RORI BOOKS

Best Calculus Book List

All of the books on this list are great, and if you read anyone of them you’ll really understand
calculus. Most people will get more benefit from these as a second course in calculus than as a first
exposure to the subject. Of course, some students could jump straight to these with no problem. It’s
up to you.
• Spivak, Calculus.
This is a great book for single-variable calculus. If you are an enthusiastic high school
student or an honors track freshman math major, this is the book I would absolutely
recommend. More than the others on this list, this book is fun, inspiring, and gives a sense of
how to enjoy doing mathematics. I think the other calculus books are great (and a better
choice for other types of students), but if you’re just starting out in abstract, rigorous proof-
based mathematics, this is the way to go. It will clear up the misconceptions you learned in a
first calculus class, and prepare you for undergraduate real analysis. The two major
drawbacks to Spivak’s text are that it only covers single variable calculus so you’ll have to
find another book for multi-variable. (Spivak did write a follow up, Analysis on Manifolds,
but it never felt quite like a true multi-variable calculus book to me, and I didn’t love it
overall). The other downside is that there are no applications of calculus at all. One last
upside to this book is that if you’re looking for the best calculus textbook for self study this
is a great choice since Spivak authored a solutions manual to accompany this edition and the
previous edition. You can buy a copy of Spivak here.
• Apostol Calculus – Volume 1 and Calculus, Volume 2.
As readers of the blog know, I’ve read these two volumes cover to cover and have done
every exercise. While Spivak is the calculus book I would recommend for high school
students and beginning college students, Apostol is the text I would recommend for students
with a bit more mathematics experience, or older students coming back to mathematics. It’s
not as fun and inspiring, but is comprehensive, rigorous, and complete. This is the best
calculus book for building mathematical maturity. It is like advanced textbooks in its
presentation: definition, theorem, proof. Learning to read this style of text is necessary for
every math student since virtually all upper level texts will look like this.
Many people find this book overly dry. Apostol also has a tendency to give difficult and
tedious calculation exercises in sections where he cannot come up with any conceptually
difficult exercises. Of course, doing a couple hundred of these will help you learn all of the
common trig identities and stop making stupid algebra mistakes. (Nothing is quite so
frustrating as spending an hour trying to figure out your mistake only to find out it was an
basic algebra mistake.) The other oddity here is that Chapter 15 and 16 of Volume 1 are
identical to Chapters 1 and 2 of Volume 2. So if you only want to buy Volume 1 then you’ll
get a bonus 2/5ths of an introduction linear algebra. (I’ve never been able to understand the
logic of this.) Despite these drawbacks, it is a fantastic book. If you read it cover to cover
(including the introduction to Volume 1!) you will be way ahead for both your future real
analysis and linear algebra class. Although Apostol did not write a solutions manual, if you
are self-studying you can always look at my solutions to all the exercises in Apostol. (Sorry,
shameless plug for the blog!) My solutions are not as good as the ones Apostol would have
written, but at least you can leave a comment and I’ll respond. These are great books. You
can buy Volume 1 here and Volume 2 here.
• Introduction to Calculus and Analysis, Volume 1,
Introduction to Calculus and Analysis, Volume 2, Book 1,
 Introduction to Calculus and Analysis, Volume 2, Book 2,
by Richard Courant and Fritz John.
This is without a doubt the best calculus book for engineers, physicists, or people looking
for applications of calculus. Physics, engineering, or applied math students who want a
rigorous calculus textbook with a lot of exercises showing how to apply calculus then this is
the best calculus book for you.
If you’re self studying, there’s a small catch. Originally, all of the solutions to all of the
exercises in this book were provided at the back of Volume 2. However, in the Springer
“Classics in Mathematics” edition (which is the only one currently available that I know of)
the solutions to Volume 1 are no longer included. So, the second half of Volume 2, Book 2
contains the solutions only for Volume 2. I’ve heard if you look for used copies of earlier
editions from the 1960’s and 1970’s it’s possible to find the solutions for Volume 1, but I
don’t know how easy that is to find. (Update: As pointed out in the comments on the main
best math books page an old solution set from Arthur Blank is available for free online
through archive.org. You can find it here.)
In addition to the problems with the solutions, this book has a confusing publication history
that I’ll try to clear up. The three books listed above comprise Volumes 1 and 2 of
Introduction to Calculus and Analysis (Volume 2 is split into two separate books). There is
an earlier, similar two volume textbook Differential and Integral Calculus, Volume I & II,
with only Courant as author, which was written by Courant in German in the 1930’s. These
two sets are technically different books, but are very similar. That said, the version you
want is the yellow one from Springer not the black set from Wiley. They are really almost
the same, except the yellow ones move a little further down the road of elementary real
analysis (and is cheaper for all three books versus the two volume Wiley classic edition of
earlier textbook).
• Hardy, A Course of Pure Mathematics.
First published in 1908 this is a classic by one of the masters of mathematical exposition. I
tried to read it in high school and failed. The book is absolutely rigorous, but I think hard to
read these days. Worth taking a look at. It was the Calculus book for several generations of
mathematicians. If you manage to read the whole thing, you’ll have my admiration. There’s
this gem from Hardy in the preface, which should give you a clue as to the intended
audience, “It is in any case a book for mathematicians: I have nowhere made any attempt to
meet the needs of students of engineering or indeed any class of students whose interests are
not primarily mathematical.”
It is in the public domain so you can get a free pdf on Project Gutenberg here. There’s also a
nice printed edition from Cambridge University Press available here.

Best Linear Algebra Book List

Linear algebra is incredibly important in both applications and pure math. If you stay in math
you’re going to learn and relearn linear algebra several times. (More advanced linear algebra books
will show up in the Core Subjects section.) These are the best linear algebra books for a first
encounter.
• Hoffman & Kunze, Linear Algebra.
Without any doubt at all this is my favorite linear algebra book. Also, my favorite book in
the entire “Basics” section. This book is really fantastic, and made a big impression on me. I
credit this book more than any other with helping me develop some mathematical maturity.
Maybe I read it at just the right time (I was about finishing Volume 1 of Apostol, but hadn’t
 read much else). It does way more than any of the other introductory linear algebra
textbooks I’m familiar with. Each chapter starts out gently and steadily increases in
difficulty level. The last section of some chapters can become particularly challenging. (I
had to skip the last half of Chapter 5 on the Grassmann Ring… Maybe I’ll get back to it one
day.) I also found the exercises in this book perfectly done. Each section contains a few
straightforward computations and easy proofs, and then another seven or eight challenging
exercises that force you to really understand the linear algebra you’ve just learned.
If you want a linear algebra book for self-study, this one doesn’t have solutions. I plan on
adding them to the blog, but that won’t happen until this coming summer (2016). (Yes, this
is another textbook I’ve read cover to cover and for which I’ve done all the exercises.) You
can get Hoffman & Kunze here.
• Axler, Linear Algebra Done Right.
This book differs from other linear algebra books in that it avoids determinants (almost)
completely. There is a certain logic to this: it focuses the text on the structure of linear
operators and finite dimensional vector spaces. It is clear and readable, and many people
really love it. I sort of like determinants, but this is still one of the best linear algebra books
at this level. If you are looking for a linear algebra for self study this book is widely used, so
you can find university course pages that will likely have a syllabus you can follow. The
latest is the 3rd edition which you can get here.
• Halmos, Finite Dimensional Vector Spaces.
Skinny little Springer UTM (Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics), first published in 1958,
this is an extremely elegant presentation. Of course, Halmos is one of the greater writers of
mathematics and it certainly shows here. However, this book does not cover the material of a
standard linear algebra class. Probably best as a supplement to one of the other books on this
list. (Or if you want to go into functional analysis, you should certainly read it.)
• Friedberg, Insel, and Spence, Linear Algebra.
This seems to be the standard choice for honors undergraduate courses in the US these days.
It is more challenging than the usual computational type introductions to linear algebra. If
you want something more applied and less theoretical than the above three books, this is the
best linear algebra textbook for you.

Books on Mathematical Proof Writing

Writing mathematical proofs is critical for every math major. Upper-division math is almost entirely
about writing proofs. The Calculus and Linear algebra books above are all proof-based, and
hopefully you’ve had some exposure to proof writing before starting. If not, the books below would
make very nice supplements. These are also great for anyone struggling in an analysis or abstract
algebra class with how to write math proofs. I was a teaching assistant for an “Introduction to
Proofs” type class at my university, and we used Velleman’s book. Most students really liked it, and
I think it did a great job of helping students figure out proof writing.
• Velleman, How to Prove It.
This is the best choice to learn to write math proofs. It’s great for everyone, but since
Velleman comes from a Computer Science background it might be especially useful for
learning proof-writing for computer science students. It starts out with sets and logic and the
basics of proof techniques. It also contains complete solutions to all of the exercises, so is
good for self-study. Either this or Hammack’s book would be a good supplement for getting
started with proofs, or for discrete math classes.
• Hammock, The Book of Proof.
 A really good book in this genre. If you’re having trouble transitioning to proof-based math
courses, or are self-studying math and realize you need more guidance on writing proofs,
this is a good book. The book starts out carefully defining notation, sets, and logic and
builds up to proof techniques and proof writing gradually. There are plenty of exercises in
the text, with solutions to odd numbered exercises in the back of the book. This is a really
good choice for aspirint math majors or for self-study.
• Aigner & Ziegler, Proofs from the Book.
If you are learning to write proofs, and trying to understand what mathematicians mean by
the word “elegant,” then examples of some of the most beautiful mathematical proofs
throughout history is enlightening. The book’s title is a reference to “The Book” which Paul
Erdos said contained only the most elegant proof of each mathematical theorem. Proofs from
the Book presents 44 theorems, many with multiple proofs that are some of the most
surprising, and elegant in mathematics. Go here if you want to be inspired by how beautiful
a mathematical proof can be. You can get the fifth edition here.
• Alcock, How to Study as a Mathematics Major.
Not strictly a book on proof writing, but this seemed like the most logical section to put this
in. Alcock’s book is intended to help students with the mental transition from computational
based math classes to abstract classes in analysis and algebra. I wanted to include it, because
it is a really nice book, and something I wish I’d had when I was starting to study abstract
math. It is well-researched and provides excellent insights in the way you need to think
about abstract math, and how it differs from lower division math classes. I highly
recommend this for math majors just starting with upper division or proof-based math
classes.

Best Combinatorics Book List

• Wilf, generatingfunctionology.
Engaging, fun to read, and filled with all sorts of cool ways to apply generating functions.
I’ve read this book cover to cover and have done all of the exercises, so I’m pretty familiar
with it. Exercises include lots of applications of generating functions in different areas of
number theory (analytic number theory being the most prominent) and in combinatorics.
There are also some exercises that develop applications to theoretical computer science.
(This would also make good preparation to read Analytic Combinatorics by Flajolet and
Sedgewick, which is an amazing book for both math and computer science students.) The
first three chapters are accessible to anyone with high school math. Chapter four does
require substantially more background (making use of basic complex analysis). Even
without getting into that, the first three chapters are great, and anyone who loves counting
things will find it a revelation (at least I did). For self study, the answers to all of the
exercises are provided in the back (I recall the solutions being a bit too terse for me to
always understand, but at least they are there). The third edition is available here while the
second edition is available from Wilf’s website which is being maintained by the Penn math
department (Prof. Wilf passed away a few years ago).
• Graham, Knuth & Patashnik, Concrete Mathematics.
I wish someone had handed me this book in high school while I was trudging through
whatever terrible AP calculus book we were using and reassured me that math can be
challenging, fun, and awesome. Really, everyone should find the time to read this book. You
won’t be able to do all of the problems since every chapters contains around 60-70 problems
from routine proofs and calculations up to open research problems. Although I’ve put it in
the Core Subjects section of the math book list, it is accessible to undergraduates, and even
to high school students with appropriate guidance. At some point I should make a sublist of
books every math major, grad student, or self studier absolutely must read. This book will be
 on the top of that list. Buy a copy here.

Best Set Theory & Logic Book List

Here are the best set theory and logic books I know of at the undergraduate level. There is more on
set theory and foundations (model theory, proof theory, etc) in the Advanced Topics section.
Set Theory
• Jech & Hrbacek, Introduction to Set Theory. This is the set theory textbook we used in my
undergraduate set theory class. I looked through several other set theory books, but this one
seemed like the best to me. It covers more material, and at a bit faster pace than some of the
books below. It should also be ideal preparation for Jech’s Set Theory, the bible of set theory
at the advanced level. This is definitely the set theory book I recommend.
• Halmos, Naive Set Theory. Another Halmos book. Elegantly written, and only weighing in
at only 104 pages, this covers the bare essentials of naive set theory. From Halmos himself,
“the purpose of the book is to tell the beginning student of advanced mathematics the basic
set theoretic facts of life, and to do so with the minimum of philosophical discourse and
logical formalism. The point of view throughout is that of a prospective mathematician
anxious to study groups, or integrals, or manifolds.” For it’s intended purpose it is the best
set theory book, but if you want an introductory textbook that prepares you for further study
in foundations, then choose Jech’s book above.
• Enderton, Elements of Set Theory. This seems like the most common choice for
undergraduate set theory classes. The last time I looked it was very expensive, and put me to
sleep in the library every time I tried to read it. Maybe you’ll like it more than I do.
Logic
• Rautenberg, A Concise Introduction to Mathematical Logic. Mathematical logic can be
tedious, but it’s worth learning, and Rautenberg’s book is the only one at the beginning
graduate level that I can really recommend. It’s also got a lot of material for those in
computer science and interested in computation. There’s a descriptive chapter on the
decision problem and automated theorem proving, and even something on non-standard
analysis. There are also chapters on logic programming, model theory, recursion theorem,
and Godel’s incompleteness theorem. The most comprehensive book I know of on logic, and
the best logic book for computer scientists as well as pure mathematicians. This is one I’d
really like to read cover to cover one day.
• Kleene, Mathematical Logic.
Substantially more introductory than Rautenberg’s book, a good textbook if you have less
preparation, but still want a “real” logic book. The second half of the book contains surveys
of the work of Godel, Church, and Turing. There’s also a chapter on Godel’s completeness
theorem, Gentzen’s theorem, Skolem’s paradox and nonstandard models of arithmetic.
• Ebbinghaus, Flum, & Thomas, Mathematical Logic, 2nd Edition. Standard logic textbook
for undergraduate logic classes. I’ve looked through it and found it unappetizing. A lot of
pushing symbols around without a lot of motivation.

Best Abstract Algebra Book List

Introductory
The Introductory section here is a bit of a challenge. I don’t like the standard “easy” undergraduate
abstract algebra textbooks (Fraleigh and Gallian are the most widely used) because I think they are
a waste of time. That said, Artin or any of the books in the Intermediate section are going to be a
challenge. Of course, challenging textbooks are the best way to learn, so here they are.
• Artin, Algebra. This blue book, now on its second edition, is a rather idiosyncratic
introduction to abstract algebra at the undergraduate level. It focuses heavily on linear
algebra and matrix groups. As you might guess from the number of linear algebra books in
the best math books list, I think this is a strong feature of the book. The standard material
from groups, rings, and fields is covered in the second half of the book, and from what I’ve
seen Artin does a good job with it, but I haven’t read this book as closely as some of the
others listed below.
• Armstong, Groups & Symmetry. A small Springer UTM (about 140 pages, if I remember
correctly) that serves as an introduction to abstract algebra. As the title suggests, it only
covers groups, but I think it does a really nice job motivating the idea of a group and getting
to non-trivial results. (I was the TA/grader for a one-semester undergraduate algebra class
taught from this text. The students seemed to like it and get a lot out of it.) If you’re
struggling with the other books on this list, I think this one is the most approachable and
should give some additional background to start one of the intermediate level texts.
Intermediate
• Aluffi, Algebra: Chapter 0. This is my favorite introductory abstract algebra book. Aluffi’s
game is to present abstract algebra at the level of Dummit & Foote or Rotman (see below),
but emphasizing category theory from the beginning. He does a great job of building up the
language of categories and then explaining how each new concept or structure in the abstract
algebra sequence fits into this categorical perspective. This book is also just fun to read.
Aluffi managed to write an abstract algebra textbook with a sense of humor. These days, a
working knowledge of category theory is pretty much essential to every graduate student in
mathematics, and I think it’s best to get started learning it right away.
One warning for this book. It is a bit harder than Dummit & Foote or Rotman. It’s meant to
be at the same level, but I think it is a bit more challenging. I can see using Dummit & Foote
for undergraduate abstract algebra classes, I have a harder time seeing undergraduates
handle Aluffi’s book without some prior exposure to the subject. This is an awesome book,
and if you’re looking for a graduate level introduction to abstract algebra this is definitely
the one to get. It’s available on Amazon here.
• Dummit & Foote, Abstract Algebra. This is the most popular choice for first year graduate
courses right now, but I feel like it was originally intended to be an undergraduate textbook.
It is certainly accessible to undergraduates, but contains enough material for a graduate
course. In addition to sections on groups, rings, modules, linear algebra, and Galois theory,
there are some extra sections in the last couple hundred pages (the book is almost 1000
pages, as seems to be the standard for abstract algebra textbooks) on algebraic geometry and
representation theory. The two biggest problems I have with D&F are that starting around
the chapter on modules (chapter 10) the exposition really drags. There’s so much talking it’s
hard to figure out which things are important and which are fluff. Additionally, they seem to
go out of their way to avoid universal properties. I’m okay with explicit constructions, but
I’d like to at least see the universal property.
The strongest point of Dummit & Foote is the exercises. Each chapter has tons of exercises
(I think there were almost 60 exercises on some sections) from simple computations up to
quite challenging exercises that development examples and extensions to the text. Also, this
is the best abstract algebra book for self study since the solutions to all of the exercises in the
first twelve chapters are available at the awesome Project Crazy Project. (Crazy Project was
 one of the primary inspirations for this website.)
• Rotman, Advanced Modern Algebra. To my mind this book is isomorphic to Dummit &
Foote. It’s approximately the same size (which is to say it is a brick) and pitched at
approximately the same level. Maybe Rotman starts out a bit more slowly, and avoids some
hairy complications in the early part of text (avoiding Zorn’s Lemma and noncommutative
rings until much later). I think the choice here really comes down to style. I prefer Dummit
& Foote’s. This is another textbook that is common for first year graduate courses in abstract
algebra, although I think it is quite suitable for prepared undergraduates.
Advanced
• Lang, Algebra. This is the only Serge Lang book you’ll find anywhere on this list because I
just don’t like Lang’s books very much. That includes this one, but it simply has to be
included since this is the bible for many algebraists. Lang’s book is absolutely modern in its
presentation, and I find it painful to read. This book does have exercises (unlike some of
Lang’s other books). One of the exercises in an earlier edition was “find a book on
homological algebra and do all the exercises.” Lang is not at all gentle, but if you actually
get through the book you’ll know a lot of algebra.
• Jacobson, Basic Algebra I, and Basic Algebra II. I really, really like this two volume set by
Jacobson. It is published by Dover so usually more reasonably priced than most advanced
math textbooks. (This two volume set should not be confused with the earlier three volume
set Lectures in Abstract Algebra, the second volume of that set is reviewed in the advanced
linear algebra books section.) Jacobson’s style takes a bit of getting used to: the writing is
very dense, and theorems and proofs are not always separated out from the main line of
exposition. Jacobson writes in paragraphs, explaining the ideas to the reader in English. Of
course, this is wonderful once you get into the flow of his explanations, but can make the
book difficult to use as a reference, and is probably not ideal if you’re looking for bite-sized
pieces you can digest.
The first volume contains the standard abstract algebra material: groups, rings, fields,
modules over PIDs in the first four chapters. The second four chapters of volume 1 contain
some nonstandard topics, which I thought were great. I especially liked the final chapter on
lattices and Boolean Algebras. There is then a bit of disconnect in difficulty level between
volumes 1 and 2. While I would say volume 1 is clearly meant as an introduction to abstract
algebra, volume 2 is at a substantially higher level of abstraction. It starts with category
theory and universal algebra, then gives the best treatment I’ve seen anywhere of the
structure theory of rings and fields. It’s a fantastic treatment if you like Jacobson’s style
(which, clearly, I do). Also, don’t let the reviews on Amazon or other places fool you. I think
at least two of the negative reviews on Amazon were from people who thought Basic
Algebra meant it was for middle school students. These are some of my favorite math books
and if you want to go further in algebra I highly recommend them. You can get Volume 1
here and Volume 2 here.

Best Topology Book List

This list is concerned with point-set topology. Algebraic topology and differential topology are on
the Advanced Topics page. The “Introductory,” “Intermediate,” and “Advanced” sections didn’t
make as much sense for this section. Not all of the books are at the same level, but the differences
between them aren’t so substantial as in some other areas.
• Munkres, Topology. The first-half of Munkres is the near-universal choice for
undergraduate topology classes. It is extremely readable, and is an excellent choice,
 especially for students still building up their skills in abstract areas of math. The first 75
pages are devoted to foundational issues in (naive) set theory, and then rest of the first half
goes on to cover standard material in point-set topology (countability and separation axioms,
the tychonoff theorem, metrization theorems, etc). I’ve only skimmed through parts of the
second half on algebraic topology, but didn’t like it as much, but if you want a quick
introduction to the fundamental group and Siefert-van Kampen, then you could read it here.
• Willard, General Topology. My absolute first choice for an introduction to general topology.
Willard is somewhat more sophisticated than Munkres, but covers a lot more ground in less
time. (For instance, Munkres 75 page introduction to set theory and logic is covered by
Willard in about nine pages.) If you have some exposure to topology and a reasonable level
of mathematical maturity then this is the best textbook to go to for a comprehensive
introduction to topology. It covers a lot of material and gives you a strong foundation for
later work in analysis. Also, as a topology book for self-study, I plan to add solutions to all
of the exercises to the blog starting in October of this year (2016). (Yes, this is another on
the list of books which I have read cover to cover and done all the exercises.) I really cannot
recommend this book highly enough if you’ve got sufficient mathematical maturity. This is
also published by Dover, available here so is not terribly expensive the last time I checked.
• Lee, Introduction to Topological Manifolds. This book is not actually a general topology
book, but it didn’t belong anywhere else on this list and it’s a fantastic book so it needed to
go somewhere. I’ve read this book from cover to cover and done all of the exercises and
think it has been hugely beneficial. This is not a substitute for a general topology book, and I
would recommend reading this roughly in conjunction with Willard (or Munkres) since they
really cover different things. Describing the content of the book in the preface, Lee says, “a
more accurate title for the book would have been Introduction to Topology with an
Emphasis on Manifolds… Perhaps the best way to summarize what this book is would be to
say that it represents…the ideal amount of topological knowledge that should be possessed
by beginning graduate students who are planning to go on to study smooth manifolds and
differential geometry.” This seems about accurate to me: it is not a general topology book,
but it is also certainly not differential geometry or analysis on manifolds. Anyway, it’s a
really great book if you’re already working on general topology and have an interest in
differential geometry (covered in Lee’s sequel Introduction to Smooth Manifolds). The latest
edition is the second and is on Amazon here.
• Kelley, General Topology.
This is the classic point-set topology book. I haven’t read it, but you might want to read it
for culture. I don’t know anyone who has successfully gotten through the whole thing, so
send me an email if you manage.
• Steen & Seebach, Counterexamples in Topology. Like Counterexamples in Analysis above
this is a compendium of pathological examples. This one is probably even more useful since
the variety of pathologies in topology is so immense. Some of the spaces that blow up
theorems you really want to be true are eye-opening. You can learn a lot from understanding
all of these things.

Best Real Analysis Book List

Introductory
• Rudin, Principles of Mathematical Analysis. The absolutely standard textbook for real
analysis at the undergraduate level. Known as “baby Rudin” in contrast to “papa Rudin”
(reviewed below), this is one of the books that every undergraduate math major must read at
 some point. There are easier books to learn real analysis from, but this is the one you should
try to use. I love this book. It presents the material cleanly and clearly and doesn’t distract
with extraneous details. That said, it isn’t going to hold your hand, and requires serious
work. Also, the exercises are extremely difficult, but if you can do them you really master
the text. As a real analysis textbook for self study, I think there are at least three full solution
sets available on line. If you’ve studied Apostol or Spivak thoroughly then you are ready for
baby Rudin. Some linear algebra at the level of Hoffman & Kunze might help, more for
mathematical maturity than for any specific material. The first seven chapters are a stream-
lined, elegant presentation of the fundamentals of elementary real analysis, chapter 8 gives a
quick introduction to Fourier analysis, chapters 9 and 10 introduce real analysis of several
variables, and chapter 11 introduces Lebesgue measure and the Lebesgue integral. Most
people find chapters 9 and 10 on multivariable calculus the weakest part of the book, and I
agree, but they aren’t bad. They are more useful if you’re already quite comfortable with
multivariable calculus and linear algebra and can translate what Rudin is saying into more
familiar language. Chapter 11 is not great, but gives you exactly the background you need to
start in on Chapter 1 of the sequel, Real & Complex Analysis.
• Apostol, Mathematical Analysis. This is the primary alternative to baby Rudin for
undergraduate real analysis books, and is the one my undergraduate class used. Readers of
the blog and of the best calculus book list know that I really like Apostol. As in his other
books, this one is comprehensive and rigorous. I think this book is slightly easier than Rudin
in that it provides more examples and explanation of most concepts. It also contains more
material, with a couple of chapters covering the basics of complex analysis (though not
enough to be a full-fledged course in complex anlaysis) and goes deeper on sequences and
series. For some reason though, I have to say I didn’t find this book as clear as Apostol’s
Calculus volumes, or as clear as baby Rudin. Maybe it was that the class I took out of this
book jumped around, so I never quite got into the flow of Apostol’s exposition. Still, it’s the
obvious alternative if you really don’t like Rudin’s style.
• Abbott, Understanding Analysis. A much more recent real analysis textbook than Rudin or
Apostol, this UTM from Springer is somewhat easier going than the previous two books on
this list, but still provides good coverage of elementary real analysis. If your background in
rigorous mathematics is not quite strong enough for Rudin or Apostol, or if you find the
style of those two uncongenial, this book is a nice choice. The downside to this text is that
while I think Rudin or Apostol will prepare you to skip straight to graduate level analysis (at
the level of Papa Rudin), you will probably have some work to do to prepare for graduate
level analysis textbooks if you learn analysis from Abbott. If I were teaching an
undergraduate class in real analysis in which the students had varied math backgrounds, this
is the text I would use.
• Gelbaum & Olmsted, Counterexamples in Analysis. A similar idea to Counterexamples in
Topology (reviewed in the topology section below) this book provides a list of all sorts of
counterexamples to things you want to be true in real analysis (but aren’t). The coverage
roughly corresponds to everything in the introductory real analysis books above, including
counterexamples in multiple variables and in Lebesgue integration. Definitely worth having
a copy to help clarify why certain theorems have the hypotheses that they do, and what goes
wrong when they don’t.
• An Anti-Recommendation. Lay, Analysis with an Introduction to Proof. If you’re trying to
learn real analysis, and still need an introduction to proof, then something has gone wrong.
This book tries to present elementary real analysis with exposition and pictures at the level
of a mainstream Calculus textbook. It covers less analysis than Apostol’s or Spivak’s
calculus textbooks, and does a worse job with it.
Intermediate
 • Whittaker & Watson, A Course of Modern Analysis. This is a classic book first published
in 1902, so the “Modern Analysis” in the title is a bit out of date. I’m not sure the
mathematics here is more difficult than the “Introductory” books listed above, but old books
tend to be harder to read today, and this is no exception. Still, this is a great textbook and
reference for transcendental functions. The book is divided into two parts. The first is a
classical introduction to analysis of both real and complex variables. It’s much more
concrete than most of the standard treatments today. The second part is the unique part, and
contains a wealth of material on transcendental functions that you don’t really see in typical
real analysis books. There are whole chapters on each of the special functions you always
hear about: the Gamma function, the Riemann Zeta function, the Hypergeometric function,
Legendre functions, Bessel functions, Mathieu functions, Elliptic functions, Theta functions,
and several more. I have this book on my shelf and keep trying to find the time to go
through some of these chapters thoroughly. The chapters that I have read are wonderfully
clear, and you actually learn to compute things, which I find to be a nice change of pace
from purely abstract treatments. Highly recommended if you have any interest in
transcendental functions. In addition to several versions available on Amazon, this book is in
the public domain and there is a free copy available from Archive.org.
• Wheeden & Zygmund, Measure and Integral: An Introduction to Real Analysis. This book
takes a much more concrete approach than the books in the advanced section below. It starts
out with integration on the real line, and then spends time building up the theory in

. This is also a rather gentle book (amongst real analysis books) in that it
methodically builds in abstraction rather than throwing you in the deep end right from the
start. This is a nice book to learn from if you find Papa Rudin a bit much at first. The authors
really take the time to explain things in some detail. A lot of people used this as a
supplement in my graduate real analysis to get a better intuitive feel for the abstract theory

by working in the more familiar case.

• Kolmogrov & Fomin, Introductory Real Analysis.
This seems to be the standard reference for real analysis at this level. I’ve looked through it
from time to time, but haven’t read it carefully. It didn’t excite me, but I’m not a future
analyst. The analysts that I know really like this book, and recommend that aspiring analysts
do all of the problems in here.
• Aliprantis, Problems in Real Analysis. I love books of problems when they are done well.
This one is done extremely well, and I absolutely recommend it as a supplement to any real
analysis class (or self study program) for books at this level or the advanced level below.
This is a companion to the book Principles of Real Analysis also by Aliprantis, but I don’t
think you need that book for the problems in this one to be useful. (I also wasn’t particularly
enthusiastic by the presentation in that book.) The problem book itself is extremely helpful
for making sure you can actually do things in the abstract real analysis books elsewhere on
the list. Of course, you can probably guess from my blog that I really like doing exercises
and having complete solutions to them.
Advanced
• Rudin, Real & Complex Analysis. I love this book for real analysis. It is relentlessly clear,
and the first half of this book remains the standard reference for real analysis fifty years after
the publication of the first edition (the current edition is the third, published in 1986). Real
& Complex Analysis is somewhat legendary for being difficult, but I don’t think that
reputation is deserved. It’s extremely clear and well-written, and it is broken down into small
sections each containing one result or idea so you can systematically work through each
 piece of the text. This makes it the best real analysis book for self study. Of course, the
book’s reputation for difficulty is not entirely unearned: the exercises are very difficult (or
they were for me). Other books have emerged for graduate level analysis (see below), but
this is still the best. Rudin covers more material, and I think does so much more clearly than
any of the alternatives. I strongly recommend this book as the place to go for real analysis. If
you’ve read baby Rudin or Apostol’s Mathematical Analysis thoroughly, then you are
sufficiently prepared to read this. If you want to be analyst then you should go ahead and get
a copy now because you’re going to need it at some point.
• Royden & Fitzpatrick, Real Analysis This is a big, fat, talky book on real analysis that
covers approximately the same material as the first half of Rudin in about three times as
many pages. This seems to be the most common choice for graduate real analysis courses
these days (based on an extremely non-comprehensive, non-scientific search of several math
department websites), but I think everyone would be better off learning from papa Rudin.
Not only is the exposition worse, but Royden tends to leave the difficult proofs to the
reader/exercises, while spending entirely too much time talking about the easier points. (If
the book needs to be three times as long, at least all that extra explanation could go into
more details on the difficult topics rather than spending time on the easy points.) If you’re at
US graduate program there is a reasonable chance this is the textbook you’ll have to use, so
here it is.
• Folland, Real Analysis: Modern Techniques and Their Applications. Another book that tries
to be an easier version of papa Rudin, this is the textbook my graduate analysis class used.
This one has the advantage of being much slimmer than Royden, but I found the exposition
convoluted, and like Royden, Folland tends to spend time talking about the easy points and
then waving his hands on the crucial, difficult points. I spent the first month of my real
analysis class trying to follow along in Folland before I switched over to Rudin and never
looked back. Other people in the class liked Folland more than I did, and if you don’t like
Rudin’s style then this is the next book I would look at. Anyway, you can get a copy here.

Best Advanced Linear Algebra Book List

A quote from my current abstract algebra professor: “Now, we’ll continue with more linear algebra,
and, actually, if you stay in math you’ll be doing linear algebra for the rest of your life.” The
importance of linear algebra can’t be overstated. These books are all good for a second course in
linear algebra after something like Hoffman & Kunze.
Introductory & Intermediate
• These are covered in the Basics section.
Advanced
• Roman, Advanced Linear Algebra. This is my choice for best advanced linear algebra
textbook. The other books on this list are closer to reference books rather than books you
can learn linear algebra from. The first couple of chapters are review if you’ve already had a
solid course in linear algebra, but it quickly picks up in abstraction. The first part of the book
proves the classification theorems the way you’ll see it done in abstract algebra, as
decompositions of modules over P.I.D.s. The second part of the book is a sequence of topics
in linear algebra including chapters on multilinear algebra, Hilbert spaces, applications in
affine geometry, and ending with a chapter on the Umbral Calculus. It’s a really nice book if
you feel like you need more background in linear algebra. The most recent edition is the
third which you can get here.
 • Brown, A Second Course in Linear Algebra. I’m not as familiar with this book as with
Roman’s, and it seems to be out of print (though, as usual, used copies can be had on
Amazon through the link above). One of my professors recommended this very highly, and I
do recall looking here for some material on normed linear vector spaces and on Banach
spaces that I was having trouble with in Roman (above). Anyway, worth a look if your
library has it, or if you can find a used copy on Amazon.
• Jacobson, Lectures in Abstract Algebra II – Linear Algebra. This is the second volume in a
three volume set of books on Abstract Algebra by Jacobson based on his lectures.
Ultimately, these three volumes were substantially reworked and became Basic Algebra I
and Basic Algebra II (reviewed in the best abstract algebra books section below). However,
this second volume has a much expanded coverage of just linear algebra and is a nice
standalone reference on the subject from the advanced algebraic viewpoint. I also really like
Jacobson’s style, but your mileage may vary. Some people find him too talky, and they have
a point, but it’s never bothered me.
• Greub, Linear Algebra, and Multilinear Algebra. These are the standard references at the
advanced level, and deservedly so. The coverage is comprehensive, but I wouldn’t want to
try to learn linear algebra from them.

Best Differential Equations Book List

I don’t have many differential equations books to recommend at this level. (I pushed books devoted
solely to PDEs into the Advanced Topics section.) I split them into only introductory and
intermediate. If you just need the basics, chapter 8 in Apostol, Calculus – Volume 1 and chapters 6
and 7 of Apostol, Calculus – Volume 2 contain introductory material and lots of problems.
Introductory
• Braun, Differential Equations and Their Applications: An Introduction to Applied
Mathematics. This is the only computational/applied book on differential equations I’m
familiar enough with to recommend. My current university uses this textbook in all of its
introductory differential equations classes so I see questions from it in the math help lab on a
regular basis. It is pretty good, and far better than the main alternative I know of (Boyce &
DiPrima).
Intermediate
• Simmons, Differential Equations with Applications and Historical Notes.Fantastic news!
This book is finally going to be back in print. CRC Press has indicated they are printing a
new, third edition, which they claim will be available in 2016. Everyone always
recommends Arnolds’ book (see below), but this textbook by Simmons is great. Maybe
people don’t know about it because it has been out of print for a while? Hopefully, that will
change with the new edition. This book is ideal for math majors or for applied math students
and engineers. It is a compelling read, and it is fascinating/inspiring to learn about the
problems people like Gauss and Legendre were working on that lead them to develop the
theory of differential equations. Often “applications” in math books end up being contrived
examples like “water is in a tank shaped like a right circular cone.” Having the historical
context and problems real mathematicians were working on that lead them to these
equations is far more enlightening.
Right now you can pre-order the new edition. I’ll try to update this when it is officially
released. (Leave me a note on the contact form if you see that it is out, but I haven’t updated
this.)
 • Arnold, Ordinary Differential Equations.
This is the differential equations book mathematicians always recommend, and it is a good
differential equations book. Much less applied than most, the focus is on the geometric
theory of differential equations including material on differential equations on manifolds
(which you’ll definitely want to know about later when studying PDEs). Obviously, I really
like the Simmons book above, but this is still a very nice book. If you want the abstract
theory of differential equations on manifolds and the whole bit, then this is your best bet.

Best Number Theory Book List

This is another section that I’m not going to divide into discrete difficulty levels. It was also
difficult to decide what belonged in Advanced topics and what belonged here. The division I chose
is that the books included below are the ones I thought could be profitably read by advanced
undergraduates, while the books on the Advanced topics list are ones requiring a graduate course in
algebra or analysis (or complex analysis) as a prerequisite.
• Hardy & Wright, An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers. This is the classic book on
elementary number theory, now in its sixth edition. Every number theorist I know has a copy
of this book. The prerequisites are actually very low: some exposure to calculus is probably
helpful, but not strictly required. However, low prerequisites shouldn’t be confused with
easy. The book is rather tightly wound and takes some work to read. Once you get into the
flow of it, and get the hang of Hardy’s style, it is full of great elementary number theory
results. One downside is that there are no exercises, but if you take the time to work out the
proofs to all the theorems, you’ll get a ton out of it. Although I highly recommend this book,
it really takes some dedication to get anywhere, so probably best for avowed number
theorists. A nice feature is that the chapters tend to be fairly self-contained, so you can easily
look up and read the chapters on continued fractions without having to worry about the
material in the previous chapters. Here’s a link to the latest edition which is really nice and
even has a forward by Andrew Wiles.
• Apostol, Introduction to Analytic Number Theory. Hey, another Tom Apostol book. Like the
others this one is rigorous and comprehensive and contains a lot of nice exercises.
Presumably this requires some amount of complex analysis as background, but I read it
before I knew much complex analysis and still got a lot out of it. This is a nicer primer on
arithmetic functions and the Riemann Zeta function. The primary goal of the book is to
prove the major analytic number theory results of the 19th century including Dirichlet’s
theorem on primes in arithmetic progressions and the Prime Number Theorem of Hadamard
and de la Valle Poisson. If you want a gentle introduction to the classical methods of analytic
number theory and the build up to the Riemann Hypothesis, this is a great place to start. If
you are self studying, I think there are solutions to most (all?) of the exercises online
somewhere.
• Silverman, Rational Points on Elliptic Curves. This is the undergraduate introduction to
elliptic curves which might help prepare you to read Silverman’s two advanced books on
elliptic curve, The Arithmetic of Elliptic Curves and Advanced Topics in the Arithmetic of
Elliptic Curves which are reviewed in the Advanced Topics section. This is definitely at the
undergraduate level and doesn’t require anything you wouldn’t have seen in a standard
undergraduate abstract algebra class. The main topics of the book are the Nagell-Lutz
theorem and the Mordell-Weil theorem describing the points of finite order and the finite
generation of the group of rational points, respectively. There is also a chapter on Lenstra’s
elliptic curve factorization algorithm. This is a new edition released in 2015, and it added a
chapter on elliptic curve cryptography. I can see this book making a good self study
 challenge for people in computer science that are interested in the math behind elliptic
curves, or wanting to get into cryptography. Of course, you’d have plenty of work to do after
finishing this, but it would get you started on the math behind those topics. Here’s a link to
the new, second edition.
• Ireland & Rosen, A Classical Introduction to Modern Number Theory. A common and good
choice for senior undergraduate reading or seminar courses. The first half of the book is an
introduction to elementary number theory, while the second half is mostly more advanced
topics in number theory requiring some abstract algebra. I think the first half is completely
accessible without much background, but the algebraic prerequisites definitely get higher as
the book moves on. There are nice sections on zeta functions, L-functions, algebraic number
fields, and elliptic curves. Definitely the place to go for a broad and modern introduction to
number theory if you have sufficient maturity to read it (or can develop sufficient maturity
as you read it to keep up). It also has a ton of really nice exercises. If I were looking to study
number theory at the graduate level (I’m not) I would probably try to read as much of this as
possible while in undergraduate.
• Samuel, Algebraic Theory of Numbers. A tiny sliver of a book translated from French.
There’s a new, very economical edition that has come out. My undergraduate algebraic
number theory class used this a few years ago and I had to hunt down and pay a fortune for a
used copy of the old edition. Anyway, since it is now readily available, there’s no good
reason not to have it. Algebraic number theorists tell me it’s by far the best treatment
available which only requires an undergraduate course in abstract algebra as background.
• Serre, A Course in Arithmetic. A lovely book on arithmetic by Serre. Apocryphal stories
about people mistaking the book for a book on elementary school arithmetic abound. It’s not
actually that hard though. There are two parts: the first part gives a classification of
quadratic forms over the rationals while the second part gives a proof of Dirichlet’s theorem
and contains a study of modular forms. I found the first part easier to digest, but I’m
decidedly more inclined to algebra than analysis, so maybe they are at the same level for
people with more balanced interests. There are no exercises, and the book is quite terse, but
unravelling what Serre is doing takes a lot of work. This is really at the edge of what could
profitably be read by undergraduates, but with some supervision there is plenty of accessible
material in here. It will certainly stimulate some development in your ability to deal with
tightly written books.

Best Complex Analysis Book List

Introductory
• Saff & Snider, Fundamentals of Complex Analysis with Applications to Engineering. This is
an undergraduate level introduction to complex variables and complex analysis. It’s heavily
computational, and the proofs of many of the main theorems of complex analysis are not
entirely rigorous. It’s designed for a broad audience and is a good place to start for applied
mathematicians, engineers, and physics stuff who need to know how to use ideas from
complex analysis to aid in computation. I think it does an ok job as an introduction, but if
you’re a math major you’ll need a lot more rigor at some point.
• Needham, Visual Complex Analysis. This is a very popular companion book for complex
analysis students. I don’t think you could use it as a primary text, but as a supplement it’s
great. Developing the ability to visualize what is going on in complex analysis is a big asset,
as your geometric intuition is a powerful tool. This is a really nice book for that purpose, but
I actually prefer the (for some reason much less popular) book by Wegert in the intermediate
 section below.
Intermediate.
• Ablowitz & Fokas, Complex Variables: An Introduction and Applications.
This book on complex analysis is written by applied mathematicians for applied
mathematicians (or applied mathematics students). The proofs are not completely rigorous,
but are not complete hand waving. The strengths are in the exercises and explicit
developments of how to applied ideas from complex analysis to solving real world
problems. Not for those going into a pure math phd, but if you’re in engineering or applied
math this is a good complex analysis textbook to choose.
• Wegert, Visual Complex Functions.
A great book! I really prefer this to Needham’s Visual Complex Analysis above. This book is
focused much more on visual representations of complex functions, while Needham’s is a bit
more elementary and spends a lot of time on the geometry of the complex plane. This book
aims to be a complete course in complex analysis presented largely through visual means,
particularly, phase portraits of complex functions. Although it is designed to be a self-
contained introduction, I think it serves better as a supplementary text, or as a review of
things you’ve already learned in complex analysis. Highly recommended if you want some
geometric intuition of how complex functions work.
Advanced.
• Freitag & Busam, Complex Analysis and Complex Analysis 2. This two volume set is my
top choice for learning complex analysis at the introductory graduate level. The first four
chapters of Volume 1 cover the standard complex analysis material everyone is expected to
know (though in my experience graduate courses never seem to explicitly cover) on

integration and differentiation in , analytic continuation, etc. The coverage is

brisk, but thorough. The second half of Volume 2 is devoted to topics in complex analysis. In
particular, there are chapters on elliptic functions and elliptic modular forms. I also think this
is the best complex analysis book for self study as complete solutions to all of the exercises
of Volume 1 are provided. Volume 2 probably belongs on the Advanced Topics list. It
contains an introduction to Riemann surfaces, abelian functions, and modular forms of
several variables.
There are some complaints about the translation from the German in some of the reviews
I’ve read. I’ve gone almost all the way through Volume 1 and have dipped into Volume 2
and haven’t noticed any problems. Maybe it was corrected in a later edition or printing? I
find the whole thing very readable and well organized and highly recommend the whole two
volume set. The latest english edition is the second (from 2011) and you can get both of
them on Amazon: Volume 1 here and Theory of Complex Functions and Classical Topics in
Complex Function Theory. Another two-volume set originally written in German. I think this
is a beautifully written book, and contains a rich historical account of the development of
complex analysis. The reason I prefer Freitag & Busam above is that I find Remmert’s book
harder to learn from. I think it might be a better book if you have the time to systematically
read it cover to cover, but the material is rather tightly wound, so it’s difficult to skim
through and pick up just the parts you need. If I had an intention of going into something in
complex analysis or complex geometry this might be the book I’d choose. More than any
other complex analysis book on this list, Remmert seeks to immerse you in the cultural
developments of the subject.
• Ahlfors, Complex Analysis. This is on every best complex analysis book list I’ve ever seen,
 and continues to be the standard reference for complex analysis at the introductory graduate
level. That said, it’s not a book I love. I tried to read it before I switched over to Freitag’s
books, and I can see why people like it, but it seems to me there are better, more modern
treatments available now. Anyway, I’m obligated to list it, and if you like classical books
with a concrete outlook, then Ahlfors is a good bet.
• Conway, Functions of One Complex Variable 1 and Functions of One Complex Variable 2.
The second most common graduate introductory complex analysis book after Ahlfors, and
another one that I could never get going with. The development in the first few chapters is so
slow that I got bored with it. Maybe the pace picks up later on? Anyway, this book still
deserves a spot on the list since it’s a thorough and comprehensive treatment, and contains
all of the complex analysis most first or second year grad students will need to know. It’s not
exciting, and won’t blow you away, but gets the facts across, and might be the best
preparation for prelim/qual exams.
• Berenstein & Gay, Complex Variables: An Introduction. This is the first of a two volume
set. (The other volume is in the Advanced Topics section. Distinctly more demanding than
the books above, the aim of this book and its sequel, Complex Analysis and Topics in
Harmonic Analysis is to connect students to current research developments in the field (or to
current research developments in the field as of the early 90’s). This set is really fast-paced
and is absolutely modern, getting into the active research areas as quickly as possible. I
haven’t done more than flip through it, but reading a big chunk of it is on my priority list for
this summer (2016). The parts that I have read are very engaging, so I definitely recommend
taking a look at it if you are interested in complex analysis. Hopefully I’ll update this in the
fall after I’ve read more of this one.

Best Differential Geometry Book List

Introductory
• do Carmo, Differential Geometry of Curves and Surfaces. I used this textbook as a
supplement in my undergraduate curves & surfaces class (the primary textbook was aimed at
doing differential geometry of curves & surfaces with maple). It’s nicely written, and easy to

learn from. My problem with it was mostly that it’s very concrete, sticking to
componentwise computations for everything. Differential geometers whose book

recommendations I’ve read always say you need to learn the concrete theory in
before moving to the more abstract viewpoint. I’m not so sure, but they know more
differential geometry than I do. (Note: I linked to the existing printing, but Dover is
reprinting this book in the near(ish) future. It’s currently scheduled to be released September
21, 2016. Here’s a link where you can pre-order a copy of the new Dover printing on
Amazon.)
Intermediate
• Tu, An Introduction to Manifolds. I took a graduate course in differential geometry two years
ago and would have failed without this book. Loring Tu wrote this to cover the material a
student should know before starting his famed book with Raoul Bott, Differential Forms in
Algebraic Topology. This is the most lucid introduction to manifolds I know of, and conveys
the material with remarkable clarity. However, it is probably best paired with a heftier book
such as Lee’s Smooth Manifolds book (below) since Tu doesn’t quite cover everything a
 graduate student is expected to know. What is in there is so well explained though, that I
wouldn’t want to go anywhere else for those topics.
• Milnor, Topology from the Differentiable Viewpoint. Approximately every book Milnor
wrote is a classic. One of the truly great mathematical writers (and one of the truly great
mathematicians). This isn’t exactly a book on differential geometry, but this is the most
sensible location on the list. The book is only 80 pages, and would be a great supplement in
any geometry course.
• Gadea, Analysis and Algebra on Differentiable Manifolds: A Workbook for Students and
Teachers. The other book that got me through my graduate differential geometry class. This
is exactly what the title says, a workbook of smooth manifold problems. There are 375
problems total, all with complete, detailed solutions (really detailed). Readers of the blog
and this list know I’m fond of exercises with complete solutions, so shouldn’t be surprised
that I like this book. It’s hard to find detailed solutions to differential geometry problems for
some reason, and I found this extremely helpful.
Advanced
• Grinfeld, Introduction to Tensor Analysis and the Calculus of Moving Surfaces. The
differential geometry book for physicists and students in applied math. A very different
flavor from the pure mathematics books elsewhere on the list. The physics majors I know
love this book. I’m not a physicist or applied mathematician, so take this recommendation
with a grain of salt.
• Lee, An Introduction to Smooth Manifolds. Ah, Lee. A monster of a book, packed with
information. This was the official textbook for my grad differential geometry class and I
really struggled with it my first time through. I’ve since gone back and have been
systematically working my way through it with more success. It’s really a great book, but is
not easy-going. I wish there were more worked out examples in the text. (Lee leaves a huge
number of examples as exercises for the reader, which is fine if you know what you’re
doing, but much of the time during my first reading I felt adrift, so leaving an exercise for
me to do was useless.) If you take graduate differential geometry in the US there’s a good
chance you’ll be using this book. I recommend the books by Tu and Gadea in the
Intermediate section above as supplements. I’ve complained about this book, but still like it
enough to keep working through it, and it has taught me a TON of differential geometry in
the process. So, if you want to bang your head against a wall and maybe learn some
differential geometry in the process, look no further. (Also, be sure to get the second edition
as there were pretty big changes from the first.)
• Spivak, A Comprehensive Introduction to Differential Geometry, Volume 1 and Volume 2.
The first two volumes of Spivak’s mammoth five volume set on Differential Geometry. This
is a classic that everyone recommends and some people truly love. It was checked out of the
library every time I tried to look at a copy, so I haven’t really read it.