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Forrest M. Mims III made electronics easier to approach by pairing compact circuit references with clear, hand-drawn illustrations and practical projects. His books range from introductory electronics to focused collections on op-amps, digital logic, sensors, communications, solar cells, and science projects. Their enduring appeal is not one definitive circuit, but a way of seeing how circuits work and what readers can make with them.
What makes Mims’s circuit books distinctive?
The notebook pages look personal rather than typeset: diagrams and explanations are rendered by hand, with the visual feel of notes made at a workbench. Harry L. Helms, the writer and editor of Mims’s biography, describes the Radio Shack Engineer’s Notebook series as “entirely hand-lettered and hand-illustrated to re-create the look of Forrest’s own laboratory notebooks.” That style makes the books feel like approachable working references, not just collections of abstract schematics.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Getting Started in Electronics | $31.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Electronic Formulas, Symbols & Circuits | $15.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Getting Started in Electronics | $4.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Electronic Sensor Circuits & Projects, Volume III (Engineer's Mini Notebook) | $15.45 | Buy on Amazon |
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Forrest Mims Engineer's Notebook | $28.15 | Buy on Amazon |
The format also puts explanation alongside the circuit. Elsevier’s description of Engineer’s Notebook highlights hand-drawn circuit illustrations, foundational material, integrated-circuit families, substitutions, design modifications, and explanations of circuit operation. The result is a reference intended to help readers understand and adapt circuits, not merely copy a diagram.
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Mims’s circuit work appears across several related book families. The official publications list includes titles and, for many entries, publishers and publication years. These families offer different entry points rather than a single comprehensive volume.
#1 Best Overall
- This is a complete electronics course in 128 pages! Author Forrest Mims teaches you the basics, take
| Book family | What it offers | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Getting Started in Electronics | An illustrated introduction to electronics and basic circuit concepts. | Readers who want a broad starting point before choosing a specialty. |
| Engineer’s Notebook | A notebook-style circuit reference with basics, IC families, substitutions, modifications, and operating explanations, according to Elsevier’s listing. | Readers looking for a compact reference and practical circuit ideas. |
| The Forrest Mims Circuit Scrapbook | A broad selection of circuit subjects. Elsevier’s listing gives examples including comparators, audio synthesizers, data loggers, fiber-optic sensors, oscillators, and power electronics. | Readers who want varied circuit examples across multiple applications. |
| Engineer’s Mini-Notebook series | Focused notebooks covering subjects such as op-amps, digital logic, semiconductor circuits, communications, and solar cells, as reflected in Mims’s publications list. | Readers who already have a particular circuit topic in mind. |
Across the books, the range extends beyond conventional electronics exercises to sensors, science projects, and environmental projects. That breadth is part of their value: readers can move from fundamentals to circuits connected with measurement, communication, energy, and the natural world.
How to choose a Mims book
- Start with the fundamentals: Choose Getting Started in Electronics if you want a broad introduction rather than a single circuit specialty.
- Look for a working reference: Engineer’s Notebook is the closer fit if you value compact explanations, circuit illustrations, and discussion of modifications or substitutions.
- Browse across applications: The Forrest Mims Circuit Scrapbook suits readers who want to encounter varied designs, from oscillators to data loggers.
- Choose a narrow subject: Look through the Mini-Notebook titles if you already know you want material on a topic such as op-amps, digital logic, or solar cells.
These are distinctions of scope and format, not a ranking of editions. Mims’s official publications page says Getting Started in Electronics and the Mini-Notebook series are available through Amazon and Master Publishing; that page-level statement does not guarantee that a particular edition is currently in stock. For an older title or edition, confirm the publisher, year, and contents before buying.
Rank #2
- This Engineer's Mini Notebook provides a complete, basic electronics reference guide for the worksh
Why the books remain part of electronics culture
Mims’s official publications page says that Radio Shack sold “more than 1,300,000 copies” of Getting Started in Electronics; his homepage gives a different figure, “more than 1.4 million sold.” Neither page dates its figure, so they are best treated as separate statements rather than combined into an audited total. The publications page also says the book “has sold more copies than any other book about electronics.”
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Rank #3
Using vintage circuits responsibly
A printed schematic is a valuable starting point, not automatic confirmation that its exact parts or operating assumptions suit a present-day build. Component availability changes, and a proposed substitute can affect circuit behavior. Before building any specific project, check the instructions and schematic in the relevant edition, including its supply voltage, component values, and operating conditions; validate substitutions for that circuit rather than assuming a generic replacement will work.
For book titles, publication details, and the author’s stated availability information, see Forrest Mims’s publications page. The notebook-series description and sales statement appear on his biography page, while the author’s homepage provides its separate sales figure at ForrestMims.org. Elsevier’s catalogue descriptions of Forrest Mims Engineer’s Notebook and Mims Circuit Scrapbook V.I. provide further detail on their contents.
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Best Value
Rank #4
- Electronic sensor circuits convert light, temperature, sound, and other signals into a form that ca
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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