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Title: Statistical Mechanics by Donald A. McQuarrie, Donald Allan McQuarrie ISBN: 1-891389-15-7 Publisher: University Science Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $88.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.43 (7 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: The standard, but maybe not the best
Comment: McQuarrie's book is typically the standard text in many undergraduate and graduate programs, but I believe there are many other resources to learn statistical mechanics in a much clearer way.
I find the following things to be particularly annoying about the book:
1) The typesetting! The pages are very difficult to read, especially equations. It's a very old typeface and my eyes literally hurt after reading McQuarrie for too long.
2) Very few problems are worked out. Many important concepts that should involve more detailed discussion are simply left as exercises to the student. I believe that more peripheral results and extensions of fundamental material are better left as problems, as opposed to fundamental results.
3) The glaring absense of good discussion on spin systems (such as Ising magnets) and critical phenomena. These are VERY important topics in modern statistical mechanics.
I would recommend the following if you want to find good books on statistical mechanics:
1) If you want one comprehensive volume, use Linda Reichl's book.
2) If you are only interested in statistical thermodynamics, use David Chandler's book.
3) If you want both statistical thermodynamics and nonequatilibrium statistical mechanics, use Chandler and Robert Zwanzig's book.
Also, Kubo's statistical thermodynamics book is really good.
I really would not recommend McQuarrie. Save your eyes and get a more modern book with at least a better typesetting.
Rating: 4
Summary: 2 Books in one
Comment: This is a good book, but it's not a graduate text for the first half. If you're just reading it and not taking the class, buy Hill instead (it's $10). McQuarrie learned how to teach SM from Hill and it shows. The second half is a whole different story. It's research level material, but is perhaps out of date. Lastly, Karl Freed and Stuart Rice teach from this book, which should be worth far more than my review.
Rating: 5
Summary: Really Good!!!
Comment: It's a fantastic book!. I'm studying it every day, and learn something new every day. Everyone should have this book.
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Title: An Introduction to Statistical Thermodynamics by Terrell Hill ISBN: 0486652424 Publisher: Dover Publications Pub. Date: 01 December, 1986 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics by David Chandler ISBN: 0195042778 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: 01 September, 1987 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: Solutions Manual for Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics by David Wu, David Chandler ISBN: 0195058895 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 1989 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
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Title: The Principles of Statistical Mechanics by Richard Chace Tolman ISBN: 0486638960 Publisher: Dover Publications Pub. Date: 01 November, 1979 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Understanding Molecular Simulation by Daan Frenkel, Berend Smit ISBN: 0122673514 Publisher: Academic Press Pub. Date: 15 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $62.95 |
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