I try to keep marketing in check: I’ve been working on my latest book for more than a year but only posted about it once. At the time, the book was still going through layout and editing, so I didn’t expect many subscribers to pull the trigger. But now, I’m happy to report that the book is actually, physically here — and is lookin’ good:
Direct orders are shipping from the publisher as we speak; you can order here:
The Secret Life of Circuits is also available from Barnes & Noble and Amazon (including regional sites in Germany, France, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, United Kingdom, and Canada). That said, logistics are hard, so these orders will ship in October.
The book is the reference I wish I had when first learning the craft. It gives real answers but doesn’t demand a year of calculus beforehand. It explains how to come up with your own designs, not how to copy other people’s work. And it focuses on modern problem-solving, not on circuit archaeology.
If you’re a regular to this blog, you know my style. The Secret Life of Circuits takes a similar approach, with the added benefit of careful design and a skilled editor. It’s also pretty: it’s a premium-size, full-color hardcover with nearly 300 diagrams and illustrations crafted specifically for that occasion.
You can check out the sample chapter here, or get a sense of the approach from the following blog posts:
If you’re still on the fence, here are some endorsements from fellow enthusiasts:
“Reading this gem of a book is like exploring the component drawers at RadioShack, with an expert on hand to explain what each part does and how to design electronics with them. There is no better introduction.” — Travis Goodspeed, author of “Microcontroller Exploits”
“The Secret Life of Circuits is neither a textbook nor a trivial introduction; it’s a balanced mix of practical knowledge, math, and conceptual explanations free of clichéd analogies.” — Eric Schlaepfer, co-author of “Open Circuits”
“A complete tour of electronics from low-level physics to modern microcontrollers, along the way providing hands-on experiments and insights that make even complex topics like impedance matching and antennas feel intuitive.” — Colin O’flynn, co-author of “The Hardware Hacking Handbook”, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering
“Michal’s book bridges the dif cult chasm between theory and practice with beautiful illustrations and an easy-to-understand framing of the physics of electronics.” — Chris Gammell, co-host of “The Amp Hour”
I also have the first endorsement from Hacker News: “I looked at the sample chapter, the fonts and layout are visually repulsive.” So, you can’t go wrong.
As always, the book and the blog are: