Not many disciplines can c1aim the richness of creative ideas that make up the subject of analytical mechanics. This is not surprising since the beginnings of analyti- cal mechanics mark also the beginnings of the theoretical treatment of other physical sciences, and contributors to analytical mechanics have been many, inc1uding the most brilliant mathematicians and theoreticians in the history of mankind. As the foundation for theoretical physics and the associated branches of the engineering sciences, an adequate command of analytical mechanics is an essential tool for any engineer,...