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A First Course in String Theory
An accessible introduction to string theory, this book provides a detailed and self-contained demonstration of the main concepts involved. The first part deals with basic ideas, reviewing special relativity and electromagnetism while introducing the concept of extra dimensions. D-branes and the classical dynamics of relativistic strings are discussed next, and the quantization of open and closed bosonic strings in the light-cone gauge, along with a brief introduction to superstrings. The second part begins with a detailed study of D-branes followed by string thermodynamics. It discusses possible physical applications, and covers T-duality of open and closed strings, electromagnetic fields on D-branes, Born/Infeld electrodynamics, covariant string quantization and string interactions. Primarily aimed as a textbook for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses, it will also be ideal for a wide range of scientists and mathematicians who are curious about string theory.
558 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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766 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 4, 2020
Forgot to close the book; read this as a supplementary material for gauge-gravity duality course back in Winter 2019. I only read this up to the part where Zwiebach proved that you need D = 26 for the simplest bosonic string to yield non-tachyonic matter.
I was reading this for two reasons: one to understand basics of light-cone quantization, and the other is to understand the simplest bosonic string theory (the "D = 26" case) that one tends to see in popular science texts even. I can see why people are "excited" over the notion of unifying theory; in this unrealistic toy model, the quantization of the string contains in its spectrum both the photons and gravitons (on top of others) almost automatically. The D = 26 constraint is to remove tachyons from the spectrum. Zwiebach did really well on this.
This book is accessible for undergraduates; when I started I could skim through a large part of it thanks to my undergraduate education. This book also makes clear that the notion of "branes" are not actually very alien; it's basically "walls" where you impose boundary conditions but are dynamical (it can absorb momentum). In that sense, it helps demystify some technical terms in string theory texts or AdS/CFT texts. Of course, this book is not good enough for research, but certainly useful e.g. when someone tries to read e.g. Erdmenger's Gauge Gravity Duality without string background.
I was reading this for two reasons: one to understand basics of light-cone quantization, and the other is to understand the simplest bosonic string theory (the "D = 26" case) that one tends to see in popular science texts even. I can see why people are "excited" over the notion of unifying theory; in this unrealistic toy model, the quantization of the string contains in its spectrum both the photons and gravitons (on top of others) almost automatically. The D = 26 constraint is to remove tachyons from the spectrum. Zwiebach did really well on this.
This book is accessible for undergraduates; when I started I could skim through a large part of it thanks to my undergraduate education. This book also makes clear that the notion of "branes" are not actually very alien; it's basically "walls" where you impose boundary conditions but are dynamical (it can absorb momentum). In that sense, it helps demystify some technical terms in string theory texts or AdS/CFT texts. Of course, this book is not good enough for research, but certainly useful e.g. when someone tries to read e.g. Erdmenger's Gauge Gravity Duality without string background.
June 24, 2010
Zwiebach's descriptions are concise and backed up by tonnes of detail. This is the kind of book that gets me to say things like; oh hell yeah, String Theory! As for the mathematical difficulty, Zwiebach's book is pretty self-contained.
However, this is an extremely difficult topic to tackle. I really feel that Quantum Field Theory is absolutely essential to understand string theory; this is how the theory was first developed. You really need to understand such things as BRST invariance and path integrals.
However, this is an extremely difficult topic to tackle. I really feel that Quantum Field Theory is absolutely essential to understand string theory; this is how the theory was first developed. You really need to understand such things as BRST invariance and path integrals.
January 14, 2019
Comprehensive introduction to String theory. Zwiebach is a great professor, his online Quantum mechanics can tell you that even without going to tough subject like string theory. This book is standard book for all departments that gives a trial of giving a string theory at advanced undergraduate or first year graduate course. It is self contained and covers the basics of the string theory that can help you go through the advanced concepts in more advanced textbooks like Joseph polshinski treaties about string theory. You will need a a very good mathematics and quantum mechanics background, things like group theory, linear algebra and Hilbert spaces should be a game to you.
August 10, 2014
A good attempt at a very difficult problem: to present string theory in a way that is accessible to people with only an undergraduate understanding of quantum mechanics. It succeeds quite well in this task and it allows the (sufficiently dedicated) reader to gain an understanding of some of the mathematics as well as the origin of the excitement behind the theory. By its nature, it cannot cover any of the most exciting recent work, but this should not be held against it. If you took quantum mechanics in college, and now later in life want to know what all the commotion about string theory has been for the past 40 or so years, this is the best place I've found to start.
August 11, 2020
Amazing. Will write the rest of the review when I get free
January 2, 2021
Liked the author's initiative of teaching intoductory string theory course to sophomores.
August 4, 2024
A great book to teach the basics of bosonic string theory, with useful chapters on many of the more advanced topics as overviews.
September 8, 2015
Sisotowbell Lane
Sisotowbell Lane
Noah is fixing the pump in the rain
He brings us no shame
We always knew that he always knew
Up over the hill
Jovial neighbors come down when they will
With stories to tell
Sometimes they do
Yes sometimes we do
We have a rocking chair
Each of us rocks his share
Eating muffin buns and berries
By the steamy kitchen window
Sometimes we do
Our tongues turn blue
Sisotowbell Lane
Anywhere else now would seem very strange
The seasons are changing
Everyday in everyway
Sometimes it is spring
Sometimes it is not anything
A poet can sing
Sometimes we try
Yes we always try
We have a rocking chair
Somedays we rock and stare
At the woodlands and the grasslands
and the badlands 'cross the river
Sometimes we do
We like the view
Sisotowbell Lane
Go to the city you'll come back again
To wade thru the grain
You always do
Yes we always do
Come back to the stars
Sweet well water and pickling jars
We'll lend you the car
We always do
Yes sometimes we do
We have a rocking chair
Someone is always there
Rocking rhythms while they're waiting
with the candle in the window
Sometimes we do
We wait for you
- Joni Mitchell
Sisotowbell: A word Joni invented in 1966/67. As she would explain on Philadelphia radio station WMMR in March 1967, she was writing a mythology, the names of its various members derived from acronyms based on descriptive phrases. There were, for instance, a race of miniature women, the Posall ("Perhaps Our Souls Are Little Ladies"), and men, the Mosalm ("Maybe Our Souls Are Little Men"). Siquomb was the queen of the mythology, her name meaning "She Is Queen Undisputedly Of Mind Beauty." Sisotowbell stood for "Somehow, in spite of troubles, ours will be ever lasting love."
Sisotowbell Lane
Noah is fixing the pump in the rain
He brings us no shame
We always knew that he always knew
Up over the hill
Jovial neighbors come down when they will
With stories to tell
Sometimes they do
Yes sometimes we do
We have a rocking chair
Each of us rocks his share
Eating muffin buns and berries
By the steamy kitchen window
Sometimes we do
Our tongues turn blue
Sisotowbell Lane
Anywhere else now would seem very strange
The seasons are changing
Everyday in everyway
Sometimes it is spring
Sometimes it is not anything
A poet can sing
Sometimes we try
Yes we always try
We have a rocking chair
Somedays we rock and stare
At the woodlands and the grasslands
and the badlands 'cross the river
Sometimes we do
We like the view
Sisotowbell Lane
Go to the city you'll come back again
To wade thru the grain
You always do
Yes we always do
Come back to the stars
Sweet well water and pickling jars
We'll lend you the car
We always do
Yes sometimes we do
We have a rocking chair
Someone is always there
Rocking rhythms while they're waiting
with the candle in the window
Sometimes we do
We wait for you
- Joni Mitchell
Sisotowbell: A word Joni invented in 1966/67. As she would explain on Philadelphia radio station WMMR in March 1967, she was writing a mythology, the names of its various members derived from acronyms based on descriptive phrases. There were, for instance, a race of miniature women, the Posall ("Perhaps Our Souls Are Little Ladies"), and men, the Mosalm ("Maybe Our Souls Are Little Men"). Siquomb was the queen of the mythology, her name meaning "She Is Queen Undisputedly Of Mind Beauty." Sisotowbell stood for "Somehow, in spite of troubles, ours will be ever lasting love."
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April 24, 2008interesting stuff, not yet finished reading
April 4, 2013
ack... I felt like Bill the Cat...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews