Fourier Analysis textbook recommendation

I am taking a fourier analysis course at the graduate level and I am unhappy with the textbook (Stein and Shakarchi). What I am looking for is a book that is less conversational and more to the point. Further, I am not terribly interested in applications and would rather be exposed to how Fourier Analysis fits into the broader framework of analysis.

For background, I used Baby Rudin for a one-year course in advanced calculus, I am currently taking a course from Kolmogorov and Fomin's Introductory Real Analysis and I have taken complex analysis (using Conway's text, Functions of One Complex Variable) as well as topology (using Munkres as well as Engelking) at the graduate level, but I have not yet been introduced to the Lebesgue integral.


You mentioned graduate level. So you really should first learn Lebesgue integration. (Stein and Shakarchi volume 3 is not bad, as are many of the usual suspects -- Big Rudin and Royden's book on measure theory, just to name a couple.)

Then I would recommend any/all of the following:

  • Stein and Weiss, Introduction to Fourier Analysis on Euclidean Spaces (after that you may also be interested in Stein's Singular Integrals and Differentiability Properties of Functions and Harmonic Analysis)
  • Grafakos, Classical and Modern Fourier Analysis (which has been republished in the GTM series as two separate books; you should start with the Classical Fourier Analysis volume).
  • Sogge, Fourier Integrals in Classical Analysis

For one aspect of how Fourier analysis fits into the broader framework of analysis, I also recommend studying some distribution theory, and theory of partial/pseudo/para-differential operators. Some interesting texts in that regard include:

  • Friendlander and Joschi, Introduction to the theory of distributions
  • Hörmander, Analysis of Linear Partial Differential Operators, volumes 1-4 (the first volume includes a quick "review" of the parts of Fourier analysis used; I put the word in quotes because, well, it is Hörmander...)
  • Alinhac and Gérard, Pseudo-differential Operators and the Nash-Moser Theorem (and if you read French, you should consider looking at the French original)

I can't help but recommend G. Folland's Tata notes on PDE, which are light, but not conversational/sloppy. It becomes immediately clear how Fourier transforms help.

Rudin's "Functional Analysis" treats Fourier transforms carefully, but gives the impression that he doesn't care about them very much. Not inspirational.

Hormander's volume I of his expanded PDE books is (unlike the later volumes) readable by everyone, and very useful.

The case of Fourier series in one variable is treated in a fashion meant to be down-to-earth, but also forward-looking, in my notes functions on circles, which includes discussion of Sobolev spaces and distributions on circles.


I'd like to suggest Fourier Series and Integrals by Dym and McKean. It's old, but still an excellent book. Chapters 3 and 4 show how Fourier analysis fits in with some other parts of mathematics.

From the Preface:

The level of preparation expected is a thorough knowledge of advanced calculus. To this must be added a willingness to believe in (or to study up on) the Lebesgue integral.


Here are the ones which i would recommend:

  • Fourier series by R.Bhatia. Link: http://www.maa.org/reviews/BhatiaFourierSeries.html

  • Korner, T. W. Fourier Analysis. Cambridge. 1990

The second one is very good and you can comprehend it if you are familiar with the analysis which you have mentioned. I would also like to advice you to read "A radical approach to Lebesgue theory of Integration" by D.M.Bressoud, link https://www.maa.org/EbusPPRO/DynamicSearch/ProductDetailsAdvancedSearch/tabid/176/ProductId/1498/Default.aspx this is a beautiful book to learn Measure theory

Update You might be interested to see this link: http://www.cargalmathbooks.com/#FourierAnalysis