User:Aardvark/Read

A graphic showing the list's dependencies. Click to enlarge.

This list of books provides the most direct and rigorous route to understanding differential geometry. Each selection thoroughly addresses its subject matter. There are other books for more specific topics. These are the core. See the image on the right for a visual treatment of its dependencies.

The list does not need to be read linearly or only one book at a time. It is encouraged to go between books and read several at a time to acquire the necessary language and understand the motivations.

The "Royal Road to Differential Geometry and Physics" is the focus of the list. While on that track, you should refer to the "Fill in Gaps" and "Backbone" sections as needed.

The "Fill in Gaps" section covers the knowledge acquired in a strong high school mathematics education. Refer to it as needed, or begin there to develop your core skills.

The "Backbone" section supports the ideas in the "Royal Road". Refer to it to strengthen your understanding of the ideas in the main track and to take those ideas further.

The greatest hurdles are motivation and coming to understand the language of mathematics.

See also this list of videos.

Fill in Gaps

Basic Mathematics

Review of arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, logic, and geometry by Serge Lang.

Calculus

Overview of Calculus by Tom Apostol.

Royal Road to Differential Geometry and Physics

Sets for Mathematics

Categorical approach to set theory by F. William Lawvere.
Backbone reference:

Linear Algebra

Overview of linear algebra by Georgi Shilov.

Mechanics

Classical mechanics of physics by Lev Landau.
Prerequisite:

Backbone reference:

The Classical Theory of Fields

Physics by Lev Landau.
Prerequisite:

Tensor Analysis on Manifolds

Tensor analysis by Richard Bishop and Samuel Goldberg.
Prerequisite:

Backbone reference:

Lectures on Differential Geometry

Differential geometry by Shlomo Sternberg.
Prerequisite:

Backbone reference:

Cohomology & Differential Forms

Cohomology and differential forms by Isu Vaisman.
Backbone reference:

Backbone

Ordinary Differential Equations

Ordinary differential equations by Vladimir Arnold.

Set Theory and Metric Spaces

Set theory and metric spaces by Irving Kaplansky.

Foundations of Analysis

Analysis, intro to numbers, by Edmund Landau.

Principles of Mathematical Analysis

Mathematical analysis by Walter Rudin.

Topology: A Categorical Approach

Mathematical analysis by Tai-Danae Bradley, Tyler Bryson, Josn Terrilla.

Complex Analysis

Complex analysis by Lars Ahlfors.

Applications of Lie Groups to Differential Equations

Applications of Lie Groups to Differential Equations by Peter Olver.

Algebra Chapter 0

Algebra by Paolo Aluffi. Easier than Lang's, but less direct.

Algebra

Algebra by Serge Lang. The most direct approach to the subject.