The Ideas of Particle Physics

I knew one of the authors (Coughlan) when we were undergraduates at the University of Western Australia. So it was with some interest that I went through this book. While I can't tell which was his contribution and which was the other author's, the combined effort is an elegant rendition of particle physics, circa late 1980s. A merit of the book is who it is pitched at. It is not really for a generalist outside physics. Rather, it seems best suited for the physicist (student or not) who is not in particle physics. Non-physicists may be surprised at this, but particle physics can seem strange and forbidding even to physicists. The text gives enough detailed physics to satisfy a physicist; that he is indeed getting enough of the real stuff to gain insight. While the title does say it is for scientists, I wonder a little about how accessible the book might be to a typical chemist or geologist.

This is such an up to date and accurate book I have never read a book that explains particle physics in such detail yet keeps the information understandable. If your are just starting out in particle physics read this book. It's brilliant!

Excellent use of figures and pictures in place of equations. Useful for an undergrad survey course, or as a reference for grad courses. Fred Olness, SMU