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Good books to read

I was just wondering if anyone could suggest any good books to read as I am planning to apply for physics, and natsci at cambridge. I have read a brief history of time, the universe in a nutshell, the elegant universe, the new quantum universe etc. And currently I am reading the fabric of the cosmos and the road to reality

Reply 1

-G-a-v-

What about 'QED' by Feynman?

Reply 2

Robob

cheers i've already read it, but i wud reccomend it too

Reply 3

mctcdc0710

"The first three minutes" by weinberg. It gets rather technical and boring sometimes but has a good view of it's subject (backround radiation, universe temperature fall vs time, some particle physics etc)

Reply 4

jpowell

Anything by Feynman, including the books that all physicists should read, The Feynman Lectures on Physics.

Reply 5

Ana

Any books by John Gribbin are excellent... try Schrodinger's Cat, and Schrodinger's Kittens :smile:

Reply 6

mr_tomus

Princess Ana

Any books by John Gribbin are excellent... try Schrodinger's Cat, and Schrodinger's Kittens :smile:

seconded, I like Michio Kaku books also. Hyperspace is good very thought provoking.

Reply 7

material breach

AMM

Anything by Feynman, including the books that all physicists should read, The Feynman Lectures on Physics.

You must be joking Mr Feynman I found more interesting and that isn't anything to do with physics. He led a very interesting life.

Reply 8

Robob

hmmm, I came across the feynman lectures on physics but some seem rather in depth, but im sure I'll read them some time, but I'm trawling my way through the road to reality at the moment so dont really have the stamina to read two indepth books at once. Good suggestion though they seem very interesting, might get them out of the library though, they're a bit pricey.

Reply 9

samd

I've just got:

Big Bang by Simon Singh.

& Six Not-So-Easy Pieces by Feynmann & Penrose.

I too plan to apply for NatSci (Phy) at Cambridge. Which colleges are you considering?

Reply 10

morals_officer

Try and search out some copies of Physics World magazine. Sould be some in your local library. It's more up to date than popular science books, and tends to be more interesting.

Reply 11

Robob

morals_officer

Try and search out some copies of Physics World magazine. Sould be some in your local library. It's more up to date than popular science books, and tends to be more interesting.

Thanks morals officer, err seeing as u also live in norwich, do you think that they'll have that magazine in the forum

Reply 12

KAISER_MOLE

ermm, Chaos, and anything on Einstein. I've got a few physics books that I might read also (QED, Quantum Universe, Cosmic Onion) ...currently reading the Mathematical Experience.

Oh yes, 'Poincare's Maps, Einstein's clocks' ...is a very dull book :p:

Reply 13

morals_officer

rpotter

Thanks morals officer, err seeing as u also live in norwich, do you think that they'll have that magazine in the forum

I've had a peek for it and not found it, but I'm 99% certain they'll have it somewhere, if it's not on display near the main bit. I mean, it's an official institute of physics publication so it ought to go out.

also, pick up things like New scientist every now and again, if you don't. there's usually up-to-date stuff in there. A few of my lecturers have written articles for it, like.

Thing is, reading "Schrodingers cat" is one thing, studying quantum physics is another! It's dull as a brick!