I know there are many questions related to linear algebra, but the textbook I'm using is not that widely used as other books, I guess.
My university uses 'Finite-Dimensional Linear Algebra' by Mark S.Gockenbach. This book is actually quite good but has several defects.
1. When you learn several new concepts, it's useful to derive many useful consequences from them. But this book doesn't mention some of them. They are not critical to the development of linear algebraic structure, but very useful when you have to quickly determine certain properties. I had to spend tons of time discovering(and proving) all those useful gadgets. In some cases I think I actually have done better than the author with the logical framework.
2. All I need is the fundamental mathematical foundation, not application. He puts those applications too often, which is distracting. I can do those applications in other classes such as numerical analysis.
3. (minor) The font is too big! And the book is not strong, I mean the book got torn apart due to its weight, especially the front cover... within a week! Embarassing.
I've searched this book on this forum and Amazon but couldn't find useful information. I'm now studying abstract algebra, analysis, algebraic combinatorics and so on. So I'm thinking buying a more challenging book would be great. But I've only learned the first half of this book (up to Jordan Canonical form: the book didn't do a great job here) so should I just buy another book just as difficult as this book? If so, what would be adequate at my level? I always love challenge so if possible I want to buy a harder one!
Thanks as always.
Many years ago I learned Linear Algebra from an Italian textbook that I can't, for obvious reasons, suggest to you. When I grew up as a mathematician, I collected many books in linear algebra. One of my favorite textbooks remains that written by Serge Lang. I used it for a course and I was rather satisfied by its quality. It provides the reader with a strong theoretical background, it doesn't focus on "practical" applications, and it covers almost every topic in basic linear algebra.
Another powerful but difficult book is Greub's Linear algebra. It is a very rigorous book under fairly general algebraic assumptions. It does not deal, as far as I remember, with matrix calculus and "undergraduate" topics, but many proofs carry over to infinite-dimensional vector spaces.