Theoretical Physics by Joos and Freeman

Theoretical Physics is a translation of Lehrbuch der theoretischen Physik by the German physicist Georg Joos, which was published in 1932. The book was translated by Joos in collaboration with Ira M. Freeman.

The book and its translation are supposed among the most influential books in 20th century physics, since an entire generation of subsequently famous physicists were trained on it. Freeman Dyson, for example, claims to have learned most of the physics he knew at the time from reading the book in English translation. The book is said to be one of the best introductions to “classical” theoretical physics.

Given a reputation like that, I couldn’t pass it up. And it does not disappoint. However, it is very heavy reading, and quite possibly very boring to anyone who is not very interested in the state of theoretical physics in the middle part of the 20th century.

– davinci 11773