[ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ]
    Search the FAQ Archives

Part1 - Part2 - Part3 - Part4 - Single Page

Top Document: sci.physics Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1 of 4)
Previous Document: Particle Physics
Next Document: Mathematical Methods (so that even physicists can understand it!)


General Relativity



1] The telephone book, er, that is, MTW, Meisner, Thorne and Wheeler. 
The "bible". W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco 1973

2] Robert M. Wald, Space, Time, and Gravity : the Theory of the Big Bang
   and Black Holes.
A good nontechnical introduction, with a nice mix of mathematical 
rigor and comprehensible physics. 

3] Schutz: First Course in General Relativity.

4] Weinberg: Gravitation and Cosmology 
Good reference book, but not a very good read.

5] Hans Ohanian: Gravitation & Spacetime (recently back in print)
For someone who actually wants to learn to work problems, ideal
for self-teaching, and math is introduced as needed, rather than
in a colossal blast.

6] Robert Wald, General Relativity
It's a more advanced textbook than Wald's earlier book, appropriate
for an introductory graduate course in GR.  It strikes just the right
balance, in my opinion, between mathematical rigor and physical
intuition.  It has great mathematics appendices for those who care
about proving theorems carefully, and a good introduction to the
problems behind quantum gravity (although not to their solutions).
I think it's MUCH better than either MTW or Weinberg.




Top Document: sci.physics Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1 of 4)
Previous Document: Particle Physics
Next Document: Mathematical Methods (so that even physicists can understand it!)

Part1 - Part2 - Part3 - Part4 - Single Page


[ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ]

Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer:
columbus@osf.org (Michael Weiss)

Last Update October 22 2009 @ 05:33 AM

Some parts © 2009 Advameg, Inc.