What Are the Best Books to Learn Quantum Mechanics After Feynman?

[KeithSloan]

I am near the end of "Six not so easy pieces" by Richard Feynman and would like to go onto Quantum Mechanics can anybody recommend a good book or books? I did an Electronic Science degree some 30 years ago and we did do Schodinger Equations for P-N junctions as I recall, but its all a distant memory so feel I need to start from basics again. I would also like something that make clear what is fact and what is interpretation.

 

[humanino]

Did you consider Feynman's "QED, The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" ? It is easy to read yet fairly close to the "real thing" about quantum electrodynamics. I think it might just fit you need.

 

[KeithSloan]

Did you consider Feynman's "QED, The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" ? It is easy to read yet fairly close to the "real thing" about quantum electrodynamics. I think it might just fit you need.

Yes I have this book and read it some time ago. But was thinking of something a bit more detailed. Maybe I should go back and read it again.

 

[glamotte7]

Hi KeithSloan,

If you really want to embarq on one of the greatest physics journey's of all time read the entire Feynman's Lectures in Physics---the 3 volume set. It will take quite a while and you'll want to work thru the math along the way. 3rd volume is QM, told by the master.
You can probably tell that I did this. I loved it and it took about 1 1/2 yrs. Many library hours.

glamotte7

 

[matonski]

I have all the all the actual audio recordings of the Feynman Lectures on my iPhone and listen to them everywhere. I've listened to each and every lecture at least 3 times.

 

[dacruick]

A very good book which got me through QM 1 was

"introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by Griffith. He doesn't drone on, he has an interesting writing style and it won't bore you while you read it which is what I find with most Quantum Books.

Does anyone else feel like quantum mechanics books are usually really good at explaining quantum mechanics to people who already know what they are doing, but not so great otherwise

 

[humanino]

Yes I have this book and read it some time ago. But was thinking of something a bit more detailed. Maybe I should go back and read it again.

I am unsure what would be best suited for you. If you want to go beyond Feynman's vol 3, I think you need to go into the real thing. For me, the best reference for elementary QM is :
"Quantum mechanics" (2 vol set)
Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Bernard Diu, Frank Laloe
available in english and paperback @ Wiley-Interscience

But there is whole spectrum of possibilities between this and popular less technical presentations.

Another possibility is to go back to the sources and read either Dirac (for results) or von Neumann (for mathematical rigor). Both are quite interesting.