Thoughts about Keith R Symon's textbook

[Bleakfacade]

Hello there, I am an undergraduate student in my final year. I have been using classical mechanics by John R Taylor, which I should say I have absolutely enjoyed working through so far. I now feel I am prepared for a slightly more challenging set of problems and mathematical rigour. My professor suggested to me this textbook, https://www.amazon.com/dp/0201073927/?tag=pfamazon01-20.
Having never used nor heard of this book(no offence intended to enthusiasts, if any at all ), I would greatle appreciate your thoughts about this book. I thank you all in advance.

 

[ShayanJ]

Symon's is almost at the same level. I suggest https://www.amazon.com/dp/0534408966/?tag=pfamazon01-20 or https://www.amazon.com/dp/0201657023/?tag=pfamazon01-20.

 

[Bleakfacade]

Symon's is almost at the same level. I suggest https://www.amazon.com/dp/0534408966/?tag=pfamazon01-20 or https://www.amazon.com/dp/0201657023/?tag=pfamazon01-20.

I have worked through M&T in a lot of detail. I am only left with the problems from continuous systems and special relativity. The aim is to work through Goldstein's as soon as possible. I felt I needed an abridgement before I begin Goldstein's. Do you reckon M&T would be enough? Can I start Goldstein's if I have worked through M&T and Taylor's?

 

[ShayanJ]

I have worked through M&T in a lot of detail. I am only left with the problems from continuous systems and special relativity. The aim is to work through Goldstein's as soon as possible. I felt I needed an abridgement before I begin Goldstein's. Do you reckon M&T would be enough? Can I start Goldstein's if I have worked through M&T and Taylor's?

I think you'll have no problem if you try hard enough. You won't need to cover all chapters of the Goldstein though because the chapters on canonical transformations, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, Chaos and Perturbation theory are not part of standard courses on classical mechanics.

 

[alan2]

If you've finished Marion and understood it I suggest https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486696901/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Can't go wrong at the price. Some people might like Goldstein but I find it a bit verbose. Greenwood gets to the point.

 

[Bleakfacade]

If you've finished Marion and understood it I suggest https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486696901/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Can't go wrong at the price. Some people might like Goldstein but I find it a bit verbose. Greenwood gets to the point.

Thank you Alan, I will go through this book.

@Shyan: The intention is to go into the very heart of classical mechanics. I want to have a well hardened foundation before I start solid mechanics and Quantum mechanics. However, I appreciate your advice.

 

[mpresic]

Symon is a good classical mechanics textbook at roughly the same level as Marion and Thornton. I recommend it. It may be a little harder to find than Marion. I used it to for my qualifying exam in the 1970's. It is not as well known these days but your professor was right to recommend it.