The Mechanical Universe: Introduction to Mechanics and Heat

I found The Mechanical Universe to be among the best texts on mechanics and heat that I've ever encountered. It is clearly written, gives background material on the development of the subject, builds student knowledge with logical development and orderly progression of subject matter. The inclusion of mathematical fundamentals is well advised. Too often, the student learns his mathematics in separate courses without a sense of its applicability in physics. In The Mechanical Universe, the applications are up front, which is very much to the student's advantage. Beyond that, the book has material not often found in physics texts. For example, I used material from the book's presentation of planetary orbits in writing my book, "Extra-Terrestrial Civilizations in our Neighborhood," which develops a serious estimate of the chances that at least one planet within a thousand light years has an advanced technical civilization. H. Richard Lukens, jr.