Recommended reading

An extensive text on the fundamentals of nonlinear optics.

Robert Boyd

A physics and engineering guide to nonlinear effects in optical fibers.

Govind Agrawal

Electromagnetism theoretical foundations and core principles.

David Griffiths

Introductory optical physics, from light bulbs to lasers and beyond.

Eugene Hecht

The definitive graduate-level text for all things quantum mechanics.

Ramamurti Shankar

An example-based text on computation in optics.

Ting-Chung Poon & Taegeun Kim

A broad overview of introductory physics, in the unique style of one of physics' greatest minds.

Richard Feynman

The biology of humans at our best and worst. A detailed survey of the brain and human behavior.

Robert Sapolsky

The growth and decay of seemingly unrelated systems share fundamental similarities - scaling laws.

Geoffrey West

A gene-centered overview of evolution, and its far-reaching consequences on biology.

Richard Dawkins

On the role and scope of hierarchical pattern recognizers in brains, both biological and artificial.

Ray Kurzweil

Self-referencing and recursive systems, and their roles in math, symmetry, and intelligence.

Douglas Hofstadter

An enigmatic signal is our call to explore worlds beyond Earth. A sci-fi masterpiece.

Arthur C. Clarke

The Second Law of Thermodynamics and its implications - makes for a wonderful short story.

Isaac Asimov

The epic adventure of Paul Atreides and the treasures of the inhospitable planet Arrakis.

Frank Herbert

A deeply psychological novel on existential angst - a canonical work of existentialism.

Jean-Paul Sartre

The misadventures of an American WWII soldier, interspersed with bouts of time travel.

Kurt Vonnegut

A philosophical tale concerning faith, doubt and reason, set in 19th century Russia.

Fyodor Dostoevsky

The story of brilliant hacker Lisbeth Salander - a psychological thriller.

Stieg Larsson