I'm a junior undergraduate in physics & materials science. I've had half of a course in quantum mechanics taught out of Townsend's book (We've gone from beginnings of matrix mechanics to the harmonic oscillator) as well as all the other undergraduate physics courses. I'm interested in the physics of systems considered in the discipline of soft condensed matter and would like to spend my winter break learning about such things like any decent human being would. Anyways, I find that the only way I can really learn something is through self study, self study done with an extremely well written text that is. Preferably one that does not skim over derivations, includes interesting applications, comes packed with useful problems for every chapter, has little to no mistakes of any kind, is modern, and is written in such a style that anyone reading it would have to come to the conclusion that the author must be a great teacher (and a great physicist). Too much to ask? I'll bet no. Let's see what the community has to say about this.
Edit – The book I've currently been recommended is the Oxford Master Series one. Unfortunately, my university's only copy has been checked out until May of 2016. I'm hoping the inter-library loan comes through but it is the holiday season after all. Just to clarify, I'm still looking for a possibly better book.
Edit – Going to let this post sit for another day or two. At which point I'll accept an answer. 12/23/2015
Regarding the possibility of this being a repost. I've only seen a plethora of posts on condensed, but not soft condensed matter physics books. (Though if you have one that is just so good you must share it, please do so.)
Best Answer
Suggested General Reference
Principles of Condensed Matter Physics, by P. M. Chaikin & Tom Lubensky, is an excellent resource for learning soft matter physics.
It is a clear, surprisingly self-contained exposition to advanced topics in statistical physics and their applications, as well as dynamical critical phenomena, hydrodynamics, topological defects, and interface phenomena (e.g. the 'roughening transition' for solid-fluid interfaces). This is a graduate level book.
Additional general references (mainly statistical mechanics)
Entropy, Order Parameters, and Complexity, by James Sethna, is highly readable, contains many thoughtful exercises, and is free on the author's website.
Phase transitions and Renormalization Group, by Jean Zinn-Justin, gives a more concise, mathematical treatment of renormalization group methods, as well as the canonical topics of statistical field theory. This book also has many instructive examples.
Statistical Mechanics of Phase Transitions, by J. M. Yeomans, is short, but gives a great conceptual overview of theoretical techniques in the analysis of phase transitions.
The statistical mechanics textbooks by Mehran Kardar (Statistical Physics of Particles/Fields) are phenomenal. The second volume gives a comprehensive treatment of field theoretical methods, and has a nice chapter on directed polymers in random media and stochastic growth models. Both books include many interesting problems.
Polymer physics
Introduction to Path Integral Methods in Physics and Polymer Science, by F. W. Wiegel. An introduction to standard models of polymers, and path integral methods more generally. Very well written, (but lacks exercises).
Scaling Concepts in Polymer Physics, by P. G. De Gennes,
Introduction to Polymer Dynamics, also by De Gennes.