Lucid
This is an excellent introduction to statistical mechanics. Pathria is a physicist and the topics covered have a definite physics flavor (Bose and Fermi systems), which chemical engineers or chemists may not find engaging. However, the introductory material on the theory of ensembles (chapters 1-4) is excellent, does not require special background in physics, and is presented from multiple perspectives that help clarify concepts. I recommend Pathria as one of the most lucidly written introductory texts on stat mech. The historical development of statistical physics (in the introduction) is an added bonus. I have used this book as a resource, not as a standalone text, but keep in mind that if you are trying to learn stat mech on your own, you should be prepared to work with multiple sources. (Review based on the first edition of the book, reprinted 1982.)
Very complete
This is a good book for the graduate level student. It has discussions of many fine points that are glossed over in other books. It made me understand the importance of statistical mechanics.
Some good some bad. Says "obviously" and "clearly" a lot.
This book is no worse than most other grad-level texts...the writer is "obviously" and "clearly" brilliant, but that doesn't help me learn the material better. Pathria, like many modern physicists, is better at knowing physics than writing about it.
probably OK if you already know the material.
If you already know the material, i.e. if you have already had a graduate level course in statistical mechanics, this is probably not a bad book, but it is terrible to learn out of for the first time because it assumes way too much. It assumes that you have had graduate level courses in classical and quantum mechanics.
The text is too long and drawn out, a lot of words are wasted on pointless derivations, it takes a lot of reading to get to the point.
Worst of all, the text is if little use for solving the problems.
If you want to learn statistical mechanics, and do well on exams, I strongly suggest you take a look at Ryogo Kubo's book:
Statistical Mechanics (North-Holland Personal Library)
Kubo's text is short and to the point, lots of examples, and ALL THE PROBLEMS HAVE SOLUTIONS.
If you want to do well on exams, work the problems in Kubo, and study the solutions.
And better still, if you do get stuck using Pathria, Kubo is a great resource for solving the problems.
Sufficient, not exactly outstanding, but extremely self sufficient
This is a good book. As long as the person that picks it up is the audience that this book was meant for. It is not really heavy handed in mathematics. Quite clear and concise, as long as you engage the effort to work through it. The review questions are not exactly hard, just depends upon the amount of effort, from the previous line, engaged.
As a doctoral student and a lowly engineer, and not a whacko physicist (Don't get me wrong, I love physicists, they are just too brilliant to be described in mediocre effusion) this was the book I spent quite some time looking for.
Many other books, that I obtained, provide more of the author's personal research and efforts at generalization using complicated/esoteric mathematical frameworks which are not quite legible to non-math/app math/app physics people. And sometimes, the treatment is neither relevant to the purpose of a general textbook. I did not want to spend a month trying to learn what simple operators meant.
My objective was to dive into the topics that interested me the most. And this book has been, and is being quite good with that.
I refrain from 5 stars and give it 4 because there have been a few cases where the amount of effort spent in understanding some of the out-pops-jack-from-the-box equations (unexplained equations), which might be quite logical to smart people but not to me, seemed disproportionate to their final importance. e.g. the Langevin and fluctuation-dissipation explanations.
Another bone I have to pick with this book is that it does not quite build perspective/background well enough before diving into some concept. (For example, contrast with Morrison and Boyd for organic chemistry, another textbook, they spend days building perspective, but I guess that makes the book a back killer).
On the whole it is a book that gives you confidence as you sip coffee and stare at it staring back at you from your personal book shelf. :-) Cheers!
(15 reviews)
