/u/another_user_name posted this list a while back. Actual aerospace textbooks are towards the bottom but you'll need a working knowledge of the prereqs first.

Non-core/Pre-reqs:

Mathematics:

Calculus.

1-4) Calculus, Stewart -- This is a very common book and I felt it was ok, but there's mixed opinions about it. Try to get a cheap, used copy.

1-4) Calculus, A New Horizon, Anton -- This is highly valued by many people, but I haven't read it.

1-4) Essential Calculus With Applications, Silverman -- Dover book.

More discussion in this reddit thread.

Linear Algebra

3) Linear Algebra and Its Applications,Lay -- I had this one in school. I think it was decent.

3) Linear Algebra, Shilov -- Dover book.

Differential Equations

4) An Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations, Coddington -- Dover book, highly reviewed on Amazon.

G) Partial Differential Equations, Evans

G) Partial Differential Equations For Scientists and Engineers, Farlow

More discussion here.

Numerical Analysis

5) Numerical Analysis, Burden and Faires

Chemistry:

1. General Chemistry, Pauling is a good, low cost choice. I'm not sure what we used in school.
   
   

   Physics:
   

   
   2-4) Physics, Cutnel -- This was highly recommended, but I've not read it.
   
   

   Programming:
   

   
   

   Introductory Programming
   

   
   Programming is becoming unavoidable as an engineering skill. I think Python is a strong introductory language that's got a lot of uses in industry.
   
   

2. Learning Python, Lutz
   
   
3. Learn Python the Hard Way, Shaw -- Gaining popularity, also free online.
   
   

   Core Curriculum:
   

   
   

   Introduction:
   

   
   

4. Introduction to Flight, Anderson
   
   

   Aerodynamics:
   

   
   

5. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, Fox, Pritchard McDonald
   
   
6. Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, Anderson
   
   
7. Theory of Wing Sections, Abbot and von Doenhoff -- Dover book, but very good for what it is.
   
   
8. Aerodynamics for Engineers, Bertin and Cummings -- Didn't use this as the text (used Anderson instead) but it's got more on stuff like Vortex Lattice Methods.
   
   
9. Modern Compressible Flow: With Historical Perspective, Anderson
   
   
10. Computational Fluid Dynamics, Anderson
    
    

    Thermodynamics, Heat transfer and Propulsion:
    

    
    

11. Introduction to Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer, Cengel
    
    
12. Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion, Hill and Peterson
    
    

    Flight Mechanics, Stability and Control
    

    
    5+) Flight Stability and Automatic Control, Nelson
    
    5+)[Performance, Stability, Dynamics, and Control of Airplanes, Second Edition](http://www.amazon.com/Performance-Stability-Dynamics-Airplanes-Education/dp/1563475839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315534435&sr=8-1, Pamadi) -- I gather this is better than Nelson
    
    

13. Airplane Aerodynamics and Performance, Roskam and Lan
    
    

    Engineering Mechanics and Structures:
    

    
    3-4) Engineering Mechanics: Statics and Dynamics, Hibbeler
    
    

14. Mechanics of Materials, Hibbeler
    
    
15. Mechanical Vibrations, Rao
    
    
16. Practical Stress Analysis for Design Engineers: Design & Analysis of Aerospace Vehicle Structures, Flabel
    
    6-8) Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures, Bruhn -- A good reference, never really used it as a text.
    
    
17. An Introduction to the Finite Element Method, Reddy
    
    G) Introduction to the Mechanics of a Continuous Medium, Malvern
    
    G) Fracture Mechanics, Anderson
    
    G) Mechanics of Composite Materials, Jones
    
    

    Electrical Engineering
    

    
    

18. Electrical Engineering Principles and Applications, Hambley
    
    

    Design and Optimization
    

    
    

19. Fundamentals of Aircraft and Airship Design, Nicolai and Carinchner
    
    
20. Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, Raymer
    
    
21. Engineering Optimization: Theory and Practice, Rao
    
    

    Space Systems
    

    
    

22. Fundamentals of Astrodynamics and Applications, Vallado
    
    
23. Introduction to Space Dynamics, Thomson -- Dover book
    
    
24. Orbital Mechanics, Prussing and Conway
    
    
25. Fundamentals of Astrodynamics, Bate, Mueller and White
    
    
26. Space Mission Analysis and Design, Wertz and Larson

I haven't taken the class at my school, but I purchased this book on the recommendation of my math professor. I am really enjoying the book.


I think what I enjoy most about the author, David C. Lay, is that he provides lots of useful areas of application as well as many descriptive models. All the material is, in my opinion, fascinating.


Even if your degree program doesn't require it, which is a surprise to me, I would still take it or at least get a book and learn on your own. Linear Algebra is really eye opening, or at least it was to me. I am still learning, but I think that It would help you understand other individual branches of mathematics as well as mathematics as a whole.


EDIT: The book is not actually that expensive, you can find them way cheaper maybe I should just link to a cheaper version of the book...

For sale

STAT 215 - Engineering Statistics
>
>Textbook: Probability and Statistics for Engineering and the Sciences
>
>Authors: Devore
>
>Edition: 6
>
>ISBN-10: 0495557447
>
>ISBN-13: 9780495557449


MATH 208 - Linear Algebra I
>
>Textbook: Linear Algebra and Its Applications
>
>Authors: David C. Lay
>
>Edition: 3
>
>ISBN-10: 0321287134
>
>ISBN-13: 9780321287137

Want to buy

SP&M S 181 - Communication Theory
>
>Textbook: Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life: A Practical Introduction
>
>Authors: Dainton, Zelley
>
>Edition: 2nd
>
>ISBN-10: 141297691X
>
>ISBN-13: 9781412976916

I used Lay's book in school as well, found it pretty easy to understand, though the professor was a baller shot-caller. I agree though, sometimes it isn't straightforward enough. Good practice problems though: http://www.amazon.com/Linear-Algebra-Applications-Updated-CD-ROM/dp/0321287134/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373219520&sr=1-2&keywords=linear+algebra+and+it%27s+applications

Here's a better Linear Algebra textbook (assuming that course is the context): http://www.amazon.com/Linear-Algebra-Applications-Updated-CD-ROM/dp/0321287134