Advice on Beginning Electronics Books?

I have enjoyed the recent threads talking about various electronics, but I realize that I should get a more complete understanding, so was trying to find some good beginning books on electronics at Amazon. Here are a couple I found, but wonder if you guys know if these or any others to recommend. Again, assume starting from scratch. Thanks

• Getting Started in Electronics by Forrest Mims

• Tab Electronics Guide to Understanding Electricity and Electronics by G. Randy Slone

• Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics, 4th Ed by Stan Gibilisco

• Electronics For Dummies by Gordon McComb

Have you tried free sources on the web yet? I find they are usually pretty good, even for more advanced stuff.

Here's an example: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/

Just a suggestion before plopping down money that could be used on lights instead of books.:naughty:

That's good advice.

I also have good luck learning from books for most topics....so I would also like to get a nice book or two....I enjoy sitting outside reading.

The book I learned a lot from was the classic 1st year EE text, Horowitz and Hill, The Art of Electronics. It's an introduction (assumes no special math or physics background or prior electronics knowledge), but is not for the squeemish. It's a bit out of date by now, especially the digital section.

A fun book that I give to people in my shop is Practical Electronics for Inventors by Paul Scherz. Basic introduction to the theory with no background assumed, and then gets you building things quickly. I believe a new edition is out now.


H. Caul

HCaul said:

The book I learned a lot from was the classic 1st year EE text, Horowitz and Hill, The Art of Electronics. It's an introduction (assumes no special math or physics background or prior electronics knowledge), but is not for the squeemish. It's a bit out of date by now, especially the digital section.

A fun book that I give to people in my shop is Practical Electronics for Inventors by Paul Scherz. Basic introduction to the theory with no background assumed, and then gets you building things quickly. I believe a new edition is out now.


H. Caul

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Without hesitation I would like to second The Art Of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill. To my mind this is without question the best text available to provide a comprehensive understanding of basic electronics.

Additionally, I find that this book is written in such a way that it is easy to read. Some textbooks are so dull that I find them nearly impossible to read. For a text book this is a downright page-turner (okay, maybe a bit of an exaggeration )

OK, good enough for me. Not cheap, but ordered a $45 used copy from Amazon. Thanks guys.

Years ago I wanted to learn electronics and every book I looked at went way over my head . I finally found that studying for an amateur radio license was something that started teaching electronics from scratch. And it is fun at the same time. So I recommend either Gordon West / W5YI entry level technician class study guide
http://www.w5yi.org/catalog_details.php?pid=51&sort=4

or ARRL amateur radio study guides - they also have electronics study books.

http://www.arrl.org/catalog/lm/
http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=3983

Many local ham radio clubs offer free classes. You learn basic electronics, radio and antenna theory, and communications and then you can get your very own FCC license and callsign ! Morse code is not a requirement any longer. It is a fun hobby with lots of other radio/electronic enthusiasts who love to help new people by sharing what they know. Plus a ham radio license is about the only thing you can get from the government for free !

10-4, Good Buddy....I'll catch you on the flip-flop. Oh wait that was my old CB car radio days. LOL! You had to make yourself dramatically ignorant to fit in with the truckers: "We be seeing pair of smokeys takin' pictures in brown wrappers at the 45 mile marker south bound...come back."

Got that Art of Electronics book. Ummm this is like a "Bible" or reference text, way beyond beginner level. I think I'm gonna start with one of the easier ones I linked on original thread....like Mr. Wizard presents electricity.

Well, I did warn you - not for the squeemish...

Seriously though, if you get through the first chapter, which is a bit dense, you'll know an awful lot.

Let me also repeat my recommendation for practical electronics for inventors.

H. Caul

Ditto Engineering guy. And might i suggest, if you have the time some community college classes? I have TA'd a few when I was in high school and they are a great introduction. There is also a program called NIDA, from which I learned the basics. Its is a fantastic program, but it does require a trainer and card set that is probably pretty expensive.

Classes? Nah. This is a hobby, remember?

I ordered two of the simpler level books I posted in my first post.

You "experts" really need to appreciate the level of flashlight hobbyist you are speaking to when you make your recommendations. The vast majority of CPF members would never need a Fluke DMM. We don't need to read the Bible on Electronics starting from scratch.

While I appreciate the suggestions and help, I'm pretty sure this Art of ELectronics will stay on the shelf where I just put it for the rest of my life, except an occasional lookup of something that I will probably never understand.

I'm not ever gonna do anything other than puttering around with simple electronic things....so let's see how the Dummy's guide book looks now that I ordered it.

you will like electronics for dummies, its an easy read, great for absolute beginners, and does explain alot. my next book was "electricity demystified", the first half was great. they also wrote "electronics demystified" wich is probably more suited to what you want to know. i bet you'll read electronics for dummies then go strait to the art of electronics.

moon lander said:

i bet you'll read electronics for dummies then go strait to the art of electronics.

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You are probably right. But I started reading Art of Electronics, and it is not for a total beginner who doesn't know his *** from an Ohm in the ground.

Not to cause you any more grief than I have already, but let me suggest you try one thing with Horowitz and Hill before you put it on your shelf. Just get through the first 13 pages (through sec. 1.05). Don't expect to read it like a novel. It will require several hours of real effort (probably over several days). Then do exercise 1.06 on page 7 (except for the heat part), and make sure you try to figure out how they manage to get all that power to that city (this is one of the most delightful simple and illuminating beginning electrical engineering problems I've ever encountered).

You may find this unpleasently like the worst aspects of school for a while, but it won't cause serious injury and you will learn most of the fundamentals of DC electronics in the process (and that will serve you well with the next book you go with). If by the end of these 13 pages and several hours of (serious) effort you still aren't enjoying yourself, then by all means put the book back on the shelf and go to a different source. On the other hand, you might find yourself actually enjoying the depth that this sort of book provides. But you won't know unless you give it a real chance.

H. Caul

OK, that seems like a well intentioned request...and I really do want to learn a lot more about this hobby....so I will do that over the next couple days. Thanks HC!