Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity |  | Author: Sean Carroll
Publisher: Benjamin Cummings
Category: Book
List Price: $123.40
Buy New: $70.00
as of 9/10/2010 15:35 CDT details
You Save: $53.40 (43%)
New (19) Used (26) from $70.00
Seller: ruhoo
Rating:  12 reviews
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 513
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 7.4 x 1.1
ISBN: 0805387323
Dewey Decimal Number: 530.11
EAN: 9780805387322
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity provides a lucid and thoroughly modern introduction to general relativity. With an accessible and lively writing style, it introduces modern techniques to what can often be a formal and intimidating subject. Readers are led from the physics of flat spacetime (special relativity), through the intricacies of differential geometry and Einstein's equations, and on to exciting applications such as black holes, gravitational radiation, and cosmology. For advanced undergraduates and graduate students, or anyone interested in astronomy, cosmology, physics, or general relativity.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 12
Great Book But Won't Get You To The Promised Land December 14, 2005
Mitchell Chan
131 out of 137 found this review helpful
My comments come with a few caveats.
1. This is my fourth GR book.
2. I'm not hardcore into physics. I'm not a physic grad and I'm reading GR for fun. I have a decent graduate math background but I've been corrupted with 10+ years in working in various roles software engineering, electronics engineering and marketing.
3. I assume that since you're considering buying this book, you're goal is to get at the "real" GR, not the watered down discover channel version.
With these caveats in mind, here are my comments.
First, on a scale of 1-5, I rank Carroll at level 3 in terms of math/physics maturity and thoroughness. Here is my full ranking of authors from my limited reading: 1. schutz 2. hartle 3. penrose 3. carroll 4. wald 5. physics journal articles
Second, using the rankings above, I recommend Carroll as the second port of entry. If you're comfortable with multivariable calculus, start with schutz (#1). You'll get warm fuzzies doing the toy exercises. But Schutz is tensor/math-lite. If you've had advanced calculus and geometry already, jump in with carroll (#3). But you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone else as polite to the reader. He won't prepare you for 80 percent of what's published. If you're ready to throw off the training wheels and jump dive into mainstream GR go with Wald (#4).
Note that Hartle (#2) is a good "tweener" book with feel-good exercises and some of the full-on GR equations at the end. I bet most instructors teaching a first year grad course would go with Hartle along with a dose of supplementary material.
Third, don't expect Carroll to be your last GR book purchase if you want to reach the promised land (see caveat #4). Living and breathing GR is found in physics journals and for that you'll need Wald or another advanced GR book.
Great GR Book! February 18, 2004
timedilation (Baton Rouge, LA USA)
72 out of 77 found this review helpful
This book has helped me long before it was ever published! It is based off of lecture notes that Carroll gave for a graduate level General Relativity course. These notes are still freely available at:http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/gr-qc/9712019 But you miss out on extras like better diagrams, more examples and exercises, so this is still a great buy!
To learn GR, read this one first... March 17, 2004
35 out of 38 found this review helpful
I may be biased (as a student there), but the University of Chicago has the market for textbooks on GR cornered. Between Sean Carroll and Bob Wald, the student has everything he needs. I do have to reccomend reading this one first though, as the explanations are more physical (where Wald is more formal) and the style is more readable and easier to digest. In short it is probably the best book on the market from which to learn GR. Once you finish this book, add Wald's to your library for a more complete reference set (Wald's book is likely the best on the market once you already know GR).
Wordy and Wonderful December 12, 2006
Samuel Gralla
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
This is an advanced text, but all the same it is not particularly rigorous or dense, so it is in principle accessible to the beginner. With an easy authority, Carroll leads us on a wandering journey through the mystical lands of general relativity. This is very different from, and compliments nicely, the clarity and directness of Wald. As a student of GR, I use Wald for the bottom line on any subject, and Carroll for the random physical or computational insights that I invariably find in any section of the book. Carroll's prose is like music to the ear and I always enjoy myself when I decide to open up this book.
Be warned that there are lots of mistakes in this first edition--you might want to wait for the second one.
Also, his chapter on cosmology is better than any I've seen.
TextBook Writing At its Best October 24, 2004
Dr. Joseph R. DELLAQUILA (Indianapolis, IN<P>Indianapolis, Indiana United States)
23 out of 25 found this review helpful
In my graduate studies in physics, I had never taken a course in general relativity or differential geometry. Carroll's book is the right place to start. It is very clearly written and it has a wealth of diagrams to help when the discussion tends to get somewhat abstract. I found it enlightening, entertaining, at times deep and always worth the effort. The material on differential geometry and the appendices are examples of textbook writing at its best. If you have the proper background, go here before attempting Wald's General Relativity or any other more advanced treatise. Joseph R. Dell'Aquila, PhD
Showing reviews 1-5 of 12
|
|
|
|
