Art of Electronics

I have had this book for close to 20 years (2nd Edition) and to this day I still use it as a reference, but it is becoming a bit dated. I have learned there is now a 3rd edition which I assume brings the book more in line with newer technology. Has anyone read the latest edition? If so would you care to share your thoughts on its content and are the updates useful enough to justify the purchase? According to EEVBlog there are a lot of counterfeit books going around on the internet, and these books fall apart, and even have gross errors. So if you find this book on Ebay for cheap, chances are it is a fake so don't buy. EEVblog recommends making the purchase from a reputable source. On a side note: For people that never read this book, I highly recommend you get a copy, even the 2nd ed. has relevant material for things like transistors, fets and op-amps. Where the book becomes outdated is on the discussion of micro computers and some of the digital. I bet the 2nd ed is real cheap now that the 3rd is out. Oh and there is a companion work book that can also be purchased separately.

I have the first (might be second) and the 3rd edition, the third is bigger by a good margin. They have made the pages slightly bigger and slightly thinner in order to keep the book a reasonable size, there are a number of errors but these have been put on a web page. Its slightly less friendly than the other editions, its not as 'matey' and seems slightly more serious. The other editions I always thought of as suitable for clever beginners, the third is more like 1st year uni level.

Its a good book packed with information and a real pleasure to read, although I have the black cover version (not sure version) I am glad I also have the 3rd, personally I think it has more than enough extra info and is done in a different enough way to be worth getting, even if you have another edition.

Somewhere I have posted a link to the website with the corrections on

Little Ghostman said:

the third is more like 1st year uni level.

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I had not realized you been to a University yet. Good for you

Mikebits said:

I had not realized you been to a University yet. Good for you

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I havnt, but I often buy first year uni books second hand from the uni book shop. This book seems about the same level to me.

Little Ghostman said:

I havnt, but I often buy first year uni books second hand from the uni book shop. This book seems about the same level to me.

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Gotcha, I hope you plan on going to Uni, you have the mind for it

Mikebits said:

Gotcha, I hope you plan on going to Uni, you have the mind for it

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I have been offered a place two years early, but not sure if I will take it at easter or wait until September when I will be 16 (another 5 years and I am old!).

Mike I forgot, have a look on Amazon a while back I posted a link for cheap copies of the third, it said slight damage to book, I got mine like this and the damage isnt visible without a microscope. I paid around £12 (cant remember) for mine as a damaged copy and its good as new and came with the box, well worth getting if you are not a complete noob, if you are a noob (I know your not) then I would recommend holding off on getting it especially if your paying full price.

I have the black soft cover version from around early Eighties ....best training I ever had.