Griffith's introductory book on the Standard Model of particle physics is a magnificently accessible overview of a very complex subject. The book covers all of the major topics, including the quark model, quantum electodynamics (subatomic level electromagnetic interactions), quantum chromodynamics (strong nuclear force interactions), Feynman diagrams (used to calculate information about particle interactions), electroweak theory (involved in nuclear decay processes). He also presents one of the most easily comprehensible discussions of quantum field theory I've seen.<br>Griffith's writing style is engaging and entertaining, which is very unusual for an advanced physics text. The book is a pleasure to read even if you don't really understand the topics. It was good enough that I sat and read the whole book, end to end.<br>What this book does not have is detailed mathematical derivations of the theories presented. Griffiths provides references to books that contain the proofs and derivations, but he focuses solely on the whats and hows. Another unfortunate drawback is that the book doesn't contain solutions to the problems at the end of each chapter, which would have been nice to have.<br>To really appreciate the book, one should have a college level science background, but one doesn't need to be a full blown physicist or mathematician to appreciate the book (I am a professional chemist, and my mathematical background is not all that advanced). All in all, this is, in my opinion, the best introduction to the Standard Model that's out there.