-------------------------------------------Some great Calculus and Physics books list -------------------------------------------All of the following books do a very good job of covering

the material, explain the subject matter well, have mathematical rigor, proofs for the most important theorems, challenging exe rcises, and are able to really teach Calculus I at a sufficiently high level. Each of the books listed below is able to enlighten, guide and inspire the reade r who is willing to put the time and effort into going through them: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1.Calculus by Michael Spivak (Updated in July 2008!): --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I can t praise this book high enough, to me this is THE calculus book. It has a great selection of topics, careful and extremely rigorous proofs, and i t goes well beyond the scope of calculus, so much so that a better title would be Introduction to the beauty of Real Analysis ecause it really bridges between calculus and more advanced real analysis, showing how beautiful mathematics is. Spivak literally guides you in a enlighten ing experience, discovering Calculus, starting from the properties of the number s and building on top of it. The examples are very meaningful, the explanations are clear, and the subject is so well presented and motived. It is, in my opinion, one of the most inspirational mathematics books I ve ever read . The exercises proposed at the end of each chapter test different levels of under standing and don t fail to challenge the reader on the subject. These are exercises which really make you feel like you are taking a second cour se on the topic. In fact, I d say that the exercise sections of this book are especially valuable, an d you re highly encouraged to work through all of them. This book is great for anyone who is serious about mathematics and who wishes to have a very solid foundations upon which to face the challenges of more advance d courses down the road. Spivak s book comes with a few selected solutions to odd numbered problems, but if y ou are self-studying or are disciplined enough, you may want to consider the ass ociated answers book (which by the way is in print, despite what Amazon lists on their pages). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2.Introduction to Calculus and Analysis, Volume 1 by Richard Courant and Fritz J ohn: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------a classical, well thought introduction to Calculus and Analysis in one variable, where explanations are very clear and the material is covered in a way which pr ovides a good deal of motivation. The approach is more practical and less abstract than other Calculus books, whil e conserving a perfect balance between mathematical rigor and intuition. This book comes with plenty of exercises that will reinforce the knowledge of th e student. The abundance of physics applications, make it ideal for physics majors and engi neers as well. This is the first volume of a trilogy republished by Springer, if you are seriou s about Calculus, you may want to also consider the other two more advanced volu mes: Volume II/1 and Volume II/2. An absolutely beautiful set of books.

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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3.Calculus, Vol. 1: by Tom M. Apostol: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------a very comprehensive book, methodical in the theorem/proof approach, adopted by many high-end universities as a first year textbook for courses in calculus or calculus and theory. Its coverage of the subject is impressive and provides a good selection of stan dard exercises. It is an excellent reference and textbook, albeit you may find it a bit dry and less inspirational than others at first, but you will eventually develop an app reciation of its teaching method. You may want to note that this is the first volume, and that the second volume i s also worth getting: Calculus, Vol. 2: Multi-Variable Calculus and Linear Algeb ra with Applications. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4.A Course of Pure Mathematics by G.H. Hardy: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------this is the 10th edition of a book first published in 1908 by the great mathemat ician G.H. Hardy. It is a classic textbook that brought much needed rigor, and reformed the way ma th was taught in the UK in the twentieth century. This book is intentionally written to address the brightest students of the tim e, therefore it is a very inspirational and enthusiastic piece of work with plen ty of elegant proofs and suggestions, and exercises that are definitely very cha llenging. For example, there are exercises coming from the Math Tripos examinations (at C ambridge) from early part of the last century, and they will definitely keep you busy for some time. Some notations are a bit outdated and it is mostly an introduction to real anal ysis that may be a bit too much as a first book. But this book is a masterpiece nevertheless, and it s a classic that as a mathematician you will want to have in yo ur library. I think it s ideal as a reference and as a supplement to other textbooks (e.g., Spi vak). More than just calculus, these also serve as introductions to Analysis, and in g eneral to mathematics at an undergraduate level. They are challenging, not for the faint heart, but ultimately a joy for math lov ers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5.Higher math for Beginners(Mostly Physicists and Engineers) by Ya.B.Zeldovich a nd I.M.Yaglom --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This book is a priceless pearl. A rare jewel. I was most fortunate to find this book in the early 1990's in sort of a book/textbook closeout outlet. It is the best math book I have ever seen. It is my favorite and I have always p rized it. With this clear and lucid book, you could teach higher math to grade s choolers. It is a joy to read. The authors make the subjects so much more readily accessib le and adsorbable. It is not really a text book, but the authors must have been incredible math and physics teachers.

I would have liked to have been in some of their lectures. Just note the number of four and a half and five star books by each of the authors. I collected many books on application of higher math to engineering and science. This is my favorite and the best I ever found. It is a shame you cannot find a math book written in the west that is as clear a nd lucid. I know part of the answer is in the way textbooks are sold to colleges in America. What does that say about the progression of math, engineering and science educa tion in America? The book provides a good survey from basic calculus to higher o rder math. Few math books that start at basic underlying math, derivatives and integrals g o as far as this one in higher math, and as compactly, densely and succinctly. I highly recommend this book. It needs to be in print. (Comment from amazon.com) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6.Richard Feynman lectures on physics All three volumes --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By the time you finish reading all the three volumes your have a rock solid foun dations in basic physics atleast. You can improve check your answers by working it out in a FREE mathematical soft ware called SAGEMATH --------------------www.sagemath.org --------------------online interface also available