Bibliography of Classical Mechanics Texts

Classical Mechanics Textbooks

• Jerry Marion and Stephen Thornton, Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems. This is the primary text for our course. It does not introduce Lagrange's method until chapter 7. We will follow many of the topics in this book, but at a slightly different order. After a very quick review of Newtonian methods, we will jump into Lagrange's method, and then cover the standard topics that appear here. This book will have most of the required readings for the course in it. The 3rd edition is ON RESERVE.
• H. C. Corben and Philip Stehle, Classical Mechanics . This is a graduate level text. We will not cover anything beyond Chapter 9, except for a brief look at the topics in Chapter 15. ON RESERVE
• Keith Symon, Mechanics. This is another junior -level text for mechanics. I think it is too old-fashioned since it concentrates on covering everything with the old Newtonian methods before introducing Lagrange. You may find it to be a readable reference, but we will not be following its exposition at all. ON RESERVE
• Herbert Goldstein, Classical Mechanics. This is a traditional graduate-level course that begins with Lagrange's method and then introduces fancier topics such as Hamilton-Jacobi theory, Action-Angle variables, and canonical perturbation theory. It is an excellent reference book for anyone who is interested in further study of physics beyond the undergraduate level. It is too advanced and mathematically oriented to be used as a text for us. ON RESERVE
• Lev Landau and E. Lifshitz. Mechanics. This is the first volume of Landau's famous course in theoretical physics taken by every Russian physicist for the past 50 years. It is a very elegant, terse, and advanced text . There are solved example problems, that involve graduate-level work. It is a masterful work, but is also too advanced to be used as a text. Those interested in further study of physics, or in search of a challenge would be advised to pick up a copy of it. ON RESERVE
• W. Chester, Mechanics. This is a sophmore- level text from England. It is a solid text book, but it concentrates on using the elementary method throughout. I recommend it as a reference for solving complicated problems using elementary techniques.
• V. Barger and M. Olsson, Classical Mechanics: A Modern Perspective. This is another junior-level textbook. It is also a good elementary textbook, but does not use Lagrange's method.
• Alexander Fetter and John Walecka, Theoretical Mechanics of Particles and Continuous Media. A graduate-level text covering fluid mechanics as well as rigid-body mechanics. It is a good reference for the latter part of the course where we discuss waves and membranes.
• Edward Routh, Dynamics of a System of Rigid Bodies . This is the grand daddy of all mechanics textbooks. You will find many of the classic problems solved here, and you will find a lot of interesting history . The language and notation is VERY old-fashioned, so beware. This was the classic textbook back in the days when classical mechanics was all one needed to know to be a physicist. It is quite thorough.
• Edmund Whittaker, A Treatise on the Analytical Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies. Another textbook from the turn of the century. Very thorough and complete. Has many sample problems worked out. Once again the language, terminology, and notation tends to be old fashioned.
• Harold Crabtree, An Elementary Treatment of the theory of Spinning Tops and Gyroscopic Motion. This is the definitive work on tops and gyroscopes. It even discusses the mysterious rattlebacks we will see in the demo on tops.
• Jearl Walker, Roundabout: The Physics of Rotation in the Everyday World. Jearl Walker wrote the Scientific American's Amateur Scientist column for about 15 years. He included many articles on strange things that occur in classical mechanics. These articles are all excellent. I strongly encourage you to look at this book. ON RESERVE
• R. Weinstock, The Calculus of Variations. A Physicists approach to the calculus of variations. A very worthwhile book on this subject. ON RESERVE
• Wolfgang Yourgrau and Stanley Mandelstam, Variational Principles in Dynamics and Quantum Theory. Although this book is written by one of the most famous quantum-field theorists around, its introductory treatments of applications of the calculus of variations to problems in classical mechanics are very nice. It provides one with physical pictures to take with you when you learn about Feynman's path-integrals in an advanced quantum mechanics course.
• A. Sommerfeld. Mechanics. This is part of his series Lectures on Theoretical Physics. It has a rather complete discussion on tops. ON RESERVE
• E. Milne, Vectorial Mechanics. I think this is a remarkable textbook that introduces a easy to visualize method of solving problems that involve rigid-body motion. These techniques will be used by us when we cover rigid-body motions. ON RESERVE

History of Mechanics Textbooks

• Ernst Mach, The Science of Mechanics. This is one of the most complete histories into the logical basis of the field of mechanics. It can be dry at times, but it also is full of many interesting philosophical questions. Einstein is said to have formulated his theory of relativity because of the questions that arose to him after studying this work.
• Rene Dugas, History of Mechanics. This is another book that covers the history behind the development of mechanics. It did not influence Einstein like Mach did, but it is another fine book.
• Thomas Kuhn, Copernican Revolution. This is the final book on the history of mechanics that I will list here.