Reading

"The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library." - Albert Einstein

Currently reading:

  • Real Mathematical Analysis by Charles Chapman Pugh
  • Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter
    A very lengthy book introducing various aspects of formal systems, the major results arising from Hilbert's Program, consciousness, as well as some interesting topics in Baroque music and art. So far so good!

Planning to read:

  • Thermodynamics by Enrico Fermi
  • Book of Proof by Richard Hammack
  • Algebra by Serge Lang
  • Functions of One Complex Variable I by John B. Conway
  • Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics by Vladimir Arnold
  • Mathematical Analysis I & II by Vladimir Zorich
  • Principles of Quantum Mechanics by Ramamurti Shankar
  • Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott
  • A Mathematician's Apology by G. H. Hardy
  • The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
  • Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Ludwig Wittgenstein
  • The Feynman Lectures on Physics by Richard Feynman

Finished reading:

  • Electricity and Magnetism by Edward M. Purcell & David J. Morin
    I chose this textbook as opposed to Griffith's slightly more popular "Introduction to Electrodynamics" as it introduces magnetic fields as a consequence of Special Relativity, an exposition which I thoroughly enjoyed. It also contains a brief crash course in differential operators as well as thorough and wordy explanations behind the consequences of the equations - very useful in an introductory text. After covering Maxwell's theory it briefly derives the existence of electromagnetic waves as well as the effects of electric / magnetic fields on matter.
  • Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler
    Eye-opening and rigorous treatment of abstract Linear Algebra with great exercises, which has helped me develop deeper levels of understanding behind some of the key structures in the field (yet also exposed just how much there is to learn - very much looking forward to Abstract Algebra and Functional Analysis!). The beauty of the duality between Dual and Inner Product Spaces as well as the Multilinear Form based definition of the Determinant stood out to me in particular. It may be wise for engineers to read a well-motivated introduction covering applications instead, such as Gilbert Strang's "Introduction to Linear Algebra", as Axler's rigorous approach requires a signficant investment of time to study.
  • The Character of Physical Law by Richard Feynman
    Although presented in a rather "pop-sciencey" style, it contains interesting discussions about the scientific method and the overarching conservation / symmetry laws. I particularly enjoyed the "Distinction of Past and Future" chapter, which explains the irreversibility of macroscopic phenomena as a consequence of thermodynamics / entropy. "I think that we are very lucky to live in an age in which we’re still making discoveries. It’s an age which will never come again."
  • Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard Feynman
    Fun anecdotes highlighting Feynman's extraordinary character and inspiring me to make the most out of life.
  • Classical Mechanics by John R. Taylor
    Great textbook covering topics from high-school in more detail such as conservative forces, oscillations, non-inertial frames as well as an excellent introduction into the Lagrangian & Hamiltonian formalisms.