Learning Physics and its concepts have always proved to be such a pain for most of us. Physics is one of the most complicated and difficult subjects that gets repelled by most students. Many would admit that the subject is hard to learn and the concepts associated with it are difficult to get a grip on. But all that is possible if only you have the right book to study.
The role of books is crucial in learning literally anything and that’s a fact, but knowing just any book is not going to help you as much. It is important to have the right book with you when you are learning anything, the book that covers all the aspects, the book that is written from your level of understanding, the book that uses various techniques that facilitate the learning process, and all that.
Well, with this huge list, it could become really hard to find ‘THE BOOK’ for you, but don’t you worry about that because we have created a whole list of best physics books just for you so that you can find the right one for you.
These books are written by some of the great authors and present the concepts of physics in a highly detailed form. No matter for what purpose you are learning physics, these books will make sure you are clear about each and every aspect of the subject. So get ready to acknowledge the top 20 best physics books of all time.
1. QED, The Strange Theory of Light and Matter
QED stands for Quantum Electrodynamics in Physics, and the book is written by a famous Noble-prize winner physicist who is known in the whole world for his brilliance, Richard Feynman. The book was published in the year 1986.
The physicist has a special talent for explaining even the most complicated concepts of Physics to the people who have no prior knowledge of the subject and he has perfectly implied that talent of his in the book.
The book is written in everyday language so that everyone could understand it. Feynman has perfectly described each and every concept of physics associated with Quantum Electrodynamics in great detail using visualization and his famous ‘Feynman diagrams’. Instead of using advanced and complicated mathematics in his book, he has tried to simplify QED for the general public.
2. Reality Is Not What It Seems, The Journey to Quantum Gravity
Reality Is Not What It Seems is written by Carlo Rovelli, who according to the Times Magazine is the next Stephen Hawkings. The book was published in the year 2017. Carlo Rovelli is New York’s best selling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.
In his books, the author has brilliantly attempted to answer the questions about the reality of earth, elementary ingredients of the world, the existence of time and space, etc.
He has explored every corner of physics’s world with excellence and reading his books will be like learning physics in its purest form. Rovelli has explained how the reality of the world has changed over the centuries and what the scientists today see the world.
3. Gravitation
The book Gravitation is written by Charles W. Misner, Kip S. Thorne, and John Archibald Wheeler. The book was first published in the year 1973. As the name suggests, the book is totally based on Gravitation and offers a full-year course on the subject.
The book presents Einstein’s general theory of relativity in the detailed form. The book is an essential reading for the students and researchers who are doing their work in the field of relativity. As soon as the book was published, Science called it ‘a pedagogic masterpiece’.
By providing a unique approach to the subject, the book has influenced the way of thinking of numerous experts.
4. An Introduction to Statistical Learning
Released in 2017, An Introduction to Statistical Learning is authored by Gareth James, Daniela Witten, Trevor Hastie, and Robert Tibshirani. The book is all about statistical learning, as the name suggests.
It covers all the important topics relating to the subject including shrinkage approaches, classification, linear regression, resampling methods, support vector machines, tree-based methods, clustering, etc.
An Introduction to Statistical Learning uses various prediction and modeling techniques. The book has also introduced some real-world examples along with colored illustrations to present the methods. It uses a common language that is easily understandable by the majority of the audience.
5. Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering
Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering is written by Mattias Blennow. The book was published in the year 2017. It is written from the level of understanding of undergraduate and graduate-level students. Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering, as the name suggests, has used a mathematical approach for explaining physics.
The book has covered classical physics along with some advanced concepts such as the general theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, etc. It provides some great learning tools for the students so that they can get clearer upon their concepts.
6. What Is Real?, The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics
Published in the year 2018, What is Real? is authored by Adam Becker. It is a known and widely agreed-upon concept in the world of physics that Quantum mechanics is the most glorious achievement in the world of physics. And physicist, Adam Becker, through his book has tried to answer the questions relating to the subject.
What is Real? is a brave attempt to seek the truth about the varied concepts of physics and answering questions about quantum mechanics.
7. The Big Picture, On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
The Big Picture is written by Sean Carroll. The book was published in the year 2016 and instantly created a huge buzz in the physics world. Some of the greatest newspapers and media companies applaud upon the work of the physicist in his book and called it words like Splendidly Informative, Succeeds Spectacularly, etc. It became the instant New York Times bestseller.
Sean Carroll remains one of the greatest physicists in the field of science and he has brilliantly answered some of the most complicated questions in his book questioning the reality of the world and human life,
8. Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field, How Two Men Revolutionized Physics
Nancy Forbes and Basil Mahon through their book Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field have tried to explain how two men belonging to the nineteenth century have created some base for the works of some twentieth-century scientists to lay their work in the electromagnetic field.
The authors of the books have brilliantly written this book that glorifies the works of Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell, the two scientists who were separated by forty years have discovered the existence of electromagnetic field and achieved great heights in their area of study.
9. For the Love of Physics,
From the End of the Rainbow to the Edge of Time – A Journey Through the Wonders of Physics
For the Love of Physics is written by Walter Lewin, a great physicist who is known for ‘changing lives of people’. The author has literally changed the way how people see the world and physics. He is also famous for his video lectures in which he explains the wonders in the world of physics.
His book, For the Love of Physics, was published in the year 2011. Walter Lewin has answered one of the most controversial and complicated questions in his book. The author has become significantly famous because of his lectures and became a YouTube celebrity instantly.
10. Foundations of Quantum Mechanics,
An Exploration of the Physical Meaning of Quantum Theory
Travis Norsen, a great physicist, and philosopher in his book Foundation of Quantum Mechanics has explained one of the most ignored but important concepts of physics relating to Quantum mechanics. The book was published in the yea 2017. It proves to be one of the most important books ever written about Quantum mechanics, as the books explain the weakest area of the most population in a simpler language.
The book deals with explaining the quantum physics in its purest form and helps the students build a better understanding of the topic and get all their confusion cleared.
11. The Story of Science: Einstein Adds a New Dimension
The Story of Science: Einstein Adds a New Dimension is written by Joy Hakim and the latest edition of the book was released in the year 2007. The book shows us the world of science through Einstein’s eyes. It gives you an opportunity to get the perspective of the greatest scientist Einstein.
Einstein adds a new dimension deals in mainly two areas, the small subatomic world, and the universe. You will get to learn how the concepts of physics that were formulated earlier like the general theory of relativity, quantum theory, etc. became the base for today’s modern science.
12. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr, and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
Quantum is written by Manjeet Kaur who has brilliantly tried to explain the quantum theory of physics which is considered as complicated science. The facts associated with the field of quantum physics have been baffled scientists but Manjeet Kaur in his book Quantum has excellently written book has also focused on the great debate about the nature of reality between Einstein and Bohr along with explaining the fundamental scientific revolution.
Quantum impressed a lot of physicists and John Banville called it, “One of the best guides yet to the central conundrums of modern physics.”
Conclusion
Physics is a complicated subject, and its concepts are hard to swallow, but with the right book, you can not only develop an understanding of the subject but can also become an expert in it. The above-mentioned books are written by some of the great scientists and physicists who have contributed their years of works into their one book and passed along their knowledge to you.
I am sure there would be numerous other books about physics that are just as great as these are, so if you know any, let us know by commenting in the comment section below. Also, please share how you liked this article.
