[gms]

The book 'Calculus' by Michael Spivak.

In the same way that SICP transforms you from a high-schooler into a wise adult when it comes to programming, so too does Calculus when it comes to maths. If you find the book to be heavy going, then read whatever preliminary material you need, and go back to it.

Edit: I should also stress that maths requires a fair amount of discipline (a lot more than programming), so it's really hard to study maths while also having a day job.

[whacked_new]

Have you ever seen one of those REA problem solvers books? They are thick books full of problems and solutions (and explanations) and are organized from beginner to advanced.

Do you think this would lead to a more solid foundation (from less frustration), for self studying, than reading from a thorough but dense text? I don't know Spivak's Calculus, but some reviewers on Amazon compare it to Apostol, which I found so abstract, and so unpractical, that I promptly forgot everything. It is now on my to-read list, but like you said, I won't be starting until I can dedicate myself to studying it, and now that I have seen the REA book, I wonder if it would be better to work on that book, as a refresher and foundation builder.

Oh yeah, dwaters, if you happen to be interested in Apostol, and want a study buddy, I nominate me.

[rsheridan6]

Seconded. Spivak is ideal for self-study because there is an answer book for it. I tried Apostol first, and, although it's a good book, I had no idea if I was doing the exercises right because I didn't know what a proof was supposed to look like.