Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition (In a nutshell)
M**S
Not for dummies.
I was tempted to give this book four stars, simply to stand out among the sea of five star reviews, but I cannot, for this book truly is deserving of five stars. This is indeed a wonderful book, though it is not the mythic "one field theory text you will ever need" or the book that can make Sarah Palin understand instantons.This book covers quite a bit of ground, but that does not mean it is shallow. I've read some crap textbooks whose authors try to cram every topic under the sun into the table of contents, but do nothing to convey any real understanding (I'm looking at you Professor Kaku). This book is at the other end of the spectrum.In physics identifying the truly interesting questions usually proves to be more difficult than performing the calculations, and what this book does really well is show what the interesting questions are and why they are interesting. If the calculational details Zee presents are too sparse, and I think they are in a few places, you can always find more information on the interwebs.I especially liked the occasional jabs Zee takes at those types who like to whine about a lack of rigor. To paraphrase the world's most interesting man, there is a time and place for rigor in quantum field theory. The time is never, I'll let you figure out the place on your own.
R**R
Both the narrative behind Quantum Field Theory and the mathematics sets this text apart.
I took QFT from Leon Cooper when I was a graduate student at Brown University working on my PhD in Applied Mathematics and I survived it with a good grade. Surviving is not understanding. I worked at IDA in Princeton and regularly interacted with Freeman Dyson but unfortunately never on QFT (or QED) since he was on the advisory board for IDA Center for Communications Research. My wife was a nurse at a retirement community and was assigned John Wheeler which afforded me interaction with him. But I talked to him about gravitation. So for 30 years I have struggled with getting a full gestalt on QFT. At age 64, in desperation, after reading some reviews I ordered Tony Zee's book. It has been completely transformative in my understanding the concepts and the narrative behind the equations in QFT. I heartily recommend the book and admonish the reader who is serious to work the exercises. Thank you Tony for this book and your kindly email interaction.
E**M
A pedagogical masterpiece
Zee's book is a stunningly clear exposition of quantum field theory that is packed with insight and nuggets of useful physics. There are three things that make Zee's approach extraordinary. (1) Zee breaks problems down into a hierarchy of complexity from baby, to child, to adult, and very quickly lets the student or reader grasp the concept, and then elevate it to the level of modern QFT. This is a spectacular way to let the reader climb the mountain of complexity. The section on Feynman diagrams is a truly beautiful example. (2) The second, and perhaps even more important tactic that Zee excels at is his masterful use of notation. Zee is able to dramatically reduce the clutter in the equations so that the mathematics and physics really shine through. Zee can really pack a lot in a little space just by using his approach to notation. (3) Finally, the material is presented in an efficient manner, without excessive verbiage. He really has a gift for writing textbooks.
L**G
A joy to read and absorb; has the same qualities that made the Feynman Lectures so great.
This is the book to get if you want a glimpse of QFT from a modern perspective. To fully appreciate what Zee has masterfully put together, you need to approach Nutshell with the right mindset. Though it is comprehensive, it is *not* a training manual to turn you into a whiz at calculating scattering cross-sections, or renormalizing loop diagrams, etc. But by the end of Nutshell, you will understand in broad strokes the conceptual framework that generations of theoreticians have applied to make calculations, and better appreciate the issues modern ideas (such as string theory, unification, etc) are attempting to tackle. The exercises are generally well crafted, and have a good spread in terms of their level of difficulty.At the outset, Zee assumes that the reader is familiar with graduate level quantum mechanics, Lagrangian mechanics, special relativity, and a healthy exposure to Green’s functions typically from an electrodynamics course, as well as rudimentary ideas in group theory.By the way, there is a (very) concise review of group theory in the appendices, and Zee has also authored a very excellent full fledged 'group theory for physicists' book. Knowledge of statistical mechanics will help make its analogy to QFT tighter, and the later chapters involving condensed matter systems more relatable. Having said that, a motivated reader can dive straight into the book without having the above prerequisites and pick up the material from other sources along the way. Being the second edition, there are no serious typos which would obscure the physics being put across.Zee’s QFT in a Nutshell was an absolute joy to read, and will prove to be an invaluable resource to students, teachers, and researchers alike.
F**O
Second Edition Better Than First
The First Edition already was a classic but Prof.Zee's Second Edition is even better. The First has 503 pp while the Second has 562 pp (in a larger page size) so the Nutshell has its own "Hubble law" but this means Prof. Zee has added much more important and current material. Now lest the reader be confused, I am a mathematician new to quantum field theory. But I have to confess I never expected to understand as I now do - and by p. 36 no less - why masses attract! If you understand a minimal of quantum mechanics and advanced calculus and you desire a deep understanding of the need to combine QM with special relativity this book is my recommendation for you to read. You will be introduced to the way modern theorists think about this subject.
A**R
Great for the experimentalist
Not a book for you if you haven’t had calculus and quantum mechanics, but if you’re comfortable with those, this is a great book!!Derives equations through the examples, doesn’t skip steps.
Trustpilot
1 month ago
5 days ago