Am I Reading Bott - Tu Right?
Answer : It is definitely for someone who already knows the subject and is looking for a different perspective. It is not advanced and it is not introductory, more a supplement. It is also sloppy and very hard to follow for someone who does not know the subject. The praises are from people who know the subject and like the presentation and a few things not easily found elsewhere. Overall, it is not a good book in my opinion. I think Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology is well written. However, it is written in a way a master teaches a student: There are no loss of detail, no fancy language, and explicit examples are everywhere. The student is supposed to emulate Bott's proof writing style, to criticize it, to tease it and understand every detail of it. When I read it I often find questions I would ask myself was discussed by him in very detail. But I am also aware that this is my second or third time reading the book; when I read it the first time my feeling was quite ...