The required text in my undergraduate quantum mechanics class was the book by&nbsp;
  
Gasiorowicz







  
  
    . I found the book lacking pedagogically, and bought Zettili to supplement the required text. My experience with Zettili was such that I now urge anyone taking an undergraduate course in quantum mechanics and struggling at all to buy the book.<br><br>The book does not assume any previous knowledge of quantum mechanics and is therefore self-contained in that respect. However, to anyone considering buying it for self-study, I must warn you that it comes with some prerequisites. You should be pretty comfortable with introductory level calculus-based mechanics and E&amp;M,. Mathematically, you should know basic linear algebra and partial differential equations. You should be familiar with using and manipulating complex exponentials. Also some knowledge of special functions may be helpful, but is not necessary. If you meet these prerequisites then this book will provide you with a solid foundation in quantum mechanics, and after reading it you will be prepared for the more advanced graduate level books.<br><br>The book begins by putting quantum mechanics into historical perspective and shows you how to deal with wave-packets(Chapter 1). Chapter 2 presents the mathematical background necessary for quantum mechanics, such as an introduction to the Hilbert space, wave-vectors, operators, and Dirac notation. Chapter 3 presents the basic postulates of quantum mechanics and the Schrodinger equation. In chapter 4 you learn to apply the Schrodinger equation in various bases to one-dimensional problems.  Chapters 5-7 deal with angular momentum, the hydrogen atom, and other simple three-dimensional problems. Chapter 8 is dedicated to identical particles, 9 to approximation methods such as the variational method or the WKB method, chapter 10 to time-dependent perturbation theory, and chapter 11 to scattering theory.<br><br>There are more topics in the book than that can reasonably be covered in a single semester, and we did not cover any material in chapter 8, 10 or 11 in my class so I can't speak for the quality of those. However, the rest of the book is phenomenal. The author has a gift for taking a complex subject and making it accessible to those without any previous exposure to the material. Most of the tedious, and non-intuitive mathematical derivations required to understand the concepts in the book are worked out in all of their gory details. Nowhere in the book did I feel I was lost because the book is so well self-contained. However, where the book really shines is in its numerous worked examples. Each chapter has 10-20 worked examples which is where you can really learn how to "do" quantum mechanics, and move beyond a mere conceptual understanding. Furthermore, each chapter has about a similar number of exercises left for the reader. Solving these can be difficult, but it is rewarding when you get it. These problems serve a didactic purpose, however they are typically not necessary in order to move forward in the book.<br><br>In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that I think this is the best introductory book in quantum mechanics out there. It is self-contained, and contains a wealth of material. The best thing about this book that I believe sets it apart from the rest is the numerous worked examples, which are invaluable in learning the subject. If you are taking a course that requires this book, consider yourself lucky, otherwise by this book as a supplement anyway.