Editorial Reviews
Review
'... this is an impressive book. It is notable for its consistent line of development and the clarity and insight with which topics are treated ... It is hard to think of a better text in an advanced graduate area, and it is rare to have one written by a master of the subject. It is worth pointing out that the book also contains a collection of useful problems, a glossary, and an unusually complete index.' Physics Today
'... the most comprehensive text addressing the discoveries of the superstring revolutions of the early to mid 1990s, which mark the beginnings of 'modern' string theory.' Donald Marolf, University of California Santa Barbara, American Journal of Physics
'Physicists believe that the best hope for a fundamental theory of nature - including unification of quantum mechanics with general relativity and elementary particle theory - lies in string theory. This elegant mathematical physics subject is expounded by Joseph Polchinski in two volumes from Cambridge University Press ... Written for advanced students and researchers, this set provides thorough and up-to-date knowledge.' American Scientist
Book Description
The two volumes that comprise String Theory provide an up-to-date, comprehensive account of string theory. Volume 1 provides a thorough introduction to the bosonic string, based on the Polyakov path integral and conformal field theory. The first four chapters introduce the central ideas of string theory, the tools of conformal field theory, the Polyakov path integral, and the covariant quantization of the string. The book then treats string interactions: the general formalism, and detailed treatments of the tree level and one loop amplitudes. Toroidal compactification and many important aspects of string physics, such as T-duality and D-branes are also covered, as are higher-order amplitudes, including an analysis of their finiteness and unitarity, and various nonperturbative ideas. The volume closes with an appendix giving a short course on path integral methods, followed by annotated references, and a detailed glossary.
String Theory: Volume 1, An Introduction to the Bosonic String (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)
String Theory (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics),Joseph Polchinski,P. V. Landshoff,D. R. Nelson,S. Weinberg,Cambridge University Press,0521672279,Mathematical Physics,Physics,Science,Science/Mathematics,String models,Superstring theories,Waves & Wave Mechanics,Relativistic quantum mechanics & quantum field theory,Science / Mathematical Physics,Theoretical methods
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