Best Intro to String Theory Review Article?

**Geremia** · Nov3-09, 11:28 PM

What is the best review article, published in a peer-reviewed journal, introducing string theory?

**xepma** · Nov4-09, 10:17 AM

The field is so big that a review article off the whole field doesn't cut it anymore. What level are you looking for? You're probably better off using the standard books like Polchinski, Becker Becker Schwarz, Zwiebach, Green Green Witten.

**atyy** · Nov4-09, 11:06 AM

In addition to the books xepma recommends, David Tong's and Angel Uranga's free online notes are also useful.

http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/tong/string.html

http://www.ift.uam.es/paginaspersona...firstpage.html

**Geremia** · Nov4-09, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by xepma

What level are you looking for?

An introductory broad overview

**atyy** · Nov4-09, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Geremia

An introductory broad overview

Maybe Mohaupt's http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0207249

**humanino** · Nov4-09, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Geremia

What is the best review article, published in a peer-reviewed journal, introducing string theory?

It's a bit old now, but in the spirit of
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0311044

Otherwise, today I'll vote for
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0207142
but I guess even mood is a factor.

**Demystifier** · Nov5-09, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by humanino

Otherwise, today I'll vote for
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0207142

I would vote for it too.

**arivero** · Nov5-09, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Demystifier

I would vote for it too.

+1

I miss some extra detail on the roles of the string coupling constant, both in the 10 D and in the compactified theory.

It is true it is not a peer-reviewed review, but a set of lecture notes.

**Demystifier** · Nov6-09, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by arivero

It is true it is not a peer-reviewed review, but a set of lecture notes.

There is also a book almost identical to these lectures. (The book contains one additional, but rather irrelevant, chapter).

**Demystifier** · Nov6-09, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by xepma

You're probably better off using the standard books like Polchinski, Becker Becker Schwarz, Zwiebach, Green Green Witten.

My favored books are
Zwiebach for a beginner and
M. Kaku, Introduction to Superstrings and M-theory, for an advanced reader

And I don't like Polchinski's book.

**George Jones** · Nov6-09, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Demystifier

My favored books are
Zwiebach for a beginner and
M. Kaku, Introduction to Superstrings and M-theory, for an advanced reader

And I don't like Polchinski's book.

I haven't looked at this Kaku book, but I don't like his quantum field theory book. Have you looked at the book by Becker, Becker, and Schwarz?

**Demystifier** · Nov6-09, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by George Jones

I haven't looked at this Kaku book, but I don't like his quantum field theory book.

Well, I do. That probably means that you wouldn't like his string book either.

Originally Posted by George Jones

Have you looked at the book by Becker, Becker, and Schwarz?

Yes. In my opinion, the quality of the book significantly varies from chapter to chapter (which probably means that different chapters were written dominantly by different authors).