Fundamental Principles of Polymeric Materials

This is an excellent book for the novice--concepts are introduced at a leisurely pace and considerable time is taken to develop them. The tone is slightly casual, and the book as a whole is entirely unintimidating and accessible. Advanced concepts are absent (hence the "funadmental" in the title) so if you're looking to advance your knowledge to the next level, you'd be better off looking elsewhere. This is, however, one of the only textbooks I've owned that I've been able to read large portions of in a single sitting; I don't want to say it's like reading a novel, but it is as close as you're going to get with a textbook on rheology.