The Mathematical Theory of Black Holes (Oxford Classic Texts in the Physical Sciences) (Paperback)

by the late S. Chandrasekhar (Author) "In this chapter, we shall provide an account of the analytical methods that lie at the base of much of the developments that are to..." (more)
Key Phrases: imaginary eccentricities, scale along the coordinate axes, polar perturbations, New York, Nuovo Cim, Pergamon Press (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is no doubt in my mind that this book is a masterpiece. . .beautifully written and well-presented." --Roger Penrose in Nature


Product Description
This volume was written in 1983 when there was little physical evidence for the existence of black holes. Recent discoveries have only served to reinforce the elegant theory developed here.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 672 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 5, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198503709
• ISBN-13: 978-0198503705
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #334,231 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Thorough, August 9, 2002

By A Customer

I cannot give this book 5 stars because it is written in such a dry fashion that it is terrible reading, certain to put you to sleep. Nonetheless, I recommend it if you are a serious student of relativity because it contains everything you need to know about black holes and the mathematical formalism of relativity in general (i.e. good for study of gravity waves etc). While to read it from cover to cover would be an exercise in torture, it makes an excellent reference book.

4 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A goldmine of information, September 11, 2003

By	James H. McDuffie (Huntsville, Alabama United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First of all let me say that this book is a member of the hypersonic suppository school of presentation. I wish those that attempt to learn the tetrad and Newman-Penrose methods from this book only good luck. That said, this book contains the most extensive treatment of black holes I have seen anywhere. Period. The section in this book on Kerr black holes inspired me to seek and find a physically meaningful interior solution for the Kerr black hole. I have to admit it: the tetrad and Newman-Penrose treatments inspired me to master these techniques. In the long run that is what this book has done - inspired me. Anything by S. Chandrasekhar does that to me.