Product Description
"Dazzling," (People) "Exuberant," (Vogue) "marvelously entertaining," (The Dallas Morning News) Marisha Pessl’s mesmerizing debut has critics raving and heralds the arrival of a vibrant new voice in American fiction. At the center of this "cracking good read"4 is clever, deadpan Blue van Meer, who has a head full of literary, philosophical, scientific, and cinematic knowledge. But she could use some friends. Upon entering the elite St. Gallway school, she finds some—a clique of eccentrics known as the Bluebloods. One drowning and one hanging later, Blue finds herself puzzling out a byzantine murder mystery. Nabokov meets Donna Tartt (then invites the rest of the Western Canon to the party) in this novel—with "visual aids" drawn by the author—that has won over readers of all ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (311)

Head and shoulders above the crowd
This is a most impressive work, full of intelligent writing, unique metaphors and imagery, masterful plot development and pacing and deep insights into the human mind. It is not, however, an instant gratification run-of-the-mill cheap thrills whodunnit. In the beer world, this is a microbrewed large bottle of stout or porter, deep and rich, rather than a cheap thin canned lager suitable for guzzling. Impatient surface dwelling readers may be put off by this book, which is carefully crafted and requires a level of patience, sophistication and appreciation beyond the average. If you can read slowly and appreciatively, you may well be dazzled by this masterpiece, the conclusion of which left me feeling stunned, lightheaded and just a tad tipsy, like the effects of a good porter, and incredibly impressed and awestruck by the powers of the author.

In short, the story is incredible and the telling of it masterful; I was mesmerized. A few times I had to force myself to read more slowly rather than skimming to the end for the climax, but it was definitely worth putting the brakes on. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but then I wouldn't recommend a good stout to everyone either.

A Textbook Mystery that is oh so Good
This book, a mystery which is organized like a college textbook, is filled with secrets, great character studies, humor, and smooth and delightful prose.

High school student Blue van Meer is far from ordinary, influenced as she is by an eccentric father, a professor with an IQ in the stars, who moves from town to town and college to college dragging his daughter behind him.

This year, Blue finds herself at yet another school where she must make another attempt to fit in with her peer group instead of always being the outsider. She finds a strange, high-brow crowd to hang out with, though one wonders whether these folks are too weird to ever be true friends. No matter, somebody is killed and everyone suspects everyone else, and this puts friendship on the back burner.

The police can't solve the crime, so Blue uses her genius to discover that everyone else is missing. What a great mystery, who-done-it story this is, even with the footnotes and the final exam type ending.

A calamity of disjointed cleverness
The story is about Blue Van Meer, an exceptionally bright high school/college age girl who has led an itinerant life with her father, a college professor/ lecturer after her mother's death in a solo automobile accident. They unexpectedly settle down so she can attend a private school for her senior year. The clever chapter titles gave me hope that this would be an intellectuallyentertaining book. I wanted to like Blue and this book, but found both to be frustrating on many levels.The book's style borders on pretentious and tries much too hard to be clever. It is overloaded with metaphors, and while I appreciate a clever phrase, it got to be ridiculous after a while. As for Blue, I think she should have followed her initial instincts and stayed away from "the Bluebloods", whom I found to be generally unpleasant and cruel.The book veered away from high school angst with the death and apparent suicide of the film teacher and mentor of the Bluebloods and into an investigative mystery, ending with a storyline evocative of Nabokov's Pale Fire. In the end, I felt sorry for Blue and sorry that I spent the time to read this book.

Brilliant Literature (see Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier, 1938)
This is a terrific suspense novel with the type of writing that, at the conclusion, makes the reader dive right back into chapter one to reread the book in its entirety.This is a book best enjoyed by the voracious reader who has consumed many of the books used as references by the narrator.The references, ballyhooed by some readers, add a depth of sarcasm and delicious humor to the book that is missed by those who only read a book or two a year.The style is unusual and difficult to describe. Below is a sample:

"Always live your life with your biography in mind."

"Dad's Theory of Arrogance--that everyone always assumes they're the Principal Character of Desire and/or Loathing in everybody else's Broadway Play."

"Happiness is a hound dog in the sun. We aren't on Earth to be happy, but to experience incredible things."

" The most incredible thing about goldfish, however, is their memory. Everyone pities them for only remembering their last three seconds, but in fact, to be so forcibly tied to the present - it's a gift. They are free. No moping over missteps, slip-ups, faux pas or disturbing childhoods. No inner demons. Their closets are light filled and skeleton free. And what could be more exhilarating than seeing the world for the very first time, in all of its beauty, almost thirty thousand times a day? How glorious to know that your Golden Age wasn't forty years ago when you still had all you hair, but only three seconds ago, and thus, very possibly it's still going on, this very moment."

"Dad once noted (somewhat morbidly, I thought at the time) that American institutions would be infinitely more successful in facilitating the pursuit of knowledge if they held classes at night, rather than in the daytime, from 8:00 PM to 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning. As I ran through the darkness, I understood what he meant. Frank red brick, sunny classrooms, symmetrical quads and courts--it was a setting that mislead kids to believe that Knowledge, that Life itself, was bright, clear, and freshly mowed. Dad said a student would be infinitely better off going out into the world if he/she studied the periodic table of elements, Madame Bovary (Flaubert, 1857), the sexual reproduction of a sunflower for example, with deformed shadows congregating on the classroom walls, the silhouettes of fingers and pencils leaking onto the floor, gastric howls from unseen radiators, and a teacher's face not flat and faded, not delicately pasteled by a golden late afternoon, but serpentine, gargoyled, Cyclopsed by the inky dark and feeble light from a candle."
Of course, the fun of this passage is understanding the story of Madame Bovary and being able to imagine a teacher's face as being Cyclopsed and seen by candlelight.
My favorite way to enjoy this book is by the book on CD version.It is quite long, 16 CD's, engrossing, and very well performed. And you will never guess the ending.

Much ado about nothing
I read on expecting the central character to grow more human and interesting in the wake of her experience but that never happened. That all the other characters in the book are equally unlikeable and seem more like literary constructions than real people did not help. And there there was the additional fact that as a political scientist I found her construction of Gareth's career completely unconvincing. Parody needs to be grounded in an understanding of the reality is is sending up, but Lessl just seems to throw old New York Times headlines into a mashup machine. If her grasp of something I know about was this weak, it gave me less confidence in her riffs on physics, literature, psychology, and other fields she sought to parody. The comparisions with Nabokov's Pnin, made by some reviewers, do not flatter the author as they intend but reveal instead how far short of her Nabokovian aspirations this novel falls. It's not just about word play, afterall. Humbert and Pnin in their very different ways touch us. That's what makes them great novels. It's what makes Flannery O'Connors comic works so powerful. But for now, this book is just name dropping. ... Read more

Product Description
Developed for the 2007 course outline. This study guide for the IB Diploma Physics exam was expertly written by a chief examiner and covers all the Core and Optional materials at both Standard and Higher level. Highly illustrated, this guide contains clear,concise review of processes, terms and concepts, with practice exercises modeled on exam question types. This guide is perfect as both a study aide for coursework and as a review guide for the IB examination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A very good resource with a few minor flaws.
I am an IB Diploma graduate.This book was a significant aid that led to me getting a 7 in IB HL Physics.It has basically all the information you need to know for the exam, although it is generally meant more for review than for actual learning.

A few caveats: a few of the chapters are just not that good - it seems like the author got lazy or something.Particularly the chapter on particle physics was awful.Also sometimes the book does quirky things with nonstandard symbols.Other than that though, a fantastic and useful resource.

Amazing!!
I had my IB final exams last week and physics is by far the hardest of them all. This book is very well organized and it tells you what you need to know and what you dont need to know. Not only that but it simplifies the topics so you are able to understand them. This book is the only reason why I passed the Physics Exam.

physics for diploma
hi, I just get the book for my son.There are more Kids in his class that get this book so we now about befor we bought it. It came in good Shap
and it is alway easy to order books from Amazon. I have not to get out the house. And its also nice to get a mail in me postbox.

This book is AMAZING
This book is the best thing you could buy for the IB Physics test.It has all the information you need for every single topic.And it goes in order.Nothing is left out.The text looks intimidating at first, but once you start reading and highlighting, it becomes so easy.I used this book to study for my IB physics SL test, and I got a 7.Oh yeah, and for one of my options, I studied a topic my teacher never taught in class.I learned it all myself from the book.So that just goes to show how good it is.I higly recommend this book to anyone that wants to score high on this test.I also bought the IB Biology book, and so far it's helping me a great deal just for tests and quizzes.

From an IB Diploma Graduate
I liked it because instead of several paragraphs of essay style writing contained in a regular textbook, this book gives a more concise visual approach and uses many diagrams and boxes with text inside to explain concepts. If you are SL or HL Physics, I strongly recomend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
For algebra-based introductory physics courses taken primarily by pre-med, agricultural, technology, and architectural students.This best-selling algebra-based physics text is known for its elegant writing, engaging biological applications, and exactness.Physics:Principles with Applications, 6e retains the careful exposition and precision of previous editions with many interesting new applications and carefully crafted new pedagogy.It was written to give students the basic concepts of physics in a manner that is accessible and clear.The goal is for students to view the world through eyes that know physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (62)

This is not a gently used book
I ordered a book more expensive than originally intended, thinking it was gently used and would be in good condition.I am embarassed to used it in front of my students, as it looks like it has been through a war. The edges are worn, and the pages are discolored.I will be using it as a supplemental text only, but this usage is not what I intended.I intended to give it to a student who could not afford her own book.This is very disappointing!

Fair price, good condition
This book costs 80+$ when new. 40$ for a used book in this condition is a fair price and an economical alternative for a student. Thanks!

Confusing reading, good practice problems
I'm not completely sure whether my trouble reading this book is due to the book itself or my trouble with physics (one of my hardest subjects).All I know is that the descriptions seem quite confusing, so I can't always get a clear idea of what I'm reading about.The passage on Kirchhoff's rules is a perfect example.

On the other hand, the practice problems have been helping me understand the concepts better, partly because of my professor's way of teaching the course.Basically, he clarifies the confusing issues from the book and then assigns the problems to us.

Overall, though, if you want a really helpful physics textbook, you'd be better off buying another.

Good Physics text for the algebra literate
I have purchased this book to supplement tutoring of students who have this text for their class. It is packed with detail, although some of the detail is not tightly matched with the problems in the back of each chapter. Although the student is challenged to reach, cretively, from the example problems to those they must do, often the "creative reach" seems too far. A good companion for this text would be a teacher's edition with some of the student's problems worked through, not just the answers.

If the teacher's edition existed, I would have rated this text at least one star better.

physics: principles wi/appp. vol II
the book was marked all over it. some had black marker crossed over entire lines. this book was listed as in "good condition" .big lie. ... Read more

Product Description
As Alastair Rae points out in his introduction, “quantum physics is not rocket science”. It may have gained a reputation as the theory that no one really understands, but its practical applications are all around us in everyday life. If it were not for quantum physics, computers would not function, metals would not conduct electricity, and the power stations that heat our homes would not produce energy. Assuming no prior scientific or mathematical knowledge, this clear and concise introduction provides a step-by-step guide to quantum theory, right from the very basic principles to the most cutting-edge developments, such as super-fast computers and unbreakable codes, which could soon become reality. Finally, Rae turns to the philosophical questions posed by quantum physics and asks: if Einstein was wrong and God really does play dice, what are the consequences of this for the way we view ourselves and our relation to the world? Written by one of the most respected authors in the field, this authoritative and readable guide will be suitable for anyone wishing to gain a clearer understanding of one of the key scientific discoveries of our time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

BEST book I ever read in my life
This is the Motherbook of all books.
I have been waiting for this book all my life.

quantum physics
I bought this book due to my interest in quantum physics after hearing about 'passion from a distance' which is Bell's theorum.The intelligence is passed on very simply but I have found that I need to read the book in short spurts in order to take in the information.As yet I have not finished the book but feel sure I shall learn from it.I must add that I didnt do physics at college so am a complete novice.

Good companion for another intro book
Like most introductory books in this area, it really helps to have some prior background.It makes some small leaps in places that will leave true beginners feeling a little lost.As an introduction, I'd rate this book lower than "The Quantum World ..." by Kenneth Ford, but it would make a nice companion to it because this book goes into additional depth in specific areas such as conductors, insulators, semiconductors and superconductors.

A good place to start
Overall, I definitely got what I wanted out of this book.For those of you who want a mathy approach to the subject, this is probably not the book for you.I know very little about the subject, so I wanted a book that would enable me to get a big picture so I could tell if a certain aspect of quantum physics interests me.This book serves that function well.

No direct reflection on the author, but there are a number of significant numerical errors in the first chapter or so.They are almost certainly due to poor typesetting, I'm sure the author can tear up the math.

Not that good
Though the book is Ok, after reading Isaacs Asimov "Understanding Phisics" I expected more clarity from this book. ... Read more

Product Description
A complete update to the hit book on the real physics at work in comic books, featuring more heroes, more villains, and more science

Since 2001, James Kakalios has taught "Everything I Needed to Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books," a hugely popular university course that generated coast-to-coast media attention for its unique method of explaining complex physics concepts through comics. With The Physics of Superheroes, named one of the best science books of 2005 by Discover, he introduced his colorful approach to an even wider audience. Now Kakalios presents a totally updated, expanded edition that features even more superheroes and findings from the cutting edge of science. With three new chapters and completely revised throughout with a splashy, redesigned package, the book that explains why Spider-Man's webbing failed his girlfriend, the probable cause of Krypton's explosion, and the Newtonian physics at work in Gotham City is electrifying from cover to cover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Difficult book -- not for most preteens
Hard to read for a preteen.Aimed at an educated adult.

On the first page of the foreword I encountered "Sisyphean" and decided NOT to give it to my eleven-year-old grandson, who is an avid reader.I'll hold it until Christmas, I guess. It is a good book IF you know your comics and IF you have a liberal arts education.

Fun for the physics, fun for the comics
"Back-of-the-envelope" calculations are near and dear to scientists' - and physicists' in particular - hearts.These are arithmatically simple estimations to give a feel for the right answer.James Kakalios takes this idea to a whole new level in this book, using simplifications and estimations to determine such widely diverse phenomena as the density of the planet Krypton (Superman's home world) to the strength of Spider-man's webbing.There is, of course, a healthy dose of physics, but it's very palatable, and not at all required for understanding the points made or conclusions drawn.In fact, this book derives from a course at the University of Minnesota that uses superheroes to demonstrate physics, rather than a course to verify (or vilify) the physical realities/possibilities of the characters in the comic books.

This distinction is important - Kakalios obviously has a great affection for both comics and physics, and refuses to automatically denigrate the efforts of the comic book writers.His modus operandi is to grant each hero a "one-time miracle exception" to the laws of physics, which is generally used to account for the superhero's powers.For example, it's granted that Superman can fly, or that Sue Richards (of the Fantastic 4) can turn herself invisible.Given the miracle of the superpowers, Kakalios then delves into the details or consequences of the power.What force of lift does Superman require to get himself into the air?Could Sue Richards see while invisible?(Answer: not in the visible region of the spectrum, but perhaps her eyes change to see in the UV or IR regions of the spectrum.)This method is very welcome - we all know that superheroes are absurd (yes, even Batman and others that don't technically have superpowers), so what's the point of dwelling on it?

Instead, we learn a little physics and a lot of comic book history.(Well, that was the division for me - being too young to remember the Silver Age of comics, and having taken three university-level physics courses.)It's written in the style of your favourite high-school science teacher: the one that knew what s/he was talking about but was prone to making extremely goofy (and geeky) science-related jokes.These teachers are obviously enthusiastic and made it fun to be in class, and you learned the material (perhaps in spite of yourself!).An added bonus: if you are a science teacher/professor, this book will likely give you some good ideas for new and fun examples in your classes.

Do the math
I enjoyed this book very much.James Kakalios has a special way of explaining physics principles in a simple way.By using examples from comic books, he makes physics fun.Unfortunately, he does use formulas and mathematics to supplement his explanations.I wish someone could explain physics without the math, but I have yet to see such a book.I recommend this for anyone who wants to confirm his/her previous understanding of physics principles.

Superb!!
"The Physics Of Superheroes" by Jim Kakalios superbly explains the understanding of physics in a fun and new way.This terrific book demonstrates a number of important points.Physics is not an easy subject, but Jim Kakalios helps people have a better understanding of the book.It is not a book just for comic book lovers, but it is a book for people who do not understand comic books also. Who doesn't want to be a superhero?This book realizes the aspects of superheroes and other comic book characters.The author has written a book by combining his love for physics with his love of comic books.He has written a book for the general reader covering all of the basic points in a first-level college physics course and is difficult to put down. Kakalios also helps explain that gravity is at least 15 times greater on Krypton than here on Earth.He also explains the bad things about Spidey's web and how it cannot save people because of the abrupt stop and roughness of the web. Kakalios covers many topics such as electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, string theory and thermodynamics.He keeps you interested and sometimes even laughing throughout the book.I am not a comic book fan or physics fan, but this book is much more than that.

Fun way to introduce someone to physics
For those who still raise their children on books that are made out of papre, this is a great way to keep their time on the video games and away from T.V. to a minimum. ... Read more

Product Description
This detailed manual reviews all topics covered in the New York State high school curriculum for physics and prepares students to pass the Regents Physics Exam. Topics covered include a general introduction, motion in one dimension, forces and NewtonÂ's laws, vector quantities and their applications, circular motion and gravitation, momentum and its conservation, work and energy, the properties of matter, static electricity, electric current and circuits, magnetism and electromagnetism, waves and sound, light and geometric optics, solid-state physics, modern physics from PlanckÂ's hypothesis to EinsteinÂ's special theory of relativity, and nuclear energy. One recently-given actual Regents Physics Exam is also presented with an answer key. ... Read more

Product Description

The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Commemorative Issue, Three Volume Set.

• Feynman's effective classroom style remains intact in these volumes, a valuable work by a remarkable educator.
• The volumes are an edited version of Richard Feynman's lectures, taped and transcribed specifically for the books.
• The three volume commemorative issue is either available hardbound and packaged in a specially designed slipcase, or in a paperbound edition.

Customer Reviews (99)

provides phenomenal insight
These books examine almost everything worthy of note in intermediate (where calculus 3 is assumed) physics by presenting concepts and calculations using the most fascinating applications thereof. It is practically a compendium of astonishing results that are given the greatest possible clarity with expertly planned verbal explanations; indeed, even if you lack the math skills mentioned above you may well become enchanted and informed by these expertly presented physics topics.
However, a few points require mention:

1. These books are for students that want to UNDERSTAND how the physics works, rather than just applying a formula some book says is applicable in a given context during a physics exam. (there is a large difference!)

2. These books do not contain enough problems to fortify the physics calculations, but they do excellently illustrate the essential concepts needed to solve such problems; my advice is to get some conventional texts like " Halliday/Resnick--Fundamentals of physics" and doing their problems to reinforce the ideas after reading the corresponding material in these lectures. The amount you read of these conventional text' explanations depends on you; some, like myself, feel that reading the explanations of most conventional texts is a big waste of time------they shower you with seemingly disconnected formulas and say "ha,ha: this is it".

3. These books were designed for lectures at Caltech during the 1960's; suffice it to say, this is not the watered-down modern university physics book---sometimes pretty heavy math is used, but that's not the main difficulty; most university physics books nowadays give formula-like sequences of steps that allow one to do well on calculations without knowing much of what came before it, but in these lectures understanding many chapters requires knowing details from many other previous chapters------the bright side is that you know what you are doing, and you realize how things are actually connected to the physical world. (I got A's in my 3 calculus based college physics courses, but I could not recall what was physically happening in these problems I so "expertly" solved for my exams:)

4. Feynman doesn't mind doing hard problems, so long as it's the best way to illustrate what he's trying to explain; in no other book I've read is there such thought provoking and satisfying examples of physics-------I learned to calculate the motion of the planets to any degree of accuracy, to calculate the general amount of radiation density in a super-hot star, and to see, dare I say, the very breadth of the universe with these lectures.

Good luck...

Physics
great text-books for anybody who wants to understand a bit more how things work :P

These books are amazing!
I love the set! I'm a grad student in Physics and these are a great reference to have.

Revisiting The Feynman Lectures
I loved the Feynmann Lecture series when I was an undergraduate student, but I sold them after three years of using them. Years later, I have seen the Commemorative Issue on the shelve of bookstores again and I could not resist the urge to buy it again. It vividly brings back wonderful memories of a time long gone, and the commemorative issue is better (hardcover) than the original (paperback). I strongly recommend this issue to anyone who wishes to learn physics from a master narrator.

Looks good on your shelf, but please read instructions before using...
This famous 3 volume set is best used in one of the following ways:

1.You are a student who has already taken university calculus based physics and are interested in another view of the subject by one of the modern masters ofphysics
2.. You are a professional who is reading the texts for intellectual stimulation; e.g., you are a curious engineer (Really,
anyone who has taken the standard university calculus sequence through multivariable calculus can tackle the material in these books)
3. You are taking university physics and want to use these books for additional readings to understand important concepts and the big picture

If you are planning to use these books as your primary textbook source to learn the basics of physics, I agree with the comments that Feynman made in the preface that these lectures were a failure. Better textbooks such Alonso and Finn already exist that cover the standard freshman physics faire. However, the Feynman lectures are great to flip through, scan, skip around, read a page here and there. There are amazing deep insights sprinkled throughout.

As an aside, the very serious student of physics should try and dig up the 5 volume Berkeley Physics Course to seek a deep and mathematically rigorous introductionto
physics. Volume 2 on E&M by Purcell is still in print and still in use but the other volumes on Mechanics, Waves, Quantum, and Statistical Physics are harder to find.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Excellent service
Seller had a product in excellent condition and shipped it out in a very quick time.

used book customer
reecieved book very quickly, and as expected if not even better than described.
thank you

Review by High School Physics Teacher
I'd consider this a typical high school physics text, with the usual positives and negatives.IMHO there are better h.s. texts out there.Having said that, here's what I found:
The presentations and explanations in the text are pretty decent.However, this may not be that important, because many teachers give lectures or handouts, and are well aware of the fact that most students will do whatever they can to avoid reading the text.The main difficulty I ran into using the book was the lack of mid-level difficulty "practice problems".Colleagues in other schools have stated the same.In this text, problems tend to jump from a "basic" level to the "difficult" level.As a result, I put together handouts of mid-level problems for students to practice, so that they could master the material and achieve a level of confidence, before tackling the more difficult problems.
Another complaint I have is that this newer edition does not seem to be much different from the older (and cheaper) one.Sections that had appeared in the Appendix have been switched with sections in the main part of the text and vice versa, end-of-chapter problems were jumbled and renumbered, and a few problems changed.A new cover is given, and parents are then stuck purchasing a new textbook.My advice about whether to purchase the newer or older edition is this:If your teacher assigns reading by page, and HW problems from the book, then you need the newer one;if your teacher gives handouts for problems and assigns reading by topic, --you can probably get away with the older version.

Great price on textbook.
Fast shipping, great price on textbook and the book was in excellent condition for a used copy.

HOLT Physics textbook
The purchase of this used text went smooth and without a problem.I received the book in the condition that was posted.It was shipped and arrived as promised. ... Read more

Product Description
Student Solutions Manual to accompany Fundamentals of Physics 9th Edition by Halliday ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Fast and Easy
Within 24 hours of ordering the solution to Fundamentals of Physics, I started receiving the PDF files in my emails. The seller worked with me to address any concerns right away. I would recommend this seller to anyone seeking this solution manual quickly.

nothing like i thought
very unhelpful...make sure you read the reviews before buying this...i have had it now two months and my teacher has yet to select a problem that it might help you with...needs to have more problems worked

Publisher should be sued for false titling
Should have read other comments more thoroughly."Student Solutions Manual" should have caveat reading "to very few select problems from the end of the chapter".How does Wiley get away with this???

Excellent
good solution manual...only few problems answers are available not like the other math answer books.

Not very useful
really not very helpful overall.Almost none of the problems at the end of the chapter are actually worked out (maybe 3 or 4 per chapter) and I assume more professors prefer to assign those that they know are not worked out.I returned this because it was basically useless in helping me understand problems and concepts for my homework. ... Read more

Product Description

The revised edition of Feynman's legendary lectures includes extensive corrections and updates collated by Feynman and his colleagues. A new foreword by Kip Thorne, the current Richard Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech, discusses the relevance of the new edition to today’s readers. This boxed set also includes Feynman’s new Tips on Physics — the four previously unpublished lectures that Feynman gave to students preparing for exams at the end of his course. Thus, this 4 — volume set is the complete and definitive edition of The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Packaged in a specially designed slipcase, this 4 — volume set provides the ultimate legacy of Feynman’s extraordinary contribution to students, teachers, researches, and lay readers around the world.

Customer Reviews (51)

A Must Have for any Physicist Worth His or Her NaCl
These books are absolutely amazing. I've loved physics for over 9 years now and have read numerous books on the subject. Somehow though I missed this set. After only a few pages and you can already see the value of the set. 40 years of fixing errata has lead the set to be one of the least error-prone sets on physics. It details the process in which they were created, and how they have been cared for over the years. Feynman himself edited them to his last day. The tips book will help any physicist who knows the concepts but not so much the problems.

Unique and distinguished quaility
Well, I guess if you've come to this page, you have already heard of these famous books and why they're so wanted. So all I want to say is about the quality of the product. They're three books (The Lectures) plus the Tips On Physics. They come inside a box, which safely store them all, without loosenesses. All of the books are hardcovers, it feels like cloth, amazing. The pages are of higher density, which will make the books last long enough for two generations or more, for humidity or microorganisms won't affect the page so easily. They're very thin, but won't be a problem for a careful reader.
My recommendation: you've lost enough time reading reviews. Just buy it.

Truly a brilliant teacher
I'm a physics major, and whenever I had the chance and needed to reference something, rather than looking in my own textbook, I would check in this book first.Professor Feynman is the most brilliant professor that may ever live.This series is incredibly easy to read, with diagrams and descriptions that draw a very vivid picture in your mind.A must read for anyone interested in physics.

Ok set
I bought this for a class that required it.I actually never used it because it didn't apply to much that I was studying.I'm sure its a great book otherwise.

Feynman
I'm a Freshman physics major. I got these babies but I don't have the balls to read them through yet. But whenever I don't understand something from HRK, or that something's not explained all the way, I just open up the lectures. The answer's always right there, like he knew just what I was going to have questions about after a normal physics regimen, it's disturbing. They smell really good too and it almost makes me giddy knowing there's a prophetic source of physics knowledge waiting for me on my bookshelf. On more than one occasion I've just pulled a volume from its sheath and cradled it, knowing the scripture held within will soon become a part of me. It's a source of inspiration and I'm going to continue working through HRK so that I may tackle the lectures with confidence.

Feynman's a cool guy, but I'm disappointed to hear Gleick retell how he slept with graduate students' wives. Unless he was just sleeping with them, but I think Gleick meant having sex. Kids my age need to know that he's funny and smart and like Calvin from C&H, but a Calvin who is sexually mature. Overall, I like Dyson more. ... Read more

Product Description
Lewis Carroll Epstein explains deep ideas in physics in an easy-to-understand way. Thinking Physics is a perfect beginner's guide to an amazingly wide range of physics-related questions. The book targets topics that science teachers and students spend time wondering about, like wing lift. Epstein elucidates the familiar but misunderstood - such as how tides work - along with more obscure but fascinating phenomena like the "Bernoulli sub" and the "artificial aurora" created by hydrogen bombs. Broken into many short sections and peppered with Epstein's own playful hand-drawn illustrations, the book does not simply give the right answer: It also goes into the answers that seem right but are wrong and shows why they are wrong - a rarity in science books. Thinking Physics is a rigorously correct, lighthearted, and cleverly designed Q and A book for physicists of all ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Great book for everyone!
I first got hooked on the problems in this book during my undergraduate study.The author does an excellent job of slowly building your analytical skills as you progress through the book.The material is presented in such a way that you can relate what you're learning to the everyday world around you.Truly a top notch resource.I have bought multiple copies as gifts for friends and family.

Physics review
Very helpful book for visual learners.Provides a fundamental understanding of physics that relates to real life situations.

Should be forced on every high school student
Every so often I pick up a book that I wish I read 10 years ago. Feynman's Lectures on Physics and Van Hess's Thermodynamics are among these, as well as Polya's How To Solve It for those more mathematically inclined. These would have certainly saved me from much confusion during my college engineering curriculum, for they focus on teaching the material to the reader, as opposed to masking it in the equations of a textbook. Some lucky folks have the ability to glance at equations and immediately grasp their meaning; for the other 99.99% of us, an intuitive explanation replete with real-world analogies helps to bring the meaning to life.

With a presentation both unique and entertaining, Lewis Carroll Epstein's Thinking Physics has certainly claimed a rightful seat at the roundtable of wonderful didactic books. Every page poses a question that challenges the reader on his view of the physical world, and nearly every answer tears down the fallacies of his intuition. Socrates would have been proud of the format, with each new question expanding on concepts developed in earlier answers. One of the 1-star reviews mentioned a lack of organization.This criticism completely misses the point.It is NOT a textbook, so "obviously" it will lack some of the rigorous development of concepts and precise organization that you would expect in a physics text.It IS a popular physics book with lots of cartoony pictures that a kid in elementary school could both enjoy and understand.At the same time, the insights will help build anyone's physics intuition, regardless of age.I read this book when I was 30.I have since started going through problems in Kleppner and Kolenkow and some other more advanced texts, and I really think this book helped.

Intriquing bite sized practical introduction to Physics
What a great way to introduce Physics to curious minds that may recoil at the sight of a ponderous text book or quiver at the thought of standardized tests!This book poses thoughtful practical questions, gives you several possible answers and then, on the following page, provides the correct answer and the physics reasoning behind it. Not infrequently, the answers provoke an "Aha!" reaction. Physics in bite sized chunks that can also be digested together at a family meal.Thinking Physics: Understandable Practical Reality (English Edition)

Very inspiring and amusing
I read this book when I was in middle school and found it both inspiring and amusing.
I highly recommend this book for both kids and grown up non-physicists. You even find some of your daily life questions in there. Epstein presents a scientific approach to think about them.


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Customer Reviews (130)

An important book
This book is an important contribution by Smolin that was desperately needed by the Physics community. Twelve years ago I moved away from research in Physics for many of the reasons that Smolin explains with detail in this book. It was difficult to pursue a career investigating what I think really matters in Theoretical Physics today - the very fundamentals of the world out there. I think today too many (perhaps most) of the researchers just pursue a career developing aspects that hardly add anything new or revolutionary to our understanding of the world. But that is the only way of pursue a successful career in Physics research.The alternative, therefore, is either to try to explore what really matters and sacrifice your career or pursue a career working in things that really will not add much to our understanding of world. This is a very sad situation and it is the main cause of the current crisis.


I believed that real progress in Physics will only come from people that are outside the main Physics community, people that are really able to think out of the box. I still think that way. Out there, somewhere there is going to be someone who will come up with the next great idea that will put an end to this crisis in Physics.

A clear definition of what we should expect from theoretical physics
I have to admit that many of Dr. Smollin's discussions of string theory left me a little daunted; however, his almost fierce adherence to the key issue of theoretical physics was impressive and I think deserving of praise.Although mine is not really a math-physics kind of mind, I do enjoy the topics of cosmology and theoretical physics as presented in the popular literature on the topic.Where I am able to follow the discussions, I am almost always led to my own thinking on the subject; that is the hallmark of a truly relevant book.While I doubt I will ever add anything to string theory or any other, I will be a much more critical reader of works on this and other scientific subjects in the future thanks to the author's book.Since it is the mass of us without a professional's background who vote to spend on research of this kind--or not--and the dollar value of big ticket science has often come under scrutiny, it is probably a good idea for more of those with an interest in physics to at least understand what's at stake.

Whether the reader understands the theories the author presents, primarily string theory, they will take away a surer understanding that science makes certain demands on any such theory.As Dr. Smollin relates, any current theory to be valuable should make testable predictions that can clarify its usefulness.While experiment cannot absolutely state a theory is "correct," they do have the possibility of proving it isn't, and having done so can clear the path to knowledge by eliminating theories that are wrong or at least inaccurate.As the author makes clear, much of the past 30 or 40 years has been spent on theories that have been tweakable to the point of absurdity and few of any of which have led to testable hypothesis. If what I'm understanding of the situation is true, I suspect that society has spent a lot of money on equipment, such as the large hadron collider, that cannot provide answers because theoretical physics has failed to provide adequate questions.The presence or absence of the Higgs boson and mini-black holes, while interesting, seems to lack an adequate intellectual structure into which they can be meaningfully placed.

As the author also points out, however, recent theoretical physics has been for several decades somewhat divorced from its former connection with experimental physics, which has given rise to what seems like a lot of fogging around.The recent investment in the LHC at Cern, with its capacity for higher energy experiments, may at least provide the physics community with new data with which to integrate theory.This may help overcome the road block that seems to have prevented physics from moving forward for so long.The technology to actually answer questions takes time to develop, since much of the innovation that leads to it moves incrementally and in tandem, and until recently it just hasn't been there to provide the more difficult data with which theoretical physicists need to work.

More than anything, the author's presentation of what good theory should do will be of interest to the non-professional reader.According to his estimate, it should surprise by making suddenly clear a lot that was confusing, and it should led to testable hypotheses.He notes that a theory that is simply "elegant" or "beautiful" need not necessarily be correct or testable.Nature, as he points out, is often not as aesthetic as theorists might hope; or at least it operates with a different sense of aesthetics.

I found the author's very pointed complaint that too much rests on the professional scientist's shoulders with respect to "popularity" and tenure a very interesting one.One can't help but wonder how many really useful, bright and well trained individuals whose ideas have been tabled in favor of the "theory of the moment" have left the field because they could not find academic positions as outsiders of the mainstream "theory."Again, one also can't help but wonder how many of the same pool of bright people have been spinning their wheels in the accepted theory wastefully to gain the personal perks they wanted.This is not a problem just in physics; it pervades our society extensively and erodes much of the good that might have come from better use of bright young people.

The Trouble with String Theory....
Dr.Smolin's book makes the primary argument that theoretical physics has lost its way in the past 30 years by not contributing to our further understanding of the laws of Physics. Thirty years is a long time in modern science and so he believes that Physics is in trouble. The main reason for this state of affairs, he contends, is the enormous focus on String theory to the exclusion of every other approach. String theorists attempt to formulate a 'theory of everything' that integrates all the particles and forces of Nature. In Smolin's opinion, this attempt has failed since the theory has not been testable at all and that the nature of this theory makes it unverifiable in the sense that no experiment will be able to prove it true or false.

Dr.Smolin postulates that any fundamental theory of Nature must answer the 'Five problems' which represent the boundaries of present knowledge of Nature. The five problems are:
1. The problem of quantum gravity which combines general relativity and quantum theory into one.
2. The foundational problem of quantum mechanics where the theory has to integrate the observer. At present, quantum mechanics does not describe Reality in 'our' absence.
3.The problem of whether the various particles and forces can be unified in a theory that explains them all as manifestations of a single fundamental entity.
4. The problem of arriving at how the values of the free constants in the standard model of particle physics are chosen in nature.
5. The problem of dark matter and dark energy and whether they exist etc.

The author's argument is that string theory fails in the test to answer these questions.

I found the first two sections of the book quite interesting though my knowledge of physics is not strong enough to understand and evaluate all the arguments advanced by the author. However, even for a popular science reader like me, some of the conclusions deriving from string theory seem bizarre and complicated. For example, the theory says that the universe actually exists in 10 dimensions and not four. It says that there could be as many as 10 ^ 500 universes (multiverses) possible according to string theory! It postulates new particles which are as yet undiscovered and not possible to discover even with the large amounts of energy generated by the LHC.

The latter parts of the book are more about the sociology of doing science nowadays and the need to change the ways universities do research in theoretical physics. According to the author, if we're to save theoretical physics, we need to nurture more "seers" (fundamental thinkers) in physics, who do not chase afterthe current fashion in physics, buttry to examine the very foundation of theoretical physics. This is in contrast to nurturing 'craftspeople' who simply work within the existing framework.

The book is not an easy read for one who is not well versed in the current advances in particle physics. However, one can still get a good idea of what the problem is and where the science is at present. I would recommend it for people who are interested in the standard model of particle physics and the challenges to this model.

Retired physics teacher
For a retired physicsteacher, who now engages in online math and physics tutoring, Smolin's book is a heads-up that stimulates thinking about the recent three decades of physics.He makes a strong case about the failure of physics to come up with a new paradigm.And his suggestion that social forces or prejudices limit progress of creative individuals brings our discipline into the human arena along with any other professions that suffer similar restrictions by entrenched human attitudes.Carefully written, thought-provoking, sometimes repetitive.

Best version of a difficult story.Read it.
I read "Not Even Wrong" a while back and thought that this would be a rehash of the same complaints.I'm always interested in views that are contrary to the current fashions.

I was wrong.

This is a deeper version of the same history of physics where the author is actually participating on both sides of the argument.He covers the whole history of physics in just enough detail to keep the story moving.His description of mechanics moving from Classical to Relativity, Special and General, is simpler, more fundemental, than I have ever read.

He is always kind/professional and never overly critical of the state the string theorists find themselves in.The latter parts of the book cover real details of how science in and out of academia used to be done and how things are now.Eventually ending with What We (You) should be doing, or at least encouraging where we can.Its style is engaging enough for me to actually finish, even when I knew what the end was about. (I often skip through popular science books once I've got the picture they're selling).

The treatment of academia may strike some as somwhat simplistic in the current political atmosphere, but is still valid notwithstanding.

I highly reccomend this book.

... Read more

Product Description
The concept of Quantum Physics led Einstein to state that "God does not play dice". The difficulty he, and others, had with Quantum Physics was the great conceptual leap it requires taking from conventional ways of thinking about the physical world. Alastair Rae's introductory exploration into this area has been hailed as a "masterpiece of clarity" and is an engaging guide to the theories offered. This revised edition contains a new chapter covering theories developed during the past decade. Alastair Rae has been a Lecturer, a Senior Lecturer, then Reader in Quantum Physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at University of Birmingham from 1967-2003. His publications include the First Edition of Quantum Physics, (Cambridge, 1994) and Quantum Mechanics (Institute of Physics, 2002), now in its Fourth Edition. First Edition Pb (1994): 0-521-46716-0 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent Book
I have read many books about the subject, they were ok but always missing something. I found this book as complete as it can be. His coverage for non-locality, EPR paradox, Bell's theorem,and the many interpretations of the quantum mechanics (Copenhagen, many worlds, Wigner's interpretation relating to the mind of the observer...) are well presented and heavily explained. I recomend this book to all the readers in physics. I hope that you will enjoy as I did.

For those with a little background a great book
Be warned, this book assumes you know a little about quantum physics to begin with.It's not going to walk you through all the basics of the field.But for those who've had an introduction to the concepts of quantum physics, it's a great examination of the conceptual problems of quantum physics.Don't be fooled by its short length -- this is a book to be read slowly, re-read, an digested.The discussion of the EPR paradox and Bell's Theory is especially good, because it's more technical and mathematical than those in other intro books, and while therefore more difficult, it's also more rewarding.

Don't tell God what to do
A. Rae struggles with the conceptual and philosophical implications of quantum physics (qf).
His book contains excellent explanations of the destruction of determinism, because uncertainty and indeteterminism are built into qf's very foundations. He also rejects the 'hidden variables' solution to solve qf's apparent contradictions. He shows also the fundamental opposition between Einstein and Bohr.
Unfortunately, this book contains a comment on the out-of-date Popper-Eccles discussion on the body/mind problem and their statement that the mind is not subject to the laws of physics. This problem has been resolved (see V. Ramachandran's linguistic solution in 'Phantoms in the brain', or G. Edelman's 'A universe of consciousness').
But I found certain flaws in the author's reasoning due mainly to the choice of bad examples.
Firstly, let me state one fundamental specification: reality is a process, not a fact (L. Smolin).
That is the reason why his ultimate question 'If reality is only what is observed ...' is not a good one.
A qf measurement does not create the 'only' reality. Protons, electrons, dead or alive cats, DNA mutations exist, even if they are not observed. A qf measurement is part of the universal process. In qf we only measure complementarities (properties) as Bohr stated.
Secondly, A. Rae states that macroscopic processes are irreversible (the second law of thermodynamics) and microscopic ones reversible.
For reversibility he chooses as example the collision of two molecules. I doubt firmly that in our universe after the collision the molecules can (without an exterior intervention) go back to their initial states. Those interactions are 'theoretically' reversible.
On the other hand, the life or death of a cat is a macroscopic event. The cat example is a good 'figure' to explain the qf theory, but it is a bad one to build a conceptual or philosophical theory on it. Nobody will calculate the outcome of a certain event based on a dead/alive scenario if a simple look at the cat's condition can eliminate 50% of the possibilities. The same goes for the DNA mutations.
The theory of I. Prigogyne (his books are difficult) is certainly a step in the good direction. As reality is a process, indeterminism should also be the fundamental cornerstone for classical physics, but naturally not in our daily Euclidian life.
In the case of the 'many worlds' question, I prefer Rudolf Peierls's solution where he proposes to speak of many world 'possibilities' (see P. Davies' 'The ghost in the atom').
This is a thought-provoking book. Not to be missed.

Long review for a good short book
Since the formulation of quantum theory in the 1920s the Copenhagen Interpretation of reality has been the mainstream view among physicists. But this interpretation has been uncomfortable for many, because it raises a number of paradoxes. The lack of cause and effect, (indeterminism), the so called "observer effect (quantum measurement problem), and non-locality, are among them.
Waisting no time in this 118 page book, Alastair Rae grabs the reader in the very first sentence of the book by quoting Albert Einstein's famous pronouncement: "Does God play dice [with the universe]?"
Using impeccable logic and only a bit of mathematical jargon, which can be circumvented by the reader, Rae sets out to solve many of these paradoxes. Citing experiments with polarized photons of light, he asks: What exactly constitutes a measurement? Does a measurement occur when a record is made? Or does it take consciousness to collapse the wave into a definitive particle? Is there a resolution to the Schrodinger's Cat paradox? How can we explain nonlocality?
Rae systematically entertains and rebuts in a convincing and objective way many different philosophies put forward to make sense of quantum reality. Some have claimed, most notably Niels Bohr, that it's the interaction of the partilce with a macor-measuring device that instigates the collapse. Others believe that it takes a consciousness to create reality. Still others, looking for a way to save determinism, and circumvent the measurement problem latch on to Hugh Everett's many-world interpetation.
Ironically as Rae points out most scientists claim to be "positivists", believing that it is meaningless to speculate on unobservable quantities. yet, they apparently have no problem believing in a myriad of unobservable and unmeasureable universes, completely and irreversibly cut off from our own.
In the final two chapters Rae objectively entertains what he believes is the most likely resolution of the quantum measurement problem. His idea was first proposed by Ilya Prigonine who won the Nobel Prize for his work in the field of irreversible chemical thermodynamics. The classical idea put forward by Prigonine states that there is an irreversible arrow of time and the second law of thermodynamics is never violated.Citing Prigonine's work, Rae explains: If no measurement is made of a quantum system no impression has been made on the universe, and the information which could have been obtained can be reversed and destroyed. If, however, a measurement is made, a change of some sort has occurred, either in the measuring device or our brain. The measurement has impacted the universe in some manner, and as a result the macro system must now follow the second law of thermodynamics, which has and arrow of time and hence is irreversible.
Rae states that "if we follow Prigogine's approach, indeterminism becomes an implicit part of classical physics.
Has Alastair Rae accomplished what he set out to do in this Book? Not quite.At the beginning of the book he states that he will tackle the problem of indeterminism, yet he spends most of his time attempting to explain the quantum measurement problem which is something quite different. And when he does address determinsim it falls short on several points.
First, a Prigogine macro system is indeed unpredictable, but it is not indeterminate as Rae seems to imply. Rather, it is a determinate and irreversible system having and arrow of time and an initial cause, no matter how subtle.
Secondly, he fails to address the process of nuclear decay, and the jump of the electron from one orbit to another--both of which are "real" and indeterminate.
Finally, in regard to the quantum measurement problem. Rae does not take into account recent experiments done with photons as cited in Scientific American (November 1991). In this particular experimental set-up at the Universtity of Rochester, researchers demonstrated that "The mere possibility that the paths can be distinguished is enough to wipe out the interference pattern." There is no measurement made, no record made, and no interaction with a macro system. Yet, the collapse of the wave happens without interacting with a macro sytem. Therefore, it seems that Ray's explanation of a resolution to the problem by creating a record in a classical Prigogine system is invalid.
This is still a very well written, concise, and provacative book and I would recommend it for those who want to understand the basic principles and paradoxes of quantum reality. This review written by: Quantum Reality1, author of "Quantum Reality: A New Philosophical Perspective."

Thank you, Alastair Rae
It has only been once in a great while that a thin little tome has taught me so much, and been so much fun.Before Quantum Physics by Alastair Rae, the last one I remember was Richard Feynmann's QED.I now feel like I have at least a near understanding of Bell's Theorem, EPR, SQUIDS, and an assortment of things and concepts that were tantalizing but vague until now.Thank you, Alastair, you're a good teacher.And, the little surprise at the end, Prigogine's possible answer.I'd always found him intriguing.Now I know why. ... Read more

Product Description
For algebra-based introductory physics courses taken primarily by pre-med, agricultural, technology, and architectural students.This best-selling algebra-based physics text is known for its elegant writing, engaging biological applications, and exactness.Physics:Principles with Applications, 6e retains the careful exposition and precision of previous editions with many interesting new applications and carefully crafted new pedagogy.It was written to give students the basic concepts of physics in a manner that is accessible and clear.The goal is for students to view the world through eyes that know physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Solid Book
This book is solid. I generally read the sections I don't understand in class and the summaries. The practice questions in the back are great as well.

Awesome!
The book got here right on time.Everything was in perfect condition, and all the information about the book was correct.Thank you very much.

All I Expected From an Expensive TextBook
It's an expensive text book that is required. What more can I say?
Great service and reasonable overnight shipping was helpful when my daughter moved up to an AP class and needed the book ASAP.

Physics Book
The book was in great condition and it arrived in a perfect amount of time!

review on physics book purchase
I bought this book in the "used" category and when I received the book, it looks more like new. the only reason i believed it was considered used was because there was a 4 inch scratch on the side of the cover. very satisfied with purchase. ... Read more

Product Description
Blending scientific fact and sports trivia, Robert Adair examines what a baseball or player in motion does-and why. How fast can a batted ball go? What effect do stitch patterns have on wind resistance? How far does a curve ball break? Who reaches first base faster after a bunt, a right- or left-handed batter? The answers are often surprising -- and always illuminating.

Customer Reviews (37)

Simple explanations, correct physics but too little math
This book is easy to read, jogs from one interesting facet of the game to another with ease.Sugests simple physics underlying each phenomenon but lacks enough math for a begining reader to repeat most examples for a middle school science project.

A valiant effort at a difficult test
Beginning with the baseball itself, Adair delves into the design of the ball from its raised stitches to the bound cowhide cover and even to the rubber core. Using the ball's design as a basis, he goes on to discuss how the flight of that ball can be affected by wind, temperature, and altitude. Throughout the next few chapters, he focuses specifically on the flight of the ball as it leaves the pitcher's hand and how pitchers have found waves to manipulate that flight in their advantage. Pitchers, he says, face the task of maximizing velocity when needed but changing speed and directions in order to keep the batter guessing. Luckily for baseball fans (at least those that appreciate a well-pitched game) pitchers understand principles of physics better than they think. Additionally, a batted ball's flight, even detailing the theoretical maximum flight distance of the ball (545 feet, by the way), is described.
It is not only the pitchers and batters who need an understanding of physics to be successful in baseball, according to Adair. In fact, anyone who needs to judge the flight of a ball in order to catch it better know that the batter's choice of bat and where the batter contacted the pitched ball will affect the direction and magnitude of his--the fielder's--pursuit. Anyone who needs to run at maximum speed from base to base certainly should be aware that they won't be as fast as, say, Carl Lewis, since their start time is hindered by the efforts of the pitcher to "keep him honest." Even a player who needs to throw the ball from one part of the field to another must consider that his distance from the location of the desired landing point of the ball along with the weather conditions on that particular day will affect the velocity and trajectory with which he releases the ball. So, essentially, as Adair describes in the book, every player on a baseball team utilizes principles of physics to be successful, whether he--the player--likes it or not.
My desire for the book as I, a baseball fan, initially picked it up was to better understand baseball. Why does a curveball curve? Do balls really go farther in Denver? Why does a "corked" bat give a batter an advantage? Why are players now using lighter bats than the sluggers of the old days did? After reading the book, I better understand the answers to these questions. Yet, while Adair essentially answered my questions, it was somewhat difficult to get to those conclusions. Though he himself states that the book is intended for those interested in baseball, not physics, I was often lost in his description of the physics. It was not as simple as I had hoped. Now, that is certainly no fault of Adair. It is not that his descriptions were more difficult than needed but rather that baseball is not a simple game to describe fully. The book exemplified that fact beautifully. So, perhaps a physicist did not invent the game. Despite that fact, it is nevertheless a complex game that simple people can watch, play, and enjoy.

Will help you appreciate the talent of MLB Players
I have always loved baseball and was interested to see how The Physics of Baseball; 3rd Edition, by Robert K. Adair, PhD., would supplement my appreciation for the game.There were definitely both pros and cons to the book.Overall, I would give the book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

The largest plus was how the author broke down every aspect of the game and helped the reader appreciate the overlooked details of baseball.The author analyzed how physics affected hitting, pitching, and fielding, and no intricate details were left out.For example, Adair reveals that a batter has 75 milliseconds to look at a ball that has left a pitcher's hand, 50ms to think about the pitch (evaluating the spin, velocity, etc.), and 175ms to take action and swing the bat (making any necessary swing adjustments during this final time period).

Adair further breaks down, using detailed physics equations, the logistics behind other elements of the game.For instance, the author explains how pitchers get the ability to make such nasty pitches, by explaining release points, spin from grip positions, etc.Also, batted balls are treated as projectiles in motion as Adair explains how baseballs get the trajectory from wooden bats to either fly 400+ yards over the fence, or fly into the awaiting glove of an outfielder who has properly judged its flight time and position.

While such insights give a baseball fan great appreciation for the skill and talent of baseball players, the book lacked a few essentials for this baseball fan.Adair uses plenty of comparisons to baseball players, but many of the examples given seemed a little out of date.Though the book was published in 2002, no references were made to current stars of that time, such as Derek Jeter or Randy Johnson.The player references were a bit out of date.

Also, the book was a little too heavy on little unrelated details, and did not in some cases relate the countless facts and calculations back into how they relate back to baseball.Finally, it would have been interesting to hear about how steroids - due to their recent connection with baseball - would affect some of the physics that Adair explains in his book.Overall, a good read but is most appreciated by those who have a good background in both baseball and physics.

Very useful and interesting book!
This book is great at explaining why things happen the way they do. I am actually using it as a reference for a study on the physics of softball.

Interesting and also helps me Play!!!
Robert Adair did a fantastic job writing The Physics of Baseball. I just read this book and loved it. I play baseball at Milton High School and this book not only helped me better understand the game of baseball but will also help me excel in the sport.The physical evidence resulting from the tests performed and the various charts and graphs made all of the information easy to understand.Coaches always say that "the little things" win and lose ballgames.In the novel, "the little things", such as laying bunts down and many more are covered and can help teams win games.I recommend this book to all players of the sport and definitely to all coaches of teams.It may change the style of coaching but for the better by making the coach pay more attention to small things and winning games.I also recommend this book to any people that do not play or coach anymore or have kids or grandkids playing anymore.The information is can be helpful but can also be interesting to the average person. This book is great for anyone that just loves the game of baseball or any physics geek that is curious how things work in America's past time. I hope that Robert Adair will continue this "Series" and write a couple more books regarding the great sport of baseball.I would also like to see other authors write similar novels about different sports, such as basketball and football. This book was a GREAT BUY!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
This book arms engineers with the tools to apply key physics concepts in the field. A number of the key figures in the new edition are revised to provide a more inviting and informative treatment. The figures are broken into component parts with supporting commentary so that they can more readily see the key ideas. Material from The Flying Circus is incorporated into the chapter opener puzzlers, sample problems, examples and end-of-chapter problems to make the subject more engaging. Checkpoints enable them to check their understanding of a question with some reasoning based on the narrative or sample problem they just read. Sample Problems also demonstrate how engineers can solve problems with reasoned solutions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

A Ninth Edition?
Who the F cares--Why in the hell is Wiley putting out a NINTH edition?The publishers just put out the the eighth edition, and I've had several faculty people tell me that there was not enough difference between the seventh and eighth to make it worthwhile to use the eighth....and now a ninth?

The name of the book is "Fundamentals of Physics"--not "Cutting Edge of High Particle Physics, So We Have to Keep Putting Out New Editions to Include New Information."

If there REALLY is some NEW and EXCITING and CAN'T BE MISSED info, then Wiley could at least publish a supplement, instead of a whole new edition.The ONLY possible reason for putting out numerous editions of good textbooks for basic science is to screw undergrads, who then can't either buy used books nor sell their books back to incoming students.

Wiley and it's parent company should be ashamed of themselves.And Halliday should know better than to attach his name to such a naked attempt to simply separate Undergraduates' from the Undergraduates already too scarce lunch money.I hope and pray some close, personal friends and family members point out to Halliday how despicable he (Halliday) really is.

Missing Materials.
The book i received does not include the companion cd like the other reviewers have mentioned. I bought this book thinking that WileyPlus Online access was included, but i was wrong. I called Amazon Customer Service before purchasing the book and they told me they do not know. Don't get this item if you are expecting the Online Code because you will be disappointed.

Wonderful!
Very fast shipping from the seller as well as a great looking used book!Couldn't ask for more, it looked better than some of the new text books I've purchased.

buy the older edition
This is a very thorough book, and comes with many examples, pictures and problems, but so do the past two editions and you can get those for $20. So why spend so much on this new edition just to get a new cover? Trust me, I'm a college student and I learned fast that by buying the older editions of textbooks you can save a bundle.

recommended
The book was in good shape as it was described. It arrived within the expected time. ... Read more

Product Description
This updated manual presents a diagnostic test and two full-length model AP Physics B exams, with all questions answered and explained. It also presents a review of all test topics, which include vectors; motion; NewtonÂ's law of motion, work, and energy;oscillatory motion; fluids; gravitation; temperature and heat; thermodynamics; magnetism; electromagnetic induction; waves and sound; light; geometrical optics; quantum theory; the atom; the nucleus; and much more. Helpful added features include study and test-taking advice, a math review, and a glossary of physics terms. This version of the manual comes with an enclosed CD-ROM that contains two additional model tests with answers and automatic scoring of the multiple-choice questions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Barron's AP Physics A Review Book
This is the worst AP review book on the planet, if you want to fail your final exam or get a 1 on the AP exam, get this book. It has numerous mistakes, it is the absolute worst review book FOR PHYSICS. I don't know how Barron's does on other AP exams, but for Physics, it sucks. NO help at all, I wish I had not written on the practice test or I would return it.

Book is full of mistakes!!!
I am a teacher of AP Physics B.I had my entire class purchase this for review preparation.Unfortunately, the book is riddled with mistakes--multiple-choice questions that have no correct answer, solutions done wrong, calculation mistakes, even questions that have two correct answers.This continually undermines the confidence of my students.I am having to check through every problem and example in the book.I don't know if the author or the publisher, or both, forgot to do any proofreading of the text, or if they were just plain lazy and sloppy with their work.Oh, did I mention the haphazard use of significant figures? ...like the question that gives data to one significant figure, but the answer is given to four significant figures.Go figure!I have used Barrons study guides for other courses in the past, and have been satisfied, but this has been a horrible experience.If someone knows of a truly good study guide for this material, please post it here.

good for a general review
This book is good for the AP test, but if you are like most of us who use it as a study guide to supplement our textbooks, this book may not do the job. It is not detailed enough for class purposes.

Also, I don't know why they put problems you can't possibly do without a calculator for some multiple choice questions. They label those problems as possibly harder than real AP questions, but what's the point when there won't be any like it on there? I guess it's only good for midterm/final practice for you course.

Overall it's pretty good for a quick review before the AP or your midterm/final. I saw problems very similar to the ones in this book on mine. ... Read more

Product Description
A plain-English guide to advanced physics

Does just thinking about the laws of motion make your head spin? Does studying electricity short your circuits? Physics II For Dummies walks you through the essentials and gives you easy-to-understand and digestible guidance on this often intimidating course.

Thanks to this book, you don?t have to be Einstein to understand physics. As you learn about mechanical waves and sound, forces and fields, electric potential and electric energy, and much more, you?ll appreciate the For Dummies law: The easier we make it, the faster you?ll understand it!

• An extension of the successful Physics I For Dummies
• Covers topics in a straightforward and effective manner
• Explains concepts and terms in a fast and easy-to-understand way

Whether you?re currently enrolled in an undergraduate-level Physics II course or just want a refresher on the fundamentals of advanced physics, this no-nonsense guide makes this fascinating topic accessible to everyone. ... Read more

Product Description
Designed for medical professionals who may struggle with making the leap to conceptual understanding and applying physics, the eighth edition continues to build transferable problem-solving skills. It includes a set of features such as Analyzing-Multiple-Concept Problems, Check Your Understanding, Concepts & Calculations, and Concepts at a Glance. This helps the reader to first identify the physics concepts, then associate the appropriate mathematical equations, and finally to work out an algebraic solution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

this book sucks
the condition of the book and the seller were amazing.i hate the book though.

Good book
Although I ordered this book as an old one, I have received itin a very good condition

awesome
the book came quickly and was in much better condition than i expected. I am very satisfied!

Book
A page was ripped. The book was a little old. It doesn't really fit with very condition.

Great
The book was in very good condition for an older version and it arrived in a timely manner. ... Read more

Product Description
These fundamental principles have been discovered and applied in the past fifty years--in the memory of the living. They have revolutionized science in all its departments. Our textbooks on Chemistry, Light, Heat, Electricity and Sound have had to be entirely re-written; and in many other departments, notably in medicine and psychology, they have yet to be re-written. Our textbooks are in a transition state, each new one going a step farther, to make the change gradual from the old forms of belief to the new, so that even Tyndall's textbook on "Sound" is now so antedated, or antiquated, that it might have been written in darkest Africa before the pyramids were built, instead of twenty years ago. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Metaphysics, not physics
While the description of this book makes it appear to be a history of the science of physics, do not be fooled. It is actually a Theosophical treatise on occult philosophy. Not being a Theosophist myself, I cannot comment on the work's fitness or suitability within the field of Theosophy. But as a text about physics or the history thereof, it is pretty much useless. I was hoping to read a history of the science, as this is a topic I find quite interesting, and was quite disappointed to find myself instead with a rambling description of manifested planes, etheric globes and septenary worlds.

If you are not specifically seeking an occult text about metaphysics, I would advise to avoid this book. Instead, try looking for a used copy of Isaac Asimov's excellent (but unfortunately out of print) History of Physics or the Oxford Guide to the History of Physics and Astronomy.

If, on the other hand, you *were* searching for the Theosophical treatise - you found it. Enjoy. ... Read more