The sections on SU(2) for isospin and SU(3) for the Eightfold Way are particularly lucid. Tung systematically develops Young tableaux to decompose tensor products of representations—a vital skill for anyone studying quark combinations or grand unified theories (GUTs).
While there are many textbooks on the subject—ranging from the purely mathematical (Hamermesh) to the application-heavy (Greiner)—one name consistently comes up in conversations among particle physicists: . Wu-ki Tung Group Theory In Physics Pdf
This is the heart of the book. Tung explains how group elements act on vector spaces, which is crucial for understanding quantum states. The sections on SU(2) for isospin and SU(3)