5 Physics Books You Should Read (Popular Science + Textbook Recommendations)
Books to read if you like physics! Whether you're interested in learning about different concepts in physics, or you want to learn the detailed mathematics behind ideas in quantum physics or relativity, here are my recommendations!
Affiliate links to all the recommended books down below!
My first physics book recommendation is a popular science book called "50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know" by Joanne Baker. This book was lent to me by my high school chemistry teacher when she found out I was going to study physics at university. It introduces 50 interesting ideas in physics, covering each one over a couple of pages. The explanations are succinct and engaging, and the "ideas" are spread over a large number of topics in physics.
My second recommendation is a children's book called "Dead Famous: Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe" by Dr Mike Goldsmith. This is the book that got me interested in physics for the very first time - I've even made a video about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysCyoJ0PEzs&t=70s The book talks about Einstein, his life, and his work in a very easy-to-understand way, and some of the physics concepts covered can be used as a nice stepping stone to delving a bit deeper into relativity.
My third recommendation is "How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog" by Chad Orzel. The premise is quite fun, with the author having conversations with his dog about quantum mechanics, discussing it in ways the dog would find enjoyable. For example, there is a whole conversation about whether the dog can use quantum mechanics to her advantage while chasing squirrels. And there's also a good explanation as to why this wouldn't work, and why quantum phenomena are only observable on very small scales.
My fourth recommendation is a more mathematically detailed book, called "Quantum Theory" by David Bohm. Bohm was a well known physicist who worked on different areas in quantum mechanics, and this textbook was written for undergraduate physics students. I still feel like this book (or many parts at least) are accessible to laypeople and non-physics students. If you know a bit of calculus, you'll be able to roughly follow a fair amount of the mathematics. (Apparently, Bohm became dissatisfied with quantum mechanics as it was then, after he wrote this book, and went on to work on some very well known theories).
My final recommendation is the most mathematically complicated book of the five. It's called "General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists" by Hobson, Efstathiou, and Lasenby. The reason I'm recommending this difficult textbook is because many of you have asked me some very deep, detailed questions about relativity. This book was the one my relativity courses at university were based on, and I used it as a reference many times during my degree. It starts out with the basic concepts of special relativity, and then goes into some very interesting and complex general relativity concepts.
If you'd like to get any of these books, check out the links below. They're affiliate links, so if you purchase anything through them, I get a small commission!
50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know: https://amzn.to/3hpyoCT
Dead Famous: Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe: https://amzn.to/2X8houh
How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog: https://amzn.to/3A3Bunn
Quantum Theory: https://amzn.to/3BUdOT8
General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists: https://amzn.to/3C2PSNw
Thanks so much for watching - please do check out my socials here:
Instagram - @parthvlogs
Patreon - patreon.com/parthg
Music Chanel - Parth G's Shenanigans
Merch - https://parth-gs-merch-stand.creator-spring.com/
Timestamps:
0:00 - Physics Book Recommendations by Parth G
0:43 - 50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know (Joanne Baker)
1:45 - Dead Famous: Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe (Dr Mike Goldsmith)
2:37 - How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog (Chad Orzel)
4:08 - Quantum Theory (David Bohm)
4:47 - General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists (Hobson, Efstathiou, Lasenby)
Affiliate links to all the recommended books down below!
My first physics book recommendation is a popular science book called "50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know" by Joanne Baker. This book was lent to me by my high school chemistry teacher when she found out I was going to study physics at university. It introduces 50 interesting ideas in physics, covering each one over a couple of pages. The explanations are succinct and engaging, and the "ideas" are spread over a large number of topics in physics.
My second recommendation is a children's book called "Dead Famous: Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe" by Dr Mike Goldsmith. This is the book that got me interested in physics for the very first time - I've even made a video about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysCyoJ0PEzs&t=70s The book talks about Einstein, his life, and his work in a very easy-to-understand way, and some of the physics concepts covered can be used as a nice stepping stone to delving a bit deeper into relativity.
My third recommendation is "How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog" by Chad Orzel. The premise is quite fun, with the author having conversations with his dog about quantum mechanics, discussing it in ways the dog would find enjoyable. For example, there is a whole conversation about whether the dog can use quantum mechanics to her advantage while chasing squirrels. And there's also a good explanation as to why this wouldn't work, and why quantum phenomena are only observable on very small scales.
My fourth recommendation is a more mathematically detailed book, called "Quantum Theory" by David Bohm. Bohm was a well known physicist who worked on different areas in quantum mechanics, and this textbook was written for undergraduate physics students. I still feel like this book (or many parts at least) are accessible to laypeople and non-physics students. If you know a bit of calculus, you'll be able to roughly follow a fair amount of the mathematics. (Apparently, Bohm became dissatisfied with quantum mechanics as it was then, after he wrote this book, and went on to work on some very well known theories).
My final recommendation is the most mathematically complicated book of the five. It's called "General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists" by Hobson, Efstathiou, and Lasenby. The reason I'm recommending this difficult textbook is because many of you have asked me some very deep, detailed questions about relativity. This book was the one my relativity courses at university were based on, and I used it as a reference many times during my degree. It starts out with the basic concepts of special relativity, and then goes into some very interesting and complex general relativity concepts.
If you'd like to get any of these books, check out the links below. They're affiliate links, so if you purchase anything through them, I get a small commission!
50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know: https://amzn.to/3hpyoCT
Dead Famous: Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe: https://amzn.to/2X8houh
How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog: https://amzn.to/3A3Bunn
Quantum Theory: https://amzn.to/3BUdOT8
General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists: https://amzn.to/3C2PSNw
Thanks so much for watching - please do check out my socials here:
Instagram - @parthvlogs
Patreon - patreon.com/parthg
Music Chanel - Parth G's Shenanigans
Merch - https://parth-gs-merch-stand.creator-spring.com/
Timestamps:
0:00 - Physics Book Recommendations by Parth G
0:43 - 50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know (Joanne Baker)
1:45 - Dead Famous: Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe (Dr Mike Goldsmith)
2:37 - How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog (Chad Orzel)
4:08 - Quantum Theory (David Bohm)
4:47 - General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists (Hobson, Efstathiou, Lasenby)
