Unlike most other texts on the subject, this clear, concise introduction to the theory of microscopic bodies treats the modern theory of critical phenomena. Provides up-to-date coverage of recent major advances, including a self-contained description of thermodynamics and the classical kinetic theory of gases, interesting applications such as superfluids and the quantum Hall effect, several current research applications, The last three chapters are devoted to the Landau-Wilson approach to critical phenomena. Many new problems and illustrations have been added to this edition.

A new, updated and enhanced edition of the classic work, which was welcomed for its general approach and self-sustaining organization of the chapters.
Written by a highly respected textbook writer and researcher, this book has a more general scope and adopts a more practical approach than other books. It includes applications of condensed matter physics, first developing traditional concepts, including Feynman graphs, before moving on to such key topics as functional integrals, statistical mechanics and Wilson's renormalization group. The author takes care to explain the connection between the latter and conventional perturbative renormalization. Due to the rapid advance and increase in importance of low dimensional systems, this second edition fills a gap in the market with its added discussions of low dimensional systems, including one-dimensional conductors.
All the chapters have been revised, while more clarifying explanations and problems have been added. A FREE SOLUTIONS MANUAL is available for lecturers from www.wiley-vch.de/textbooks.