Analytical Dynamics: A New Approach

I ordered the book because I'm interested classical and analytical mechanics for years, and the book had 14 reviews - all with five stars. It supposed to be modern and innovative; I could not wait to get it in my hands. What a great disappointment! Out of 262 pages 70 is not even on the subject; they are devoted to linear algebra (vectors and matrices). Out of modern Analytical Dynamics it essentially covers only one subject: Lagrange equations. The partial list of absolutely essential topics missing from the book includes: Hamiltonian function, Hamilton equations, Poisson brackets, canonical transformations, variational principle, Noether theorem, Hamilton-Jacobi equation!!! As a trained physicist, I completely failed to understand what constitutes the advertized novelty of the book. It is also deeply puzzling how such an incomplete text could possibly receive so many highest reviews.

I took the course offered by Udwadia last semester because of the rave reviews I saw on the web. I thought they were too good to be true. So I was 'cool' to him at the start. But I was wrong, dead wrong! This guy is in fact even better than what the reviews say about him. He is SIMPLY SUPERB. His book is awesome! What I enjoyed most was the simplicity with which things are put. Each idea is presented as a simple, near-obvious idea, but the sum total of all these thoughts is amazing. What was most impressive was that Udwadia thinks in just the way he writes. He thinks along simple patterns. But there have been so many reviews of his book that there is little I can add to them, except that it truly, truly is an OUTSTANDING book. Those working in dynamics who have not read it are missing something, for sure. So let me tell you about the guy, a bit. He is the first Professor that I have met who had a welcoming look on his face when a student went to see him. Most of them can't wait for students to leave their offices! He has a tremendous sense of humor, in class he often took us from humor, to history, to philosophy, to math, to dynamics, along one continuous thread of thought. The guy is a genius, I think. I was continually bowled over by the breadth and depth of his knowledge, so unlike an Engineering Prof. I realized as the course progressed that the guy is deeply dedicated to teaching and helping students. He gave each student/student-group a 'semester project,' suggested the topic to most of us, and actually worked with each group of students on their projects. He even debugged my computer program. It took me quite a while to get over that because I have never had a Professor do that for me. I eventually wrote a manuscript with his constant help that I planned to send out for publication, and I naturally put his name on it. He removed his name, saying that it was I who did the work. What a shocker, from a guy who I know must survive in a 'publish or perish' environment. As I got to know him during our meetings I realized that this was an unusual person of the most unusual kind: exceedingly well-read, unusually helpful, a superb listener, and a person with enormous grace and dignity. He has standards of integrity that far exceed mine, and I suspect, most others I know. I always felt a sort of comforting presence when I was around him, and, as several others have said, I learned more from him, far more, than just analytical dynamics. He opened my eyes to the way we all should be. And for that, I will always be grateful. I just wish USC could clone a few more guys like Prof. Udwadia. One last thought: I wonder if he is religious. What religion? Does anybody know? I'd be interested to find out.

This is the best Professor I have ever had in my entire college education. He is just a wonderful person, extremely erudite, a superb mathematician, physicist, and a man steeped in the liberal arts. His teaching style is unforgettable. He is very clear in what he says, and he knows how to emphasize the key aspects in any given material. He struck me as an unusually humble person, always willing to learn from his students, which is something very refreshing to see. It is only when he starts to speak that you realize that this guy is a completely different type of person from the average university professor. His knowledge is amazing: philosophy, history, art, science, literature, it is simply baffling. I don't think I have ever met a man like him. What impressed me most were his human qualities: integrity, humility, and kindness. I think transferring these qualities to students is what education should be most about. USC's School of Engineering is one lucky place to have a guy like him on its faculty. His book is a mild reflection of him; his course is something more than that, because I am certain he puts in a lot of effort in preparing every lecture, and this results in 'teaching at its best.'

There is a lot said about this book already in the comments given by others, so I won't waste your time saying the same thing: THE BOOK IS A MASTERPIECE. GET IT, READ IT, AND ENJOY! What I want to say is that Udwadia's course is a million times better than his book. He is about the most well-read man I know. As a person he is just awesome! He is an excellent listener, unusually humble, ready to acknowledge a mistake (catch a Prof. doing that!), and has a spontaneous sense of humor that is difficult to match. His facility with the English language left most of us in the class just dumbfounded! He can weave words together like I haven't seen before. He is a mathematician, a scientists, a historian, a philosopher, and indeed an artist in the way he teaches. USC sure is lucky to have a guy like him on their teaching faculty.

This is a one-of-a-kind book written by two world-class experts in mechanics. The book gives fresh and original views of mechanics, and though it is an easy read, it has unusual depth, clarity, and simplicity. I have not found the material in this book in any other that I have read or taught from. The book gives new insights that are not only totally astonishing but of great practical value in modeling complex mechanical systems. I whole-heartedly recommend this short book to students, teachers, and researchers interested in the general area of mechanics as a 'must read.' They will find it a treasure trove of new and fascinating material. The other reviewers who also think the book to be outstanding are more than accurate in their assessment.