PHYSICS 405

Other useful books to read while studying this material

div, grad, curl and all that, by H. M. Schey [W.W. Norton, 1992]163p., paperback. It proclaims itself as "an informal text on vector calculus," which it illustrates via electrostatics.
This is surely the best book there is on this subject, trying hard to explain things in simple terms, many illustrations, and no more rigor than is absolutely essential. Nonetheless, it explains things in sufficient detail and with sufficient examples.
Electricity and magnetism, Edward M. Purcell [Berkeley Physics Course, Vol. 2; McGrawHill 1965], 459 p.
This is the second volume of an advanced-level, but introductory, freshman-sophomore physics program, once used at the University of California at Berkeley. It is very good with the things it covers; mathematics is strong, but, for instance, basically no differential equations.
Foundations of Electromagnetic Theory, Reitz, Milford, and Christy [Addison-Wesley, 1993], 630 p.
Has thoughtful and more detailed comments and discussions about the subtleties of the mathematics of this subject, in many places. Nonetheless, it is only a little bit more difficult than the text itself.
A copy of each of the three above are on reserve in the department office, for short-term borrowing.
Electromagnetic Fields and Waves, Lorrain, Corson, and Lorrain [W.H. Freeman] 706 p.
At this level, on this subject, this is the most sophisticated and rigorous textbook I know. However, that can indeed make it a very good place to go when other sources have failed you.
Electromagnetics, Schaum's Outline Series, by J.A. Edminister [McGraw-Hill, 1979], 202 p. with 310 solved problems.

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finley@tagore.phys.unm.edu		Last updated/modified: 16 January, 2005