Principles of Dynamics, Second Edition

Rating:
Summary: Not for the faint at heart
Review: Don Greenwood's "Principles of Dynamics" is definitely NOT one for the faint at heart. Reason why many frustrated readers/students balk so much at it, bash it so furiously.

What most readers -- especially students -- fail to realize is that the book, despite being in its second edition, retains a lot of the flavor of the first edition, written in the mid-sixties, using a language and references that most present-day computer-minded students really aren't prepared to appreciate...

Actually, even -- especially -- from the conceptual standpoint, it is a very difficult book to read. Greenwood's long "text-only" expounding of many topics throughout the book are hard to follow. One really requires some getting used to it. As a matter of fact, the extensive derivations -- which naive students complain so fiercely about -- are indispensable, since, without those, one can have little hope of grasping the full content of the discussions.

Unfortunately, regardless of its problem-solving approach, the book doesn't quite tell the reader "the whole story"... For instance, it does not teach how to address nonlinear dissipative effects via the Lagrange-equation formalism.

Nevertheless, the author's assumption (see the Preface) that "students using this text will have the academic maturity of first-year graduate students or of well-prepared undergraduate seniors" is a little too optimistic, at best. The book is written at a level which requires a great deal of abstract reasoning, which is by no means a characteristic of today's students, who are far more into computer stuff than into reasoning. Some previous, solid academic experience is needed before one can start to benefit from the book in all earnest.

Having taken several of Prof. Greenwood's courses, I still remember RATHER VIVIDLY how sore my first experience with the book was!... By and large, however, today, I must say, through being so precise, so accurately and scholarly written, it is proving one very valuable asset.

Rating:
Summary: Not for the faint at heart
Review: Don Greenwood's "Principles of Dynamics" is definitely NOT one for the faint at heart. Reason why many frustrated readers/students balk so much at it, bash it so furiously.

What most readers -- especially students -- fail to realize is that the book, despite being in its second edition, retains a lot of the flavor of the first edition, written in the mid-sixties, using a language and references that most present-day computer-minded students really aren't prepared to appreciate...

Actually, even -- especially -- from the conceptual standpoint, it is a very difficult book to read. Greenwood's long "text-only" expounding of many topics throughout the book are hard to follow. One really requires some getting used to it. As a matter of fact, the extensive derivations -- which naive students complain so fiercely about -- are indispensable, since, without those, one can have little hope of grasping the full content of the discussions.

Unfortunately, regardless of its problem-solving approach, the book doesn't quite tell the reader "the whole story"... For instance, it does not teach how to address nonlinear dissipative effects via the Lagrange-equation formalism.

Nevertheless, the author's assumption (see the Preface) that "students using this text will have the academic maturity of first-year graduate students or of well-prepared undergraduate seniors" is a little too optimistic, at best. The book is written at a level which requires a great deal of abstract reasoning, which is by no means a characteristic of today's students, who are far more into computer stuff than into reasoning. Some previous, solid academic experience is needed before one can start to benefit from the book in all earnest.

Having taken several of Prof. Greenwood's courses, I still remember RATHER VIVIDLY how sore my first experience with the book was!... By and large, however, today, I must say, through being so precise, so accurately and scholarly written, it is proving one very valuable asset.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read!
Review: People who criticize this book are people that have not yet learned dynamics. Though this book is not easy, neither is the subject matter. This book gives it straight. It covers certain subjects rarely found in other intermediate textbooks, such as the correct analysis of nonrelativistic systems with variable mass, and nonholonomic systems. The homework problems are perhaps the best intermediate-level collection ever assembled.

Rating:
Summary: you need to know the advanced..before reading principles....
Review: This is not the book that you search for if this is your first course in dynamics or even your first graduate course! . It was my text book in a dynamics grauate course, and I really found a hard time understanding the topics. I used to read other books searching for the idea of the topic and I really found it easier in other books.In my opinion,the only advantage of this book that it has wide range of problems (actually..most of them are very tough)which is suitable to study for a Ph.D exam!. HERE IS MY RECOMMENDATION....There is a new graduate level book called ANALYTICAL DYNAMICS by H. Baruh. I found Baruh's book the best and the most amazing book ever been & will be, in the history of dynamics! every single topic related to the world of dynamics has been introduced easily with very useful example(s). it also includes detailed advanced subjects with nice illustrations and examples...Do yourself a favor and go to Baruh's book..you will never forget my advice.