String Theory: Volume 2, Superstring Theory and Beyond Paperback (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) - Softcover

'In summary, these volumes will provide ... the standard text and reference for students and researchers in particle physics and relativity interested in the possible ramifications of modern superstring theory.' Allen C. Hirshfeld, General Relativity and Gravitation

'Polchinski is a major contributor to the exciting developments that have revolutionised our understanding of string theory during the past four years; he is also an exemplary teacher, as Steven Weinberg attests in his foreword. He has produced an outstanding two-volume text, with numerous exercises accompanying each chapter. It is destined to become a classic ... magnificent.' David Bailin, The Times Higher Education Supplement

'The present volume succeeds in giving a detailed yet comprehensive account of our current knowledge of superstring dynamics. The topics covered range from the basic construction of the theories to the most recent discoveries on their non-perturbative behaviour. The discussion is remarkably self-contained (the volume even contains a useful appendix on spinors and supersymmetry in several dimensions), and thus may serve as an introduction to the subject, and as an excellent reference for researchers in the field.' Mathematical Reviews

Volume 2: Superstring Theory and Beyond, begins with an introduction to supersymmetric string theories and goes on to a broad presentation of the important advances of recent years. The book first introduces the type I, type Ii, and heterotic superstring theories and their interactions. It then goes on to present important recent discoveries about strongly coupled strings, beginning with a detailed treatment of D-branes and their dynamics, and covering string duality, M-theory, and black hole entropy, and discusses many classic results in conformal field theory. The final four chapters are concerned with four-dimensional string theories, and have two goals: to show how some of the simplest string models connect with previous ideas for unifying the Standard Model; and to collect many important and beautiful general results on world-sheet and spacetime symmetries.