Product Description
A unified presentation of the concepts and general principles common to all branches of solid and fluid mechanics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

excellent but book falls apart
This book was fine for learning continuum mechanics, but it fell apart even with very careful treatment. It is irresponsible of them to sell it with such a fragile binding.

Continuous Mechanics 101
This book dates back to 1969! Nonetheless -- probably because of that -- it remains fundamental. It remains great!
It is what it says: an INTRODUCTION to the mechanics of the continuous.
STOP! I said "mechanics of the continuous" -- "basic" here has a different meaning...
Yes, there are more advanced and more recent publications, but they are of no use unless you've read and understood the fundamentals. As always...;)
Tensors, Stresses, Strains, Deformations, Constitutive Equations, Fluid Mechanics -- it's all there. The "solids" part is great: good language, good examples, etc. I've enjoyed it. I still am enjoying it.
I suspect the "fluid" part would be just as good, but I have not had the opportunity to study it, so I can't honestly say.

Excellent text, with a small problem
I am enrolled in a continuum mechanics class that is using this text as its main reference, and I am very glad for the excellent descriptions and derivations of results.

However, this book has two problems, one the fault of the publisher, the other of the author.

The fault with the publisher is simply that the book is a paperback and the binding in very poor.A hardback copy of the original book would be much sturdier.Instead it costs nearly $100 for a paperback with binding that disintegrates with minor use.

The fault of the author, which has a lot to do with how I learn material, is mainly a problem with notation.My biggest problem is in chapter 4 on strains and deformation, when future displacements represented by lowercase leters (x) and initial displacements by uppercase letters (X).This small lack of foresight by the author in choosing a notation with a more obvious difference between initial and final displacements has caused me pain in being able to follow what is happening in the book and in class, mainly because I have difficulty distinguishing between capital X's and lowercase x's when thrown in large equations.My recommendation would have been to use an entirely different character to represent initial conditions.

That said, it is still a very good book, with notation issues.

A nice copy for an out-of-print book
The bobbk is brand new, though a fascimle copy. Considering it is an out-of-print and a rare book, we shouldn't expect something better than that.

in-depth and complete
the famous book might be the best reference on this subject. It is a must for those of you who are concentrating on solid mechanics. It is most frequently cited by almost every author working in this field in his/her published books. ... Read more

Product Description
This textbook provides a thorough introduction to Newtonian Mechanics and is intended for university students in physics, astronomy and engineering. It is based on a course for which Dr. Knudsen earned an award for the best teaching at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. More than 100 problems with solutions and 92 worked examples help the student to grasp the essential aspects of the subject, and to develop proficiency in using the powerful methods of Newtonian mechanics. Moreover, the fundamental problem of motion and the concept of inertial frames is faced from the very beginning, and runs through the entire development of classical mechanics. This new and fresh approach is presented in its third edition, which has been revised and enlarged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Based On An Award-Winning Course In Mechanics
This is the best book on introductory Newtonian mechanics that I've read.The examples aren't shown just for "plug-and-chug" purposes as in many others; the authors use them to further develop an idea.As such, each example is important, and there are several.Each exercise is also useful in a way that many undergraduate mechanics exercises aren't.The authors also in their prose express a passion for the subject--always appreciated, and sometimes humorous. [My favorite example is on page 359 of the paperback version.Near the top of the page, following a discussion of Newton's law of universal gravitation: "The greatest achievement in the history of man was completed."]

Outstanding. The best book on Newtonian mechanics available.
I own dozens of books on the subject and this is by far my favorite.It is clearly written with a fine selection of problems.An excellent supplement to this book is THE VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF MECHANICS byLanczos.I highly recommend these two books for a firm understanding ofclassical mechanics. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides a rapid overview of the basic methods and concepts in mechanics for beginning Ph.D. students and advanced undergraduates in applied mathematics or related fields. It is based on a graduate course given in 2006-07 at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Among other topics, the book introduces Newton's law, action principles, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, geometric wave theory, analytical and numerical statistical mechanics, discrete and continuous quantum mechanics, and quantum path-integral methods.The focus is on fundamental mathematical methods that provide connections between seemingly unrelated subjects. An example is Hamilton-Jacobi theory, which appears in the calculus of variations, in Fermat's principle of classical mechanics, and in the geometric theory of dispersive wavetrains. The material is developed in a sequence of simple examples and the book can be used in a one-semester class on classical, statistical, and quantum mechanics. Some familiarity with differential equations is required but otherwise the book is self-contained. In particular, no previous knowledge of physics is assumed.Titles in this series are copublished with the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides an innovative and mathematically sound treatment of thefoundations of analytical mechanics and the relation of classical mechanics to relativity and quantum theory.It is intended for use at the graduate level. A distinguishing feature of the book is its integration of special relativity into the teaching of classical mechanics.Extended Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods are introduced that treat time as a transformable coordinate rather than the fixed parameter of Newtonian physics. Advanced topics such as covariant Lagrangians and Hamiltonians, canonical transformations, and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation are developed using this extended theory. This permits the Lorentz transformation of special relativity to become a canonical transformation. This is also a book for those who study analytical mechanics as a preliminary to a critical exploration of quantum mechanics. Comparisons to quantum mechanics appear throughout the text, and classical mechanics itself is presented in a way that will aid the reader in the study of quantum theory. A chapter is devoted to linear vector operators and dyadics, including a comparison to the bra-ket notation of quantum mechanics. Rotations are presented using an operator formalism similar to that used in quantum theory, and the definition of the Euler angles follows the quantum mechanical convention. The extended Hamiltonian theory with time as a coordinate is compared to Dirac's formalism of primary phase space constraints. The chapter on relativistic mechanics shows how to use covariant Hamiltonian theory to write the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations. The chapter on Hamilton-Jacobi theory includes a discussion of the closely related Bohm hidden variable model of quantum mechanics. The book provides a necessary bridge to carry graduate students from their previous undergraduate classical mechanics courses to the future study of advanced relativity and quantum theory. Several of the current fundamental problems in theoretical physics---the development of quantum information technology, and the problem of quantizing the gravitational field, to name two---require a rethinking of the quantum-classical connection. This text is intended to encourage the retention or restoration of introductory graduate analytical mechanics courses. It is written for the intellectually curious graduate student, and the teacher who values mathematical precision in addition to accessibility. ... Read more

Product Description

Reflecting new developments in the study of Saint-Venant’s problem, Classical and Generalized Models of Elastic Rods focuses on the deformation of elastic cylinders for three models of continuum: classical elastic continuum, Cosserat elastic body, and porous elastic material.

The author presents a method to construct Saint-Venant’s solutions, minimum energy characterizations of these solutions, and a proof of Saint-Venant’s principle. He then discusses the deformation of nonhomogenous and isotropic cylinders as well as the problem of loaded anisotropic elastic cylinders. The book also deals with the deformation of cylinders within the linearized theory of homogeneous Cosserat elastic solids, the deformation of nonhomogeneous Cosserat cylinders, and the extension, bending, and torsion of porous elastic cylinders.

With numerous results not found in related texts, this book provides a unique, unified point of view in the theory of the deformation of elastic cylinders.

Product Description
The text material in the present volume is designed to be a more or less self-contained introduction to Newtonian mechanics, such that a student with little or no grounding in the subject can, by beginning at the beginning, be brought gradually to a level of considerable proficiency.

A rough guide to the possible use of the book is suggested by its division into three parts. Part I, The Approach to Newtonian Dynamics , is intended to serve two purposes. First, it does discuss the basic concepts of kinematics and dynamics, more or less from scratch. Second, it seeks to place the study of mechanics squarely in the context of the world of physical phenomena and of necessarily imperfect physical theories.

Part II, Classical Mechanics at Work, is undoubtedly the heart of the book. The initial emphasis is on Newton's second law applied to individual objects. Later, the emphasis shifts to systems of two or more particles, and to the conservation laws for momentum and energy. A fairly lengthy chapter is devoted to the subject that deserves pride of place in the whole Newtonian scheme-the theory of universal gravitation and its successes, which can still be appreciated as a pinnacle in man's attempts to discover order in the vast universe in which he finds himself.

Part III, Some Special Topics, concerns itself with the problems of noninertial frames, central-force motions, and rotational dynamics.

Customer Reviews (5)

You haven't studied Newton until you've read this
I came to this book as an undergraduate, with plenty of past experience in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics, and physics. Having used newton's laws of motion in analysis as if it were second nature I was curious about what this book had to offer but did not expect to learn anything new.

I was blown away. The first 6 chapters just discuss the philosophy behind the three laws. If you thought you understood them before, think again. This book was not just eye-opening, it was enlightening. I was understanding these laws in ways I never even imagined these laws had been intended. Far from just being just another look at Newton's laws this book really studies the physics behind the "Applied Mathematics" approach that I had learned mechanics from.

It also teaches you the philosophy of science and makes the CRUCIAL distinction between the deductive and inductive processes of the Scientific Method - something that FEW even among the top graduates seem to recognize these days, and yet it is all-important to ANY aspiring scientist. For that reason alone, I'd recommend that you by the book and read the first few chapters at least, regardless of your field.

Poor Print Quality
This review and rating refers to the physical quality of the book, not to the content quality.It seems the book currently published by Norton is a poor quality photocopied version of the book.The diagrams with the grey backgrounds are really bad.I understand that the technology that was used to originally publish the book is obsolete but that does not excuse the current poor quality reproductions.

Although Norton is the only publisher of this title, the other titles in the series are also available from another publisher although I cannot confirm if the print quality is any better.

excellent first mechanics text for physics majors
This is an excellent text, especially its challenging problems and also the wonderful explanation of historical contexts. This 1st edition (743 pages) was published in 1971 and is the most appropriate one to use for a more leisurely course that covers both mechanics and some history of mechanics. Definitely less daunting than "An Introduction to Mechanics," by Kleppner and Kolenkow, 1973 - which has more difficult problems.

The 2nd edition (310 pages) was published in 1986 and was renamed "Introduction to Classical Mechanics," by A.P. French and M.G. Ebison, Kluwer Academic Publishers. This latter updated edition is much more compact and drastically removes most of the historical and discursive material. More emphasis is placed on rapidly developing the principles and applications, thereby achieving the same depth but reducing the number of pages by more than half; unfortunately, it's also much more expensive - characteristic of Kluwer books. It seems to be more often used in British universities.

The book that launched my physics career.
I worked through French's challenging problem sets in Newtonian Mechanics while I was in the military and found out that I could "do physics."I immediately returned to school to earn my physics degree.A lot of authors mention in their prefaces that the best way to learn physics is to do problems.I agree.Reading the text of this book is easy for anyone who desires enough to do it.Working the problems (always the tougher and less convenient half) will pay dividends in confidence and deeper understanding.This book--like the rest in the MIT physics series written by French--has all of the answers to the problems in the back of the book that allows independent study.The book is well-motivated and gives a lot in return but asks a lot of the student in his or her maturity and perseverence.

French: Newtonian Mechanics
I think it's THE book of mechanics for Physics' students. Itcovers from basic mechanics (kinematics, newton laws...) to sometopics of classical mechanics. It has many clear demonstrations that are not found in other books for engineers (like Resnick, Tippler...) and contains excellent examples. It has a high level but is very easy to understand. French style, that combines history, original observations, clearity and high-level topics makes you love Mechanics. ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents the fundamental concepts of modern differential geometry within the framework of continuum mechanics. It is divided into three parts of roughly equal length. The book opens with a motivational chapter to impress upon the reader that differential geometry is indeed the natural language of continuum mechanics or, better still, that the latter is a prime example of the application and materialization of the former. In the second part, the fundamental notions of differential geometry are presented with rigor using a writing style that is as informal as possible. Differentiable manifolds, tangent bundles, exterior derivatives, Lie derivatives, and Lie groups are illustrated in terms of their mechanical interpretations. The third part includes the theory of fiber bundles, G-structures, and groupoids, which are applicable to bodies with internal structure and to the description of material inhomogeneity. The abstract notions of differential geometry are thus illuminated by practical and intuitively meaningful engineering applications. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a supplement for texts in analytical and applied mechanics and engineering. In this edition extra problems have been added on satellites and problems have been revised throughout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Broad Cross-Section of Engineering Mechanics
This work presents a wide sampling of solved problems and problems to solve. These include problems related to vectors, beams, trusses, friction (including that on inclined surfaces), virtual work, dynamics of a particle, moments of inertia, mechanical vibrations, and much more.

I only wish that there was an accompanying manual of solved problems for the problems which are not solved in this book. If such a solutions manual exists, please write a comment about it under this review.

Might be better with separate outlines on each topic
I used this outline for review and with some problems I was having in a course on computational robotics I was taking a couple of years ago and I found this book to be an excellent review that answered all of my questions. However, my stepson used it in his statics and dynamics classes to help with the material when it was being presented to him for the first time, and he said he felt it brushed over some of the material in both classes. Even though this is a hefty outline, perhaps it would be better if they dedicated separate Schaum's outlines to each subject - statics and dynamics - and covered more ground in each subject rather than putting both subjects in the same book. This outline even has one chapter on mechanical vibrations, but it is just barely an overview and hardly gets into the subject at all. It might be best if that chapter were deleted entirely and more space spent on the subjects at hand.

Engineering Mechanics
This book was helpful in putting together arguments for problems I was working on.

Good supplementary text
I have always liked the Schaum's series of books. They are straightforward and to the point. This text was no exception.

The most important aspect of this book is that it can be used as a supplement to most of the popular texts. I used it along with Beer & Johnston and Shames.

Quite a useful book on a difficult, hands-on subject.

Good supplementary text
I have always liked the Schaum's series of books. They are straightforward and to the point. This text was no exception.

The most important aspect of this book is that it can be used as a supplement to most of the popular texts. I used it along with Beer & Johnston and Shames.

Quite a useful book on a difficult, hands-on subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Graduate-level text for science and technology students provides strong background in the more abstract and intellectually satisfying areas of dynamical theory. Topics include d’Alembert’s principle and the idea of virtual work, Hamilton’s equations, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, canonical transformations, more. Problems and references at chapter ends. 1977 edition.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

One of the Better Books
I have always enjoyed Greenwood's book and it is much more original than most of the other engineering mechanics books out there.The only real deficiency here is a complete lack of any discussion of motion in a central force or vibrations.This is undoubtably due to the curriculum the book was designed for, but as a book these subjects should have been included for completeness.The absence of these subjects really mars an otherwise outstanding text.

No reason not to own it
This is the first book review on the books I listed here that are good for students. The first subject is classical dynamics, in which I listed two books. The book I am gonna review in this post is "Classical Dynamics" by Donald T. Greenwood, Dover Publication.

This is a concise book, whose main text contains 324 pages. Such a small size gives students confidence to read it cover to cover. regarding the mathematical prerequisite, although it claims to be a graduate textbook, it assumes only familiarity with basic calculus and some knowledge in differential equations.

The book is very well organized into seven chapters. The first chapter introduces basic concepts such as generalized coordinates, constraints, virtual work, and so on that are essential and enough for the following chapters. Chapter two derives Lagrange's equations, discusses integrals of motion, and applies the theory to small oscillations. Many interesting examples are worked out in this chapter.Chapter 3 then analyzes four special applications of Lagrange's equations, namely Rayleigh's Dissipation Functions, Impulsive Motion, Gyroscopic Systems, Velocity-Dependent Potentials.

Chapter 4 turns to the other pillar of the theory of classical dynamics: Hamilton's equations. It first elaborates the Hamilton's principle with logical clarity, then derives Hamilton's equations with examples. Finally, it discusses other variational principles and Liouville's theorem.

Chapters 5 and 6 should be considered as a whole. Chapter 5 tells one how to obtain principal functions and characteristic functions by using the Hamilton-Jacobi method. Chapter 6 explores the theory of canonical transformations and its application to dyanamics in more details and in a generalized way, in vewing that a principle function is a generating function for a canonical transformation between two points in phase space. These two chapters contain lots of details that are worth reading carefully.

The last one, Chapter 7 discusses special relativity by applying previously introduced methods. However, I found that such a chapter is actually not very necessary, at least for me. If one did not know much special relativity, he/she would not expect to learn much from this chapter. If one knew special relativity very well, then he/she should simply skip the chapter. But anyway, if you like, it is still fun to read it.

Now, pros and cons. Compared to other polular or standard books on this subject, this book is very well balanced between volume, conciseness, and the amount of details, it is easy to read. The book works every example in a detailed and heuristic way, which are good for the readers to develop their own problem-solving skills. The pictorial illustrations in the book are also very nice. At the end of each chapter,there are a bunch of excercise problems carefully chosen by the author. Final resutls of these problems are given at the end of the book so that readers can check their own answers after working through the solutions by themselves. I found that these problems are extremely usefull and interesting; hence, I solved each of them step by step.

Frankly speaking, I did not find any nonnegligible disadvantage of this book. Someone has a review, saying that "it fails to address issues like how one can use Lagrange's equations (or Hamilton's, for that matter) to correctly account for the effects of nonlinear dissipative forces". But I disagree, because I think topics like nonlinear system should be better treated in a more contemporary method, e.g. in the book: Classical Dynamics: a contemporary approach.

You may feel that the book is a bit too old, since it is first published in 1977. But come on, the subject is Classical dynamics, on which a book can never be too old to read. Another overwhelming reason to own it is that it is priced at only 10.37USD. Can anybody convince me to give up this one and buy the 100USD Goldstein's book instead? No way, of course not.

A slightly different version of this review can be found on my web blog.

Excellent Supporting Book
This book is an excellent read, and it explains concepts with unusual clarity. I wouldn't suggest it as a main text, but it is an excellent supplement to others, such as Goldstein or Jose and Saletan. I found this little book explained many concepts far better than these "standards" that are used in most graduate mechanics courses. It includes many nice examples. It also includes the answers to the problems in the back. How often do you see that in a graduate level book? I also think it is an excellent read for physics graduate students, who are just trying to get through the comprehensive exam rather than master the details of classical mechanics.

From my experience with the book
Chronologically, "Classical Dynamics" was Donald Greewood's second major publication on Analytical Dynamics, covering more advanced topics than the ones in "Principles ofDynamics," whose firstedition preceded "Classical Dynamics" by some 12years.

"Classical Dynamics" is a somewhat more readable text,but just like its companion book, it fails to address issues like how onecan use Lagrange's equations (or Hamilton's, for that matter) to correctlyaccount for the effects ofnonlinear dissipative forces. Also, itstreatment ofvelocity-dependent potentials could be substantiallyextended, as could the chapter on Relativity.

On the other hand, thechapters on variational principles, the Pprinciple ofLeast Action,Hamilton's mechanics, and, above all, canonical transformations are anabsolute "must-read"!

An updated, extended second edition wouldbe most welcome now.

sometimes difficult to read, but the problems are excellent
This book can be compared with Walter Rudin's Principles of MathematicalAnalysis in that it is very terse and the reader must sit with pencil andpaper to fill in many details, both in the theory and example problems. Itis the case that this process actively engages the reader into the subjectand permits a deeper, fuller understanding than just reading the resultsand final equations.Having less detail in the theory is understandable,but I've found that the example problems are equally as difficult tofollow;this makes it increasingly tough to solve his problems (thoughonce I solve a problem, I feel a great sense of accomplishment) Onproblems:the problems are very well thought out and complement thetheoretical section of the text quite well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Raghu
One of the best book in fracture mechanics. Quality of the papers not in par with the price. Picture quality is not to my expectation.

An Excellent Book
It is certainly one of the best books on Fracture Mechanics. The book is very well structured for graduate level courses. Also, unlike a lot of books on Fracture Mechanics, the concepts are presented with an emphasis ontheir practical applications. ... Read more

Product Description
Never HIGHLIGHT a Book Again!Virtually all testable terms, concepts, persons, places, and events are included. Cram101 Textbook Outlines gives all of the outlines, highlights, notes for your textbook with optional online practice tests. Only Cram101 Out ... Read more

Product Description
This book has sufficient material for two full-length semester courses in advanced engineering dynamics. As such it contains two tracks (which overlap in places). During the first course a Newton-Euler approach is used, followed by a Lagrangian approach in the second. In discussing rotations for the second course, time constraints permit a detailed discussion of only the Euler angle parameterization of a rotation tensor from Chapter 6 and a brief mention of the examples on rigid body dynamics discussed in Chapter 9. The text includes invaluable exercises at the end of each chapter that are highly structured and intended as a self-study aid. Validated solutions are provided, many of which can be performed in simulation using MATLAB® or Mathematica®. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a model of good engineering textbook writing
This is a very well-written textbook on mechanics written by an authority in the field. To be frank, most of the newer texts on mechanics for engineers I have come across fall short of the mark for various reasons. Also, many new books are rushed to press and contain numerous typos.This book is an exception. Highly recommended for engineers who really want to know the deep connection between Newtonian and Lagrangiandynamics. Excellent! ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents the nonlinear theory of continuum mechanics and demonstrates its use in developing nonlinear computer formulations for large displacement dynamic analysis. Basic concepts used in continuum mechanics are presented and used to develop nonlinear general finite element formulations that can be effectively used in large displacement analysis. The book considers two nonlinear finite element dynamic formulations: a general large deformation finite element formulation and a formulation that can efficiently solve small deformation problems that characterize very stiff structures.The book presents material clearly and systematically, assuming the reader has only basic knowledge in matrix and vector algebra and dynamics. The book is designed for use by advanced undergraduates and first-year graduate students. It is also a reference for researchers, practicing engineers, and scientists working in computational mechanics, bio-mechanics, computational biology, multibody system dynamics, and other fields of science and engineering using the general continuum mechanics theory. ... Read more

Product Description
Revision of a classic text by a distinguished author. Emphasis is on problem formulation and derivation of governing equations. New edition features increased emphasis on applications. New chapter covers long-term changes in materials under stress. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Service
My book came within only a few days despite being shipped from Tawain.I was very impressed, and the book was in great condition!

Not Helpful - Except as a Footstool
I purchased this book for the first part of my Biomechanics class. We raced through the first 10 chapters, and each one was very difficult to understand. Fung skips steps in his derivations which, for an undergraduate, made studying more confusing and time consuming.

Probably the most frustrating part (at least for an engineering student) of the text is that none of the equations (except the ones from Chapter 1) are applied to anything. Not even for the problems at the end of each chapter. The book is just a long list of mathematical derivations regarding hypothetical blobs, I mean "bodies of mass", in space.

In summary, I wish this book had a lot more examples pertaining to applying all the equations written in this book. Perhaps application of these equations will be used in the second part of my Biomechanics class, where we use yet another Fung book. I hope so.

Not good for me
I am the matematican and I had to start learning C.M. from this book. And I didn't like it. First chapter is some very simplified approach to linear elasticity, but it doesn't developed any intuition and reading it was waste of time. Stretch tensor was introduced with avoided notion of polar decomposition. This presentation was far less intuitive for me. The linear algerbra behind primal stresses is described and computed in details, but nowadays the student involved in computer methods and engineering must know this things in my opinion. And the language is not instuitive: me, matematican, couldn't do most of exercises after reading chapter they relate to. It tasted like old-fashioned book.

What a great reference book
I thought that this book was a great reference source and it has come in handy for me many times.I would be willing to buy it if I could find a copy, unfortunately it is out of stock, so I will have to return to thelibrary every time I need it. ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents an introduction to the classical theories of continuum mechanics; in particular, to the theories of ideal, compressible, and viscous fluids, and to the linear and nonlinear theories of elasticity. These theories are important, not only because they are applicable to a majority of the problems in continuum mechanics arising in practice, but because they form a solid base upon which one can readily construct more complex theories of material behavior. Further, although attention is limited to the classical theories, the treatment is modern with a major emphasis on foundations and structure ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Excellent but...
I am of the school that there is no "best" book on any subject matter.Rather, the serious student should look fora spanning set of texts.

Defining "best" requires a point of reference and it it clear that a beginner is looking for something different than a researcher.

In any case, let me say that if you have taken a beginning course in continuum mechanics, this is an excellent second book.
To give this book to a novice and expect them to learn the subject would be like giving Foundations of Mechanics by Marsden to someone and say "go learn classical mechanics".


Of all the classics, I think it is best to start with Malvern. It is a good place to absorb the basics and learn index notation. It is the first book I would recommend.
Next, progress to Gurtin. The elegance and utility of direct tensor notationwill then become clear.Also be aware that Gurtin isa mathematician and approaches the material from the perspective of elegance as
opposed to physical insight.

Excellent but not necessarily for beginners
I am not one to normally write reviews, but I really don't think any of the others are quite accurate.

1) This is a very IMPORTANT book in the field. Almost anyone actually doing research that involves continuum mechanics writes in a style that makes use of Gurtin's notation key ideas and concepts put forward in this book.
2) This book is not necessarily the best to learn from. I would never assign this book as a text in a class I would teach.The compact notation is not easy for a student to grasp. Indicial notation is preferable to Gurtin's notation as a student gets a handle on simple things like how many equations in how many unknowns does this statement represent. I would however expect any graduate student in solid mechanics to be fluent in direct tensor notation.
3) This book is often very subtle and nuanced. It takes a deep understanding of the subject to really get this book. Readers who complain that the material is not deep enough are very mistaken. The simple analogy is in physics comparing F=MA to the sentence "Force is the time rate change of momentum". To someone who knows physics the sentence is much more conceptually complete and conveys much more meaning than the simple physics 1 equation. To the novice the sentence would probably not be very deep, and is probably useless at solving homework problems.

To sum up: If you are a researcher or graduate student who needs this book, you don't need this review. If you are a student seeing this material for the first time, purchasing this book will probably be a waste of your time. Come back to it in a few years. To students I would recommend: Continuum Mechanics for Engineers, Second Edition, or Continuum Mechanics

Objecton
Regarding math in this book, I compeletly disagree with the reviewer from Rotterdam. Gurtin introduces gradients of tensor functions in much more general way than many books on the cont. mech. He also introduces div,curl,outer product operations differently than just by giving appriopriate formulas with partial derivatives. So my match taste is compeletly different and I recommend this book.

WORTHLESS
This book could as well be sold in the 'cooking books' section. Does not delve deeply into the math and only provides clear-cut recipes. Does not inspire the reader to really think about the stuff. I would recommend this book to nobody.

Kalyana Babu
When I took a class on Solid mechanics, during the first few lectures the instructor (who himself is quite well-known) was literally chanting "Gurtin". When I read a couple of chapters myself, I understood why my professor likes this book.

Gurtin is internationally known for his contributions to Continuum mechanics. This is a very good book. The style is very good. Many journal papers on continuum mechanics and finite elements, cite this book.

Any one who want to get a thorough introduction to continuum mechanics should have this book. This book is also highly recommended to those who are interested in nonlinear finite elements.

The only problem with book is that it is little expensive (around $115). ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Obviously belongs to every theoretical physicist library
A classic which has been mysteriously unavailable since the late eighties is finally in the Dover's series.Given that, the low price, the role played by the author in many seminal results in exact solutions of vertex models, it should be in the library of every theoretical physicist.
As for myself I had pre-ordered itlong before it became available, having grown quite tired of thexerox copies of the impossible to find 1982 version.

Classic
After years of not being able to obtain this title, except by paying several hundred dollars to people selling used copies, it's finally available, and at Dover prices. Thank you Baxter for finally making this so easy to get! ... Read more

Product Description
For physicists, mechanics is quite obviously geometric, yet the classical approach typically emphasizes abstract, mathematical formalism. Setting out to make mechanics both accessible and interesting for non-mathematicians, Richard Talman uses geometric methods to reveal qualitative aspects of the theory. He introduces concepts from differential geometry, differential forms, and tensor analysis, then applies them to areas of classical mechanics as well as other areas of physics, including optics, crystal diffraction, electromagnetism, relativity, and quantum mechanics. For easy reference, the author treats Lagrangian, Hamiltonian, and Newtonian mechanics separately -- exploring their geometric structure through vector fields, symplectic geometry, and gauge invariance respectively. Practical perturbative methods of approximation are also developed. This second, fully revised edition has been expanded to include new chapters on electromagnetic theory, general relativity, and string theory. 'Geometric Mechanics' features illustrative examples and assumes only basic knowledge of Lagrangian mechanics. ... Read more

Product Description
Celestial mechanics is a classical mathematical topic that is usually presented to students in post-calculus courses. This text is suitable for a one-semester course on this subject, and is aimed at students of mathematics, physics, engineering and related sciences. The author shows, in a real-world context, how the tools of calculus, many invented specifically for use in celestial mechanics, can be put into immediate use. He introduces such topics as Fourier series, Laplace and Bessel functions and classical potential theory. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice to own a good math book of this type
I had read some of this book as a library book first and wanted it for my own!It isn't obvious from the title that it is a MATH BOOK at first, but considering it does say "Mechanics", there is a hint.It is a very good review of that part of math that one may not get in a regular Physics schooling or Math degree.It truly covers the stuff that is involved with plantery orbits (and even their perturbations), ie: Rotating Coordinates, Central Forces and Inverse Square Law.Fourier series, Bessel and Legendre functions and other studies of classical potential theory are a main theme.Grossman builds upon a students knoledge of calculus and develops towards his love of celestial mechanics as a study of love of the joy of applicable mathematics. J.E. Lear ... Read more

Product Description
This introductory textbook contains over 190 problems and numerous worked examples. Both the problem of motion and the concept of inertial frames are tackled from the beginning of the work, and are used as themes that run through the book's entire development of classical mechanics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The basic things that make the big problems.
It grieves me to see that this book is no longer available. I consider it by far the best physics textbook I've ever worked through. It's topic is old, well known , comfortable Newtonian Mechanics, covered thoroughly together with side material that might be useful (for instance , a brief review of the geometry of conic sections in the chapter on planetary motion).
Newtonian Mechanics is the big paradigm in physics, our physical intution is deeply rooted in it, and even if mastering it is of little avail even for many practicing physicist now a days, what we feel we understand, we do because we can see it in some newtonian, mechanical analogy. Thus to develop a strong feeling and a good understanding of Newtonian Mechanics is essential, and this book doesa unique job in guiding the student to develop intuition, sharp problem solving skills , and understanding for the conceptual problems which arise in Newtonian Mechanics, problems like the origin of inertia, which are still more than open. It troubles me to see studentscross out inertial mass aginst gravitational math without a minute thought, like if tacitly invoking a Biblical truth, and it troubles me more that Professors don't care either. This is not to say that this book will take you from Newtonian Mechanics to General Relativity. Yet students using it will both learn all they need to be the best problem solvers they can wish to be, and will also understand clearly why and where Newtonian Mechanics needs revision , improvement, or points to deep physical problems that are still open questions.
This book should be the standard by which all physics manuals should be measured, and all that I know but Feynman would fail miserably. ... Read more