Questions tagged [books]
Questions in which books play a key-role, such as questions on antique books, e-books, difference between various editions of a book, etc. For questions asking for recommendations of books on some subject the tag textbook-recommendation is often more suitable.
175 questions
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Where can I find the book Haïm Brezis: Un mathématicien juif by Jacques Vauthier?
This year marks the passing of Haïm Brezis, and I would like to explore his life and work through this publication.
I tried to find it in several bookstores, in online format, but I really couldn't ...
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16
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2
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Identifying short introductory book on non-commutative geometry I read c.2008
I’m trying to identify a book I remember reading and enjoying in grad school around 2008–9; I’ve forgotten its author and title, and haven’t been able to find a book matching my memories in half an ...
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Old books you would like to have reprinted with high-quality typesetting
There are some questions on mathoverflow such as
What out-of-print books would you like to see re-printed?
Old books still used
with answers that tell us things such as:
Mathematicians prefer to use ...
148
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26
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Good "casual" advanced math books
I'm curious if there are any good math books out there that take a "casual approach" to higher level topics. I'm very interested in advanced math, but have lost the time as of late to study textbooks ...
195
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47
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Books you would like to read (if somebody would just write them…)
I think that the title is self-explanatory but I'm thinking about mathematical subjects that have not received a full treatment in book form or if they have, they could benefit from a different ...
252
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37
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Best algebraic geometry textbook? (other than Hartshorne)
I think (almost) everyone agrees that Hartshorne's Algebraic Geometry is still the best.
Then what might be the 2nd best?
It can be a book, preprint, online lecture note, webpage, etc.
One suggestion ...
195
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44
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Are there other nice math books close to the style of Tristan Needham?
I've been very positively impressed by Tristan Needham's book "Visual Complex Analysis", a very original and atypical mathematics book which is more oriented to helping intuition and insight than to ...
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Old books still used
It's a commonplace to state that while other sciences (like biology) may always need the newest books, we mathematicians also use to use older books. While this is a qualitative remark, I would like ...
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64
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Books you would like to see translated into English
I have recently been told of a proposal to produce an English translation
of Landau's Handbuch der Lehre von der Verteilung der Primzahlen, and
this prompts me to ask a more general question:
...
87
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61
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Favorite popular math book [closed]
Christmas is almost here, so imagine you want to buy a good popular math book for your aunt (or whoever you want). Which book would you buy or recommend?
It would be nice if you could answer in the ...
147
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43
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Where does a math person go to learn quantum mechanics?
My undergraduate advisor said something very interesting to me the other day; it was something like "not knowing quantum mechanics is like never having heard a symphony." I've been meaning to learn ...
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Undergraduate Level Math Books [closed]
What are some good undergraduate level books, particularly good introductions to (Real and Complex) Analysis, Linear Algebra, Algebra or Differential/Integral Equations (but books in any undergraduate ...
320
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22
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Why do so many textbooks have so much technical detail and so little enlightenment? [closed]
I think/hope this is okay for MO.
I often find that textbooks provide very little in the way of motivation or context. As a simple example, consider group theory. Every textbook I have seen that ...
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2
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A book about mathematical drawing on the blackboard
Several years ago, when I was just starting undergrad, I ran across an instructional text on chalking beautiful mathematical diagrams while killing time in the college library. In my infinite wisdom, ...
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Fiction books about mathematicians? [closed]
What are some fiction books about mathematicians?
It seems to me rather difficult for writers to create good books on this subject.
Some years ago I thought there were no such books at all.
There ...
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13
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Exposition of Grothendieck's mathematics
As Wikipedia says:
In Grothendieck's retrospective Récoltes et Semailles, he identified twelve of his contributions which he believed qualified as "great ideas". In chronological order, ...
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7
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Books containing new results
In Endless controversy about the correctness of significant papers, Denis Serre writes:
The research community is able to point out incorrect statements, at least among those which have some ...
86
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38
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Books about history of recent mathematics
I draw on this question to ask something that has always been a pet peeve of mine. It is very easy to find books about the history of mathematics, much less so if one wants books about the recent (say ...
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30
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A book you would like to write
Writing a book from the beginning to the end is (so I heard) a very hard process. Planning a book is easier. This question is dual in a sense to the question "Books you would like to read (if somebody ...
58
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15
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What are examples of books which teach the practice of mathematics?
One may classify the types of mathematics books written for students into two groups: books which merely teach mathematics (i.e., they present theorems and proofs, ready-made, as it were) and those ...
90
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8
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Books on music theory intended for mathematicians
Some time ago I attended a colloquium given by Princeton music theorist Dmitri Tymoczko, where he gave a fascinating talk on the connection between music composition and certain geometric objects (as ...
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15
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Statistics for mathematicians
I'm looking for an overview of statistics suitable for the mathematically mature reader: someone familiar with measure theoretic probability at say Billingsley level, but almost completely ignorant of ...
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53
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Free, high quality mathematical writing online? [closed]
I often use the internet to find resources for learning new mathematics and due to an explosion in online activity, there is always plenty to find. Many of these turn out to be somewhat unreadable ...
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8
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What is the point of reading classics over modern treatments?
There seems to be a good number of mathematicians who recommend reading "classic" works in a given field (where the term "classic" is in the sense defined below). Indeed, there are ...
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Where does a math person go to learn statistical mechanics?
The more math I read, the more I see concepts from statistical mechanics popping up -- all over the place in combinatorics and dynamical systems, but also in geometric situations. So naturally I've ...
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4
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What to do with a collection of theoretical math books?
My father had a Ph.D. in mathematics. He was a consummate mathematician and enjoyed reading about all topics related to math. He passed away a couple of years ago. I have yet to find a suitable place ...
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What out-of-print books would you like to see re-printed?
It's excellent news that the LMS are to re-publish Cassels & Fröhlich. There are many other excellent mathematics books which are just about impossible (or at least very expensive) to get hold of,...
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1
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Book on analysis and algebra at the undergraduate level [closed]
I am writing this post because I would like to know what are your references concerning math book showing the interplay between analysis and algebra at an undergraduate-advanced undergraduate level.
...
43
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16
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Essential reads in the philosophy of mathematics and set theory
I am graduate student and have a decent understanding of logic and set theory.
Recently I have got interested in the philosophy of mathematics and set theory. I have read a number of papers by ...
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7
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Learning mathematics in an "independent and idiosyncratic" way
This is a question about learning mathematics outside of the standard undergraduate/graduate education.
The following is a quote from Thurston's On Proof and Progress in Mathematics:
My mathematical ...
55
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17
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Computer science for mathematicians
This is a big-list community question, so I'm sorry in advance if it is deemed too soft but I haven't seen anything similar yet.
I've seen computer scientists post questions looking to learn things ...
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25
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Linear Algebra Texts?
Can anyone suggest a relatively gentle linear algebra text that integrates vector spaces and matrix algebra right from the start? I've found in the past that students react in very negative ways to ...
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34
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Are there any books that take a 'theorems as problems' approach?
Are there any books that present theorems as problems? To be more specific, a book on elementary group theory might have written: "Theorem: Each group has exactly one identity" and then show a proof ...
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17
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Good algebraic number theory books
I have just finished a master's degree in mathematics and want to learn everything possible about algebraic number fields and especially applications to the generalized Pell equation (my thesis topic),...
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26
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Text for an introductory Real Analysis course.
Any suggestions on a good text to use for teaching an introductory Real Analysis course? Specifically what have you found to be useful about the approach taken in specific texts?
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29
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Alternative undergraduate analysis texts
Other than the standard baby Rudin, Spivak, and Stein-Shakarchi, are there other alternative and comprehensive analysis texts at the undergraduate level? For example something that has general results ...
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Suggestions for a good Measure Theory book
I have taken analysis and have looked at different measures, but I am currently looking at realizing a certain problem in a different light and feel that I need a better background in various measures ...
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Book that shows a construction of ZFC with Calculus of Constructions
Is there any book that teaches the basics of Type Theory and Calculus of Inductive Constructions (CIC) and also shows a construction of ZFC (or preferably NBG) in CIC?
I only found the paper "...
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Classification of (compact) Lie groups
I would like to study/understand the (complete) classification of compact lie groups. I know there are a lot of books on this subject, but I'd like to hear what's the best route I can follow (in your ...
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Springer GTM Series statement of purpose (early editions)
Earlier editions of the Springer Graduate Texts in Mathematics series include a motivating statement about the purpose of the series. The current statement of purpose is as follows:
Graduate Texts ...
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Latest "A Term of Commutative Algebra" by Altman and Kleiman? [closed]
Where can I find the latest revision of A term of Commutative Algebra by Allen B. ALTMAN and Steven L. KLEIMAN? Is my 2013 version ok?
It is hard to locate the latest one; many old revisions and ...
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18
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Insightful books about elementary mathematics
What are some books that discuss elementary mathematical topics ('school mathematics'), like arithmetic, basic non-abstract algebra, plane & solid geometry, trigonometry, etc, in an insightful way?...
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How to buy Spivak's A Comprehensive Introduction to Differential Geometry
This sounds a bit stupid, but how can I buy Spivak's A Comprehensive Introduction to Differential Geometry (the third edition)? It does not seem to be available on Amazon (at least most of it is not ...
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Erratum for Cassels-Froehlich
Edit 25 April 2010: I have a physical copy of the new printing of the book. I can only assume the LMS is now selling it (but have no details).
IMPORTANT EDIT: THE RESULTS ARE IN! Ok, the deadline has ...
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19
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Good combinatorics textbooks for teaching undergraduates?
Hello, can anyone recommend good combinatorics textbooks for undergraduates? I will be teaching a 10-week course on the subject at Stanford, and I assume that the students will be strong and motivated ...
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Errata to "Principles of Algebraic Geometry" by Griffiths and Harris
Griffiths' and Harris' book Principles of Algebraic Geometry is a great book with, IMHO, many typos and mistakes. Why don't we collaborate to write a full list of all of its typos, mistakes etc? My ...
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What are good articles/books on the psychology of mathematical research?
I am thinking about advanced texts similar to Polya's 'How to solve it?'. Quite a few good articles of such a kind are published under Philosophy of Mathematics, but that dwells on a very different ...
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What is a really good book for complex variables? [closed]
I'm an engineering student but I self-study pure mathematics. I am looking for a Complex Variables Introduction book (to study before complex analysis). I have the Brown and Churchill book but I was ...
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14
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Research-level mathematical bookstores
I'm interested in compiling a list of bookstores around the world that stock a good selection of high-level mathematical books. The aim is so that a mathematician travelling, or on holiday, can easily ...
58
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12
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Homological Algebra texts
I would like to hear the communities' ideas on good Homological Algebra textbooks / references. The standard example is of course Weibel (which I'll leave for someone else to describe).
As usual, ...