An introduction to continuum mechanics - after Truesdell and Noll (Q1904032)

The author from the University of California in San Diego presents us with a textbook which has as main purpose to introduce the mathematically inclined student to the pleasures of continuum mechanics. This he does, as announced in the subtitle, by adhering to a strict Truesdellian-Nollian credo. This has the advantage of strictly delineating the presentation in both style and contents while giving the false impression to the virgin mind that all was decided in the 1950-1960, with a scheme definitely set up in the early 1970s. That is, the textbook presented by Prof. Smith is like one of those books published by disciples after digesting the Holy Scriptures. Many prayer books of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that we now find on flea markets (in Europe) are like that. They certainly help the believer in conforting his faith but they do not contribute to a development of his potential criticism and creativism. This is too bad. But Smith's book is well written and certainly captures the essentials of a modern view of continuum mechanics at the level of graduate studies or senior college year. It will be extremely useful to those teachers on whom the ``burden'' of teaching such a course falls. For those who teach continuum mechanics with pleasure, in a more inclusive way, because they daily contribute to its growing strength through their research, a more critical approach will be more suited, although they can still base on Smith's book as a starting point. The book is well produced. Essential developments along the same line of thought can be found in the encyclopedic article of \textit{C. A. Truesdell} and \textit{W. Noll} [Handbuch der Physik, Encyclopedia of physics, Bd. III/3, Springer-Verlag, S. Flügge (ed.), Berlin (1965; Zbl 0137.19501)] and in the recent second and revised edition of \textit{C. A. Trusdell}'s book ``A First Course in Rational Continuum mechanics'', Academic Press, New York (1991); 1st ed. (1977; Zbl 0357.73011).