They get detailed but you can brush past the math if you listen via mp3 and still stay with the flow and learn some amazing things.

 

[Naty1]

You can read about strings and related/competing theories here:
THE TROUBLE WITH PHYSICS and THREE RAODS TO QUANTUM GRAVITRY, Lee Smolin

Briane Greene's THE FABRIC OF THE COSMOS...

These are often available used from Amazon online for example...

 

[Grytviken]

Then maybe you can spell his name next time ?

Shutterbugs...

There won't be a next time if I think I'm being trolled by such a stick in the mud!

J/K hehe, I drink a lot.