"Wald's book is clearly the first textbook on general relativity with a totally modern point of view; and it succeeds very well where others are only partially successful. The book includes full discussions of many problems of current interest which are not treated in any extant book, and all these matters are considered with perception and understanding."—S. Chandrasekhar "A tour de force : lucid, straightforward, mathematically rigorous, exacting in the analysis of the theory in its physical aspect."—L. P. Hughston, Times Higher Education Supplement "Truly excellent. . . . A sophisticated text of manageable size that will probably be read by every student of relativity, astrophysics, and field theory for years to come."—James W. York, Physics Today

"This is a concise, beginning graduate-level textbook on classical electromagnetism, the branch of physics that describes the interaction of electric currents or fields and magnetic fields. Electromagnetism (also called electrodynamics) is one of the pillars of modern physics and, as such, of the modern physics curriculum, with courses on electromagnetism required at the undergraduate and graduate levels. These courses traditionally proceed in a quasi-historical fashion, starting from equations and laws that were first formulated in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and still form the foundations of our understanding of electromagnetism. However, as Robert Wald argues, teaching in this way can be imprecise and tends to promote outdated ways of thinking about the subject. This book rethinks how electromagnetism is presented at the graduate level, offering a corrective that aims to bring teaching up to date with our more modern understanding of the topic. The book begins by debunking four common misconceptions, or "myths," that can hinder a deep conceptual understanding of electromagnetism. Wald then proceeds through the major topics first-year grad courses (and textbooks) in electromagnetism typically cover, including electrostatics, dielectrics, magnetostatics, electrodynamics, geometric optics, special relativity, gauge theory, and point charge. Wald's aim throughout is to explain to students how to think about electromagnetism from a modern and mathematically precise perspective, formulating all the key conceptual ideas and results in the field clearly and concisely, while forgoing extensive collections of examples and applications. The book could be used as the basis for or as a supplement to a course, or for self-study by students seeking a deeper understanding than traditional courses and books offer"--