
Ask HN: Books to read on electricity - nikmobi
Hi HN, I spend a lot of time playing with circuits, MCU&#x27;s, etc, but still feel like I lack the most basic fundamentals on how electricity works in general. Can anyone recommend any books that wouldn&#x27;t be unreadable for someone without an EE or physics degree?
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greenyoda
Some suggestions were posted here a few days ago:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12264359](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12264359)

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nikmobi
Thanks a lot for the link! That thread seems a bit more geared towards design
and high level projects.

To clarify, I've worked on a enough projects (hobby and professionally) to be
able to get the job done (calculating resistance when needed etc), but want to
gain a lower level understandings of electricity itself.

E.g. alternating current/negative voltages still seems really odd to me, which
tells me I'm lacking fundamental knowledge. Hopefully this clarifies what I'm
asking for, and thanks again for the link!

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lovelearning
I think these 2 favorites of mine will help you:

\- Tony Kuphaldt's books:
[http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/](http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/)
and related forum
[http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/](http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/)

\- "Practical Electronics for Inventors" by Paul Scherz

Both books start at explain-like-I'm-5 level and build up the narrative from
there. The forum too is a great resource; lots of questions and good answers
on fundamentals just like yours.

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nikmobi
I will check these out! Thanks a lot I really appreciate it.

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irremediable
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Stan Gibilisco's Teach Yourself Electricity
and Electronics. It got me into electronics as a curious teenager, and helped
get me through the EE part of my undergrad degree.

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yetanotheracc
Edward Purcell, Electricity and Magnetism, it is a standard lower division
undergraduate textbook. The only prerequisites are basic calculus and some
mechanics.

