Misner C.W., Thorne K.S., Wheeler J.A. Gravitation

W. H. Freeman, 1973, San Francisco, USA: Princeton University Press, 2017. — 1316 p. — (Series: Physics Series). — ISBN: 0716703440.First published in 1973, Gravitation is a landmark graduate-level textbook that presents Einstein’s general theory of relativity and offers a rigorous, full-year course on the physics of gravitation. Upon publication, Science called it “a pedagogic masterpiece,” and it has since become a classic, considered essential reading for every serious student and researcher in the field of relativity. This authoritative text has shaped the research of generations of physicists and astronomers, and the book continues to influence the way experts think about the subject.
With an emphasis on geometric interpretation, this masterful and comprehensive book introduces the theory of relativity; describes physical applications, from stars to black holes and gravitational waves; and portrays the field’s frontiers. The book also offers a unique, alternating, two-track pathway through the subject. Material focusing on basic physical ideas is designated as Track 1 and formulates an appropriate one-semester graduate-level course. The remaining Track 2 material provides a wealth of advanced topics instructors can draw on for a two-semester course, with Track 1 sections serving as prerequisites.
This landmark text offers a rigorous full-year graduate level course on gravitation physics, teaching students to:
Grasp the laws of physics in flat spacetime
Predict orders of magnitude
Calculate using the principal tools of modern geometry
Predict all levels of precision
Understand Einstein's geometric framework for physics
Explore applications, including pulsars and neutron stars, cosmology, the Schwarzschild geometry and gravitational collapse, and gravitational waves
Probe experimental tests of Einstein's theory