9/23/23, 9:20 AM Mathematics Textbooks for Self Study --- A Guide for the Autodidactic

Mathematics Textbooks for Self Study -- A

Guide for the Autodidact

This is a list of suggested textbooks that a student can use to learn about a topic on their own, or to
supplement the text used in a class.

This list is not meant to be comprehensive. It is designed to contain recommendations for the
standard subjects in U.S. mathematics education that are covered during the undergraduate years
and the first year or two of graduate study. In particular, the list does not make recommendations for
advanced topics (such as C*-algebra theory or Homological Algebra) or specific topics (such as
Knot theory or Coding theory) that are not covered in a majority of programs, but might be found in
topics courses. This list is also meant to recommend a few of the best books for learning a topic, not
to make an exhaustive to record of all the introductory texts on that topic. (However, if you think
something missing from the list should be there, just let me know.)

Under each topic I have listed some of the books I've found most useful, as well as others that are
likely to be on the recommendation lists of most mathematicians.

KEY

Books in Blue = Highly recommended (by me) as a first exposure to the topic.

Books in Green = Elementary, accessible with little background.

Books in Red = Difficult to read, but considered a standard and worthwhile if you can follow it.

Books in Purple = Older and considered a classic; may be difficult to read due to antiquated notation
or terminology, but also contains useful material not found in newer books.

Books labeled (DOVER) are published by Dover Publications, also known as Dover Books, which
primarily publishes reissues; i.e., books no longer published by their original publishers that are
often, but not always, in the public domain. Dover books are very inexpensive, often in the range of
$10--$20.

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Abstract Algebra
Undergraduate

Contemporary Abstract Algebra by Joe Gallian

A First Course in Abstract Algebra by Joseph J. Rotman
Abstract Algebra by I.N. Herstein

Graduate

Abstract Algebra by David S. Dummit and Richard M. Foote

Algebra by Thomas W. Hungerford
Topics in Algebra by I.N. Herstein
Algebra by Serge Lang
Algebra by Michael Artin
Advanced Modern Algebra by Joseph J. Rotman
Basic Algebra I, Basic Algebra II, and Basic Algebra III by Nathan Jacobson
(DOVER)
Field and Galois Theory by Patrick Morandi

Real Analysis
Undergraduate

Elementary Analysis: The Theory of Calculus by Kenneth Ross

Principles of Mathematical Analysis by Walter Rudin
Understanding Analysis by Stephen Abbott
Real Mathematical Analysis by Charles Chapman Pugh
Metric Spaces by E.T. Copson
Real Analysis by N.L Carothers (DOVER)

Graduate

Real and Complex Analysis by Walter Rudin

Real Analysis: Modern Techniques and Their Applications by Gerald B. Folland
Real Analysis by Richard F. Bass
The Elements of Integration and Lebesgue Measure by Robert G. Bartle
Measure Theory by Donald L. Cohn

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Measure Theory by J.L. Doob (Particularly good for students interested in

Probability Theory)
Measure Theory by Paul R. Halmos
Harmonic Analysis: Real-Variable Methods, Orthogonality, and Oscillatory
Integrals by Elias M. Stein
Princeton Lectures in Analysis by Elias M. Stein and Rami Shakarchi

Book 1: Fourier Analysis: An Introduction

Book 2: Complex Analysis
Book 3: Real Analysis: Measure Theory, Integration, and Hilbert Spaces
Book 4: Functional Analysis: Introduction to Further Topics in Analysis

A series of four textbooks that aims to present, in an integrated manner, the core
areas of analysis.

Complex Analysis
Undergraduate

Complex Variables and Applications by James Brown and Ruel Churchill

A First Course in Complex Analysis With Applications by Dennis Zill and Patrick
Shanahan
Visual Complex Analysis by Tristan Needham

Graduate

Real and Complex Analysis by Walter Rudin

Functions of One Complex Variable I, II by John B. Conway
Function Theory of One Complex Variable by Robert E. Greene and Steven G.
Krantz
Function Theory of Several Complex Variables by Steven G. Krantz
Complex Analysis by Lars Ahlfors
Princeton Lectures in Analysis by Elias M. Stein and Rami Shakarchi

Book 1: Fourier Analysis: An Introduction

Book 2: Complex Analysis
Book 3: Real Analysis: Measure Theory, Integration, and Hilbert Spaces
Book 4: Functional Analysis: Introduction to Further Topics in Analysis

A series of four textbooks that aims to present, in an integrated manner, the core
areas of analysis.

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Functional Analysis
A Course in Functional Analysis by John B. Conway
Analysis Now by Gert K. Pedersen
Elementary Functional Analysis by Barbara MacCluer
Introduction to Topology and Modern Analysis by George F. Simmons
Princeton Lectures in Analysis by Elias M. Stein and Rami Shakarchi

Book 1: Fourier Analysis: An Introduction

Book 2: Complex Analysis
Book 3: Real Analysis: Measure Theory, Integration, and Hilbert Spaces
Book 4: Functional Analysis: Introduction to Further Topics in Analysis

A series of four textbooks that aims to present, in an integrated manner, the core
areas of analysis.

Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs)

Undergraduate

Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems by William E.

Boyce and Richard C. DiPrima
Differential Equations with Applications and Historical Notes by George F.
Simmons
Differential Equations, Dynamical Systems, and an Introduction to Chaos by
Morris W. Hirsch, Stephen Smale, and Robert L. Devaney

Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)

Undergraduate

Applied Partial Differential Equations with Fourier Series and Boundary Value
Problems by Richard Haberman

Graduate

Partial Differential Equations by Lawrence C. Evans

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Partial Differential Equations: An Introduction by Walter A. Strauss

Linear Algebra
Undergraduate

Linear Algebra by Stephen H. Friedberg, Arnold J. Insel, and Lawrence E. Spence

Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler
Matrix Analysis and Applied Linear Algebra by Carl D. Meyer

Graduate

A Second Course in Linear Algebra by Stephan Ramon Garcia and Roger A. Horn
Matrix Analysis by by Roger A Horn and Charles R. Johnson
Topics in Matrix Analysis by Roger A. Horn and Charles R. Johnson
Advanced Linear Algebra by Steven Roman

Point-Set Topology
Advanced Undergraduate / Beginning Graduate

Topology by James Munkres

Topology by James Dugundji
Topology by John G. Hocking and Gail S. Young (DOVER)
General Topology by John L. Kelley (The original intended title was "What every
young analyst should know".) (DOVER)

Algebraic Topology
Graduate

Algebraic Topology by Allen Hatcher

Algebraic Topology: An Introduction by William S. Massey
Homology Theory: An Introduction to Algebraic Topology by James W. Vick
Algebraic Topology: A First Course by William Fulton
An Introduction to Algebraic Topology by Joseph J. Rotman

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Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology by Raoul Bott and Loring W. Tu

(Combination of Algebraic and Differential Topology)

Differential Topology
Undergraduate

Calculus on Manifolds: A Modern Approach to Classical Theorems of Advanced

Calculus by Michael Spivak
Differential Forms: A Complement to Vector Calculus by Steven H. Weintraub
Differential Forms: Theory and Practice by Steven H. Weintraub

Graduate

Differential Topology by Victor Guillemin and Alan Pollack

Topology from the Differentiable Viewpoint by John Willard Milnor
An Introduction to Differentiable Manifolds and Riemannian Geometry by William
M. Boothby
Introduction to Topological Manifolds by John Lee
Foundations of Differentiable Manifolds and Lie Groups by Frank W. Warner
Manifolds and Differential Geometry by Jeffrey M. Lee
Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology by Raoul Bott and Loring W. Tu
(Combination of Algebraic and Differential Topology)

Riemannian Geometry
Undergraduate

Differential Geometry of Curves and Surfaces by Manfredo P. do Carmo (DOVER)

Graduate

Riemannian Geometry by Manfredo P. do Carmo

An Introduction to Differentiable Manifolds and Riemannian Geometry by William
M. Boothby
A Comprehensive Introduction to Differential Geometry, Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 by
Michael Spivak

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Number Theory
Elementary Number Theory

A Friendly Introduction to Number Theory by Joseph Silverman

An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers by G. H. Hardy, Edward M. Wright and
Andrew Wiles
Elementary Number Theory by Gareth A. Jones and Josephine M. Jones
Not Always Buried Deep: A Second Course in Elementary Number Theory by Paul
Pollack

Algebraic Number Theory

A Conversational Introduction to Algebraic Number Theory: Arithmetic Beyond Z

by Paul Pollack
Algebraic Number Theory by A. Frohlich and M.J. Taylor
Algebraic Number Fields by Gerald J. Janusz

Analytic Number Theory

Introduction to Analytic Number Theory by Tom M. Apostol

Introduction to Analytic and Probabilistic Number Theory by Gerald Tenenbaum
A Course in Analytic Number Theory by Marius Overholt
Analytic Number Theory: Exploring the Anatomy of Integers by Jean-marie De
Koninck and Florian Luca
Analytic Number Theory: An Introductory Course by Paul Trevier Bateman and
Harold G. Diamond

Elliptic Curves

Elliptic Curves, Modular Forms, and Their L-functions = by Alvaro Lozano-

Robledo
The Arithmetic of Elliptic Curves by Joseph H. Silverman
Elliptic Curves by J.S. Milne

Algebraic Geometry
Undergraduate
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Elementary Algebraic Geometry by Klaus Hulek

Algebraic Geometry: A Problem Solving Approach by Thomas Garrity, Richard
Belshoff, Lynette Boos, Ryan Brown, and Carl Lienert
Ideals, Varieties, and Algorithms: An Introduction to Computational Algebraic
Geometry and Commutative Algebra by David A. Cox, John Little, and Donal
O'Shea

Graduate

Commutative Algebra: with a View Toward Algebraic Geometry by David Eisenbud

Algebraic Geometry by Robin Hartshorne
Principles of Algebraic Geometry by Phillip Griffiths and Joseph Harris
Rational Points on Varieties by Bjorn Poonen

Logic, Set Theory, and Computability

Undergraduate

A Mathematical Introduction to Logic by Herbert Enderton

The Joy of Sets: Fundamentals of Contemporary Set Theory by Keith Devlin
Axiomatic Set Theory by Patrick Suppes (DOVER)
A Book of Set Theory by Charles C. Pinter (DOVER)
Computability Theory by Rebecca Weber

Graduate

Introduction to Mathematical Logic by Elliott Mendelson

Logic for Mathematicians by A.G. Hamilton
Set Theory by Thomas Jech (Some readers suggest the 1978 version is more
suitable for beginners than the Millennium Edition.)
Set Theory by Kenneth Kunen
Godel's Proof by Ernest Nagel and James Newman
Set Theory and the Continuum Hypothesis by Paul J. Cohen
Computability: An Introduction to Recursive Function Theory by Nigel Cutland
Computability: A Mathematical Sketchbook by Douglas S. Bridges

Category Theory
Categories for the Working Mathematician by Saunders Mac Lane
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Category Theory in Context by Emily Riehl (DOVER)

Basic Category Theory by Tom Leinster

Copyright 2020. Maintained by Mark Tomforde.

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