Textbook reviews online somewhere?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around finding online resources for reviews of college textbooks, particularly in the field of physics. Participants explore various platforms and suggestions for gathering information on textbooks to avoid disappointing purchases.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about online sites for textbook reviews, expressing a desire to build a collection without financial disappointment.
  • Several participants suggest Amazon as a resource for textbook reviews, although one notes that the number of reviews can be insufficient.
  • Another participant mentions that specific fields, like English, have more extensive discussions on textbooks compared to physics.
  • Recommendations for essential physics texts include Feynman's Lectures, Kolenkow and Kleppner, and Purcell, though one participant clarifies their focus on specialized topics rather than basic textbooks.
  • A suggestion is made to use the forum's search feature to find discussions on specific books, particularly in areas like thermodynamics.
  • MAA Reviews are mentioned as a resource for mathematics textbooks.
  • One participant expresses concern that specialized topics may not have sufficient interest among forum members for discussion.
  • A link to an external site for textbook reviews is provided, reinforcing the idea that Amazon may be the best option for finding reviews.
  • There is a disagreement regarding the classification of Kolenkow and Purcell as basic texts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on a single best resource for textbook reviews, and there are competing views on the classification of certain textbooks as basic or specialized.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express limitations in finding reviews for specialized topics, and there is a noted variability in the availability of reviews across different textbooks.

blue_leaf77
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Is there some kind of online site where I can find reviews about college textbooks (preferably physics related) out there? I am considering to have my own collection of books in my field of research but I don't want to spend my savings on something I will find myself disappointed later.
 
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Shyan said:
Try https://www.amazon.com/?tag=pfamazon01-20!
Thanks, but I know this since long time. However sometimes the number of reviews for a given book is too small and sometimes no review at all.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Not really a particular place on school textbooks, unless your say an english major, then those books have been discussed by a lot of people. The best thing to do, is ask on this forum or look at university required books. There should be a list of reading material for a particular major.

Say you want to learn linear algebra (second course), then most schools will list Friedberg, Kenneth, or Axler.
 
I would recommended Feynmans Lectures on Physics, Kolenkow and Kleppner, and Purcell as a must have library. Not a physics major, but I own KK and Feynman, there really good stuff.
 
Have you tried the forum search feature at the top right of this page? If you have a specific book in mind, enter the author's name and see if it's been discussed here before. If you enter something like "thermodynamics", you'll get many threads about thermodynamics books.
 
For mathematics there are also MAA Reviews.
 
MidgetDwarf said:
I would recommended Feynmans Lectures on Physics, Kolenkow and Kleppner, and Purcell as a must have library.
Thanks for the recommendation, but I am planing to have a collection of textbooks in my field of interest only. I currently have no intention in collecting basic physics textbooks. Besides I think there is a free online version of Feynman's lecture series.
jtbell said:
Have you tried the forum search feature at the top right of this page? If you have a specific book in mind, enter the author's name and see if it's been discussed here before. If you enter something like "thermodynamics", you'll get many threads about thermodynamics books.
I'm afraid most of these books will be of specialized topics that it's difficult to find a member here who has had the interest on one of these books as well. I also have searched in this forum but return no result.
After some search I ended up in this link http://textbooks-online-review.toptenreviews.com/. It appears that Amazon.com is the best place to find a book's review.
 
Kolenkow and Purcell are not basics by any means.
 

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