Wading through batchelor’s book
It is a real pleasure for me to review this immensely popular text on fluid dynamics. I will begin with a comment on the general character of the book, and on a few of the features that set it apart frommost other books on the subject. Subsequently, I attempt a detailed chapter-wise discussion of the book contents. An effort has been made in this latter part to highlight the significance of the topics covered, to discuss the intricacies of the physical arguments presented by the author (the very arguments that make the text a must-read for a proper understanding of the subject), and further, to point out connections withmore recent research when possible. It is hoped that the points brought out will guide a beginner in finding material in the book that wouldn’t have been apparent except from a detailed reading. As would be the case in any review, the material that follows is, on one hand, biased by my experiences in the field, and on the other hand, limited by my inadequate knowledge of the subject.