Description

"A delight to read and provides such a firm foundation for further study in statistical mechanics that I, for one, will use it the next time I teach introductory statistical mechanics."

Journal of Statistical Physics (USA)

"This book could potentially take a place alongside the classic monograph of Landau and Lifshitz as a valuable reference tool. Ma's book will almost certainly provide a challenge to the intellects of a growing number of active researchers. The instructor who adopts the book as a primary text will welcome the generous number of problems that appear at the end of each of the 30 chapters."

Physics Today

"We liked this book when it first came out (and so we said in one of these reviews), and we like it even better now. It has pleasant probabilistic overtones and few pictures (which often in statistical mechanics are not a replacement for a thousand words, but for a lack of proof)."

Advances in Mathematics

This is a unique and exciting graduate and advanced undergraduate text written by a highly respected physicist who had made significant contributions to the subject. This book conveys to the reader that statistical mechanics is a growing and lively subject. It deals with many modern topics from a physics standpoint in a very physical way. Particular emphasis is given to the fundamental assumption of statistical mechanics S=1n and its logical foundation. Calculational rules are derived without resorting to abstract ensemble theory.