First of all, this book is not for everybody. It's not for the pop-science reader, it contains far too much mathematics to be of any use for him. It's not for the professional scientist seeking in-depth understanding either. If you are either type of reader, you're better off reading something else. Every book has its readership target, and this book found one appreciative reader in this reviewer. I have a background...
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The book is interesting. Very good for an overall view of the subject, but it has to be taken carefully, since if one wants to say that "knows" string theory, this book alone will not give that. But if you are from another field (e.g. experimental nuclear physics) just trying to understand what this theory is all about, then the book is perfect.
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I actually love the book, its format, and its focus. Imagine that your task is to take Polchinski's textbook on String Theory and compress both volumes to 320 light pages or so. You have to include some basics of GR, QFT, abstract classical mechanics but also the CFTs, bosonic strings, light cone gauge, T-duality, symmetries, RNS superstring, heterotic strings, D-branes, AdS/CFT, black holes. But you also add some material...
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