Customer Reviews

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (Manchester Physics Series)

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This book is okay, but it's not phenomenal. It would benefit from a second edition to correct some of the typos, but given that the author is now deceased, that seems unlikely. If you are buying this book for a class, I recommend supplementing your academic arsenal with an additional text, perhaps "An Introduction to Quantum Physics" by French and Taylor. If you are simply looking for a book on the subject for your own personal use, I highly recommend looking at other texts instead.

If you like errors in essential parts of almost every problem, this book is for you. Nothing beats slaving for two hours before realizing it is the book, not you, that is wrong. You'll have at least 3 of these in every chapter. 5/5 for people who love needless frustration, can't recommend harder.

As with all scientific books, its suitability depends entirely on the reader's background knowledge of the subject.
For the reader with a solid background in classical physics, calculus, complex numbers and wave equations, this book is exactly the right level. The author begins with a discussion of experiments that cannot be explained by classical physics and then introduces the Heisenberg uncertaintly principle in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2 he dives right into the Schrodinger equation. He clearly describes various mathematical relationships in an easy to read manner. He also presents challenging exercises at end of each chapter for the more motivated reader. It is intended for use as a text book in a graduate or advanced undergraduate physics course. If you have the necessary background and want an introduction to Quantum Mechanics, you will find this book very readable.