Books to learn physics, being a math major

Solution 1:

As for mechanics I'd recommend:

Stefan Banach - Mechanics (1951)

Arnold VI - Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics

I also recommend Griffiths books:

Griffiths - Introduction to Electrodynamics

Griffiths - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Solution 2:

If you want a solid and consistent approach to physics from the theoretical point of view (I assume that as a mathematician you don't want an experimentalist's point of view) then you can't go past the series by Landau and Lifshitz - "Course of Theoretical Physics" (Amazon).

1. Mechanics.
2. The Classical Theory of Fields.
3. Quantum Mechanics: Non-Relativistic Theory.
4. Relativistic Quantum Theory.
5. Statistical Physics.
6. Fluid Mechanics.
7. Theory of Elasticity.
8. Electrodynamics of Continuous Media.
9. Statistical Physics, Part 2.
10. Physical Kinetics.

Solution 3:

Michael Spivak gave me a small volume he wrote on mechanics from the mathematicians perspective, and he is said to be preparing to release a longer book on physics explicitly for mathematicians. In the meantime you might like Max Born's Atomic Physics. I myself enjoyed, and learned from, at least looking at J.C.Maxwell's E&M.