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Re:Ask HN: How to self-study physics? by scottlocklin on Thursday March 26, 2020 @01:32PM (#22695876)
The problems from undergrad (I think we used Purcell) were virtually identical. Jackson's book had problems which were more algebraically/computationally difficult, but otherwise; it was basically the same thing. It's a well written classic; no reason to use the book with slightly wimpier problems.

He asked me how to learn physics; not how to learn some wimpy undergrad physics which doesn't give you the big picture. Hindsight my undergrad E&M book was a waste of time, and we should have just used Jackson. I still have Jackson (and Eyges) on my shelf; the undergrad book was recycled years ago.

Re:Ask HN: How to self-study physics? by madhadron on Thursday March 26, 2020 @03:40PM (#22697115)
My graduate E&M course was actually taught out of Schwinger, which I thought was quite nice. I would never recommend it as a first run through E&M.

Jackson's problems are more technically difficult than, say, Purcell's, but how much of that difficulty actually helps with understanding E&M?