Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (1982)

too good ( )

I've never had this book required for a class, but it's a great reference. Where Brandsen & Joachain is a bit light on the math, Griffiths goes through lots of proofs which is very helpful in learning the physics of quantum mechanics. ( )

I don't like griffiths writing. His EM book is better than this one because if I'm not mistaken that is his pet field. I find him to be self-adulatory and annoying. This book is very much lacking on the quasiclassical prequantum material that led to the formation of quantum mechanics. David Bohm's book is far more comprehensive. French and Taylor's book is much deeper on physical insight, whereas griffith's book is mostly mathematics. This book left me unsatisfied and unconfident and unconvinced of quantum theory. ( )

It's the dead-cat book! I don't think I'll ever get tired of using the covers of this book to explain the Schroedinger's cat paradox to laymen.

This is a great introductory text. Also, Griffith's footnotes always amuse the hell out of me. ( )

Griffiths emphasizes drills in basic calculus and differential equations. You will do a great many integrations by parts and gaussian integrals in the first few chapters.

This is either a plus and a minus depending on your desires as a student, but there are many applications of QM that can be done with a
minimum of theory and Griffiths seems to emphasize those. For a deeper mathematical treatment, try Shankar.

Its major failing as a text is that it does not use Dirac's bra-ket notation extensively. Bra's and ket's are used widely in the quantum literature and the student should be familiarized with it straight off.