Fetter (physics and applied physics, Stanford University) and Walecka (physics, College of William and Mary) offer a self-contained account of classical mechanics by examining particles and continua, providing a foundation for the introduction of advanced mathematical concepts in physics. The text opens with Newton's laws of motion and develops the dynamics of classical particles, with chapters on basic principles, Lagrangian formalism, and the transition to quantum mechanics. Later chapters deal with classical continua, covering string membranes, sound waves, and elastic media. This is an unabridged republication of the edition published by McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, 1980. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)