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Suggested Reading

We will organize this into several sections:

Books on core quantum computing.
Books on areas related to quantum computing and more advanced topics.
Popular science books on physics and quantum mechanics.
How non-physics students can learn physics (including quantum mechanics).
Books on mathematical topics related to quantum computing and mechanics.
Assorted other reading.

Note to authors: If your book is not included here, or you take issue with a comment, please feel free to email me.

Books on core quantum computing

In alphabetical order:

M.Hirvensalo. Quantum Computing. A mathematical introduction to quantum computing with a mostly theorem-proof style.

P.Kay, R.Laflamme and M.Mosca. An Introduction to Quantum Computing. A well-written slim textbook that has been used in introductory courses on quantum computing, with a slightly more terse mathematical presentation than our textbook.

D.McMahon. Quantum Computing Explained. This book does an outstanding job with worked out problems, not skimping on intermediate steps, and with accompanying exercises that are very approachable.

D.Mermin. Quantum Computer Science: An Introduction. One of the first books in quantum computing by an articulate physicist with a sharp sense of humor. However, some notation is non-standard.

M.Nakahara and T.Ohmi. Quantum Computing: From Linear Algebra to Physical Realizations. Wide coverage that also includes the underlying device physics. Some derivations are done differently than in other books, for example, for the quantum Fourier transform, and are perhaps easier to follow for the mathematically inclined.

M.A.Nielsen and I.L.Chuang. Quantum Computation and Quantum Information: 10th Anniversary Edition 1st Edition. This is considered the "bible" textbook in quantum computing. It is comprehensive and spans a wide variety of topics. It is also a bit challenging as a first textbook.

E.G.Rieffel and W.H.Polak. Quantum Computing: A Gentle Introduction. This is our textbook, well-written with a thoughtful balance between mathematical rigor and approachability. Although it has "gentle" in the title, the writing is compact and the exercises are challenging. When mathematical concepts are described, in particular, the presentation can be terse for the beginner. Our goal in the course is to flesh out the details and lay them out gradually.

H.Sagawa and N.Yoshida. Fundamentals of Quantum Information. This book might be more accessible for physicists as it begins with a quick review of quantum mechanics.

C.P.Williams. Explorations in Quantum Computing (2011). This is another wide ranging book that dives into details not found in other books. It is very well-written and brings a practioner's perspective.

N.S Yanofsky and M.A.Mannucci. Quantum Computing for Computer Scientists. This book is written for the CS undergrad and starts off with complex numbers, assuming no background. The authors have worked hard at making the math accessible. There are plenty of exercises and examples, and the explanations are excellent. In places, however, the notation is non-standard and some details are left out.

More advanced or specialized quantum computing books

S.Aaronson. Quantum Computing Since Democritus. A highly entertaining yet seriously technical book that is centered on computational complexity theory but ranges widely, written by one of the most articulate (and funny) writers in computer science.

I.Djordjevic. Quantum Information Processing and Quantum Error Correction: An Engineering Approach. A comprehensive textbook whose main focus is quantum error correction but also includes basic quantum computing.

A.Y.Kitaev, A.H.Shen, and M.N.Vyalyi. Classical and Quantum Computation. A mathematical take on quantum complexity.

T.S.Metodi, A.I.Faruque and F.T.Chong. Quantum Computing for Computer Architects. A slim, readable volume that focuses on potential integration of quantum circuitry into standard architectures.

C.C.McGeoch. Adiabatic Quantum Computation and Quantum Annealing: Theory and Practice. A highly readable slim volume on the adiabatic approach, with a special focus on the DWave machine.

M.Schuld and F.Petruccione. Supervised Learning with Quantum Computers.

R.Van Meter. Quantum Networking. Although the book is written to be self-contained, it is best read after a course on quantum computing, the better to understand how entanglement and the like is applied in networks.

V.Vedral. Introduction to Quantum Information Science. Focus on information theory.

Popular science books on physics and quantum mechanics.

The books listed below range in technical depth from "scientific layperson" to "some math needed". Except for Treiman's book, these can be read in any order so we'll list them alphabetically.

A.Ananthaswamy. Through Two Doors At Once. An outstanding account of the double-slit experiment from its inception to modern versions with the Mach-Zehnder setup.

P.Ball.Beyond Weird. An engrossing survey of the foundational issues in quantum mechanics by a superb science writer.

S.Carroll. Something Deeply Hidden. An engagingly written account of quantum mechanics and beyond by a leading researcher and proponent of the many-worlds interpretation. The later chapters take you on a wild ride through modern theoretical physics.

R.Feynman. (1) Six Easy Pieces, (2) Six Not-So-Easy Pieces, (3) QED. Masterpieces of exposition by the all-time master expositor of physics, the kinds of books you will keep on your shelf forever. Feynman, one of the most colorful scientists ever with a genius for both fundamental physics and pedagogy, writes in a chatty, informal style. As an example, the first chapter of Not-So-Easy explains vectors in such a straightforward way, emphasizing only the most important concepts without much detail. And QED will simply knock your socks off.

M.Kaku. The God Equation. A quick survey of all things quantum and beyond. A model of concise, elegant writing.

S.Treiman. The Odd Quantum. Unlike popular science books that deliberately avoid equations ("each equation loses a thousand readers"), this book does not shy away from the math. Stylishly written, it introduces quantum mechanics and goes further by introducing quantum field theory.

A.Zeilinger. Dance of the photons. Zeilinger is one of the top quantum experimentalists in the world, having performed some of the key experiments (EPR, delayed choice, quantum eraser) validating some of most counter-intuitive predictions of quantum mechanics. This book uses a light touch with invented characters and dialogue as literary device to explain core concepts.

How non-physics students can learn quantum mechanics

The reading list here focuses entirely on non-relativistic quantum mechanics, where the speed-of-light limitation plays no role (or is ignored). The books below are presented in suggested order of reading.

D.Styer. The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics. This slim volume is a highly readable overview of core concepts in quantum mechanics written for a general audience. It's been used as a textbook for a freshman seminar at Oberlin, open to any student. So, no math, but plenty of ideas presented with clarity and infectious enthusiasm.

V.Scarani. Quantum Physics: A First Encounter. Another book along the same lines as Styer's but with some math, engagingly presented. The book features some recent experiments not mentioned in other books (example: two-particle interference) and is written with a lively infusion of the author's viewpoint.

L.Susskind and G.Hrabovsky. The Theoretical Minimum, volumes I and III. Also see the website. This series is an excellent introduction to physics starting from scratch and focusing only on essential theory. There's no skimping on the math and yet it's presented for the scientific layperson with some knowledge of basic calculus.

G.Bowman. Essential quantum mechanics. This is perhaps the first real dive into quantum mechanics that is yet not as daunting as an actual textbook. Much of this should be easily readable after our course because you'll have the necessary notation and linear algebra. The book simplifies everything down to essentials and spends considerable time on interpretation.

D.Fleisch. A student's guide to the Schrodinger equation. If you want to dig a little deeper into understanding particular topics, Fleisch has an excellent series of small books that greatly simplify core ideas, with very little background needed (other than basic calculus, and even that is reviewed). This book looks closely at Schrodinger's equation starting from scratch.

After the above, you will be ready for self-studying quantum mechanics from an undergraduate textbook, depending on how far you wish to go. Examples:

D.McIntyre, C.Manogue and J.Tate. Quantum Mechanics: A Paradigms Approach. This book starts with the Stern-Gerlach experiment (which inspired parts of our Module 1) and introduces definitions and principles in digestible chapters. The authors, besides being physicists, have also researched "how students learn quantum mechanics" and have a pedagogical philosophy they call the "paradigms approach".
S.Trachanas. An Introduction to Quantum Physics: A First Course for Physicists, Chemists, Materials Scientists, and Engineers. This well-written book starts with two basic equations, \(E=h\nu\) (energy and frequency) and \(\lambda=\frac{h}{p}\) (wavelength and momentum), to weave wave and particle interpretations in addressing basic puzzles about atoms: why doesn't an electron spiral into the nucleus? why is the nucleus so small? This approachable and engaging approach is appealing for non-physicists.
H.Metiu. Quantum Mechanics. This is a friendly introduction, with all the math but without Dirac notation, engagingly written for chemists (including the rest of us), with plenty of intuition.
A.J.Larkoski. Quantum Mechanics: A Mathematical Introduction. Math or theory-inclined students might prefer this slimmer, linear-algebraic introduction.

The books below are supplementary:

J.Baggott. The Quantum Cookbook. If you want to learn the history of quantum mechanics with full technical detail, this is the book for you. For example, how did Boltzmann solve the ultraviolet catastrophe problem and demonstrate energy quantization as a result? The book has the full derivation.
G.Greenstein and A.G.Zajonc. The Quantum Challenge. A readable book that summarizes work on the foundations of quantum mechanics, that is, interpretation, along with descriptions of experiments that challenge many obvious thought experiments.
R.Shankar. Quantum mechanics. This book has an excellent first chapter that introduces all the math needed for quantum mechanics. In fact, the author also has a separate book on the topic that is widely used in physics curricula.
D.Prutchi and S.Prutchi. Exploring Quantum Physics through Hands-on Projects. This unusual book is really a DIY manual for building a lab at home. While that is unlikely to be your goal, it answers many "how did they test that hypothesis?" questions very concretely.

Books on mathematical topics

S.Axler. Linear Algebra Done Right. An outstanding development of key concepts and results in linear algebra with abstraction (works for complex vectors) and clean, straightforward proofs. It's particularly compelling because it avoids determinants altogether, and the author has made a free condensed version is available.

B.Hall. Quantum Theory for Mathematicians. As it says.

T.F.Jordan. Linear Operators for Quantum Mechanics. This tiny inexpensive tract covers all the needed math, starting with a straightforward and readable presentation of operators and diagonalization. It is abstract and theoretical but interleaved with commentary that provides intuition.

P.Olver and C.Shakiban. Applied Linear Algebra. This is a more conventional linear algebra text, aimed at engineers. It is quite comprehensive, lucidly written, and does not skimp on detail. It is particularly useful for quantum computing with its excellent treatment of the DFT.

L.Sadun. Applied Linear Algebra: The Decoupling Principle. A unique take on how linear algebra is applied in various domains by projecting a vector onto an orthonormal basis (the decoupling). While the ultimate goal is to get to Fourier analysis, the book introduces core concepts rigorously, but also with many examples.

W.Scherer. Mathematics of Quantum Computing: An Introduction. This book lays out everything you find in other books but in the mathematical style of leaving no stone unproved. This is very helpful if you want to dive into proof details, and even see algorithmic ideas expressed with mathematical precision.