Customers say
Customers find the book’s photography amazing and detailed, with wonderful photos of an array of components, cables, and retro tech. They appreciate the good explanations for each subject and the detailed descriptions that help understand electronic components. The book is described as an easy read with just the right amount of text, making it a joy to read with their children. Many customers consider it a great gift for those interested in computers, electronics, electrical engineering, or technology in general.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Open Circuits is a photographic exploration of the beautiful design inside everyday electronics. Its stunning cross-section photography unlocks a hidden world full of elegance, subtle complexity, and wonder.
Our phones, computers, and appliances are made of hundreds of internal components, each precisely engineered to perform a certain function, but none intended to actually be seen. Through painstakingly executed, vividly detailed cross-section photography, Open Circuits reveals the surprising—and often accidental—beauty hiding inside the electronic components that drive our everyday devices.
From resistors to LEDs, USB cables to headphone jacks, stepper motors to nixie tubes, the book’s arresting imagery transforms more than 130 components into delightful works of art. As you visually dissect the components’ insides, you’ll learn about how they work and how they were made. Open Circuits has something for everyone to appreciate, whether you’re a seasoned electrical engineer, an amateur tinkerer, or simply a lover of art and photography.
From the Publisher
‘Aesthetic and informational’
“Anyone interested in electronics and/or macrophotography will enjoy this book from both an aesthetic and informational standpoint. . . . It’s truly a technological and photographic masterpiece.”
—Jeremy Cook, Embedded Computing Design
‘Unlocks a hidden world’
“Its stunning cross-section photography unlocks a hidden world full of elegance, subtle complexity, and wonder. . . . Open Circuits has something for everyone to appreciate, whether you’re a seasoned electrical engineer, an amateur tinkerer, or simply a lover of art and photography.”
—Lee Goldberg, Electronic Design
‘A fascinating journey’
“This book made me fall in love with electronics all over again . . . Part history book, part coffee-table book, and part journey into the inner lives of the electronics, [Open Circuits] is a fascinating journey through the history of electronics.”
—Haje Jan Kamps, TechCrunch
About the Authors
Eric Schlaepfer runs the popular engineering Twitter account @TubeTimeUS, where he posts cross section photos, discusses retrocomputing and reverse engineering, and investigates engineering accidents. Some of his better-known projects include the MOnSter 6502 (the world’s largest 6502 microprocessor, made out of individual transistors) and the Snark Barker (a retro recreation of the famous Sound Blaster sound card).
Windell H. Oskay is the co-founder of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, where he designs robots. A longtime photographer, he holds a B.A. in Physics and Mathematics from Lake Forest College and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of The Annotated Build-It-Yourself Science Laboratory.
About the Publisher
No Starch Press has published the finest in geek entertainment since 1994, creating both timely and timeless titles like Python Crash Course, Python for Kids, How Linux Works, and Hacking: The Art of Exploitation. An independent, San Francisco-based publishing company, No Starch Press focuses on a curated list of well-crafted books that make a difference. They publish on many topics, including computer programming, cybersecurity, operating systems, and LEGO. The titles have personality, the authors are passionate experts, and all the content goes through extensive editorial and technical reviews. Long known for its fun, fearless approach to technology, No Starch Press has earned wide support from STEM enthusiasts worldwide.
Publisher : No Starch Press; Combined edition (November 1, 2022)
Language : English
Hardcover : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1718502346
ISBN-13 : 978-1718502345
Lexile measure : 1220L
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 8.31 x 0.87 x 10.31 inches
by Joseph Norby
Great book for young learners
One of my employees had recently bought this book. After flipping through the pages I knew this was a right fit for my young teenager. Easy to read pages and short write-ups on how electrical components work and good closeup photography of them too. Great read.
by “makfu”
Beautiful and fascinating
As somebody who does my own electronics repair and vintage computer restoration, Iâm often looking at many of these components from the PCB side, with an understanding of what they do, but no idea what they actually look like inside. Seeing these components and devices from the inside, really drives home the genius of their invention, engineering and manufacturing. This book is a must-have for anyone interested in computers, electronics, electrical engineering, or just technology in general.
by Customer X
Absolutely great book, love it! Amazon packing should not mix books with food goods…
Have absolutely enjoyed this book, the authors did a excellent job with the photos and details. Thank you to the YouTube channel CuriousMarc for making a video on it!!As a kid I had a rocks and Minerals book and I would sit for hours and reading through it, looking at all the close up pictures. I’d , mentally take journeys to the rocks native location and imagining how they were created over time, the chemical composition and bonds that formed the shapes and absolutely enjoyed those adventures over TV.Fast forward and now I have a new book that fits more into my other hobby, Electronics. The book shows clear and detailed explanations with pictures of components I have used many times over the years, even the older versions. The cut away view of each component shows the internal connections or materials and how they are made is really fascinating to see. The pictures even show the inner workings of some of the more advances yet common components used in every day electronics. Well worth the read. For sure to offer a young person that final spark to make a choice into a long term career path. Would recommend getting one for a office waiting room, a coffee table as a conversation piece, or one just to have in that how does it work collection of books. So happy I purchased this book.My cats even like to curl up and read the book with me but I suspect it’s for other reasons… Amazon packed the book to me un-wrapped and without a protective bag in a box with two 15lbs bags of cat food. By the time I received the order the book corners had ripped open one of the bags of cat food and the food was smashed all over the box leaving a oil residue on the book. Luckily the oil was thin and wiped off the face of the book relatively easily. The corners of the book received some rounding and have minor damage but nothing that regular use over time would also produce.I guess this was a happy little accident as now my cats are always sitting on my lap reading with me, waiting for me to leave the book un attended… as it does smell like a giant bag of cat food…
by Peter S.
Very neat book
Even if you are not into electronics or interested in repair, this book has pictures of the insides of parts that we use in our devices every day. It goes from simple basic components to much more complicated as you progress through. Really well put together. I look at the pictures with my little one.
by hanschang
Beautiful photo
Beautiful photo
by Tony
Awesome book!
The photographs and the associated descriptions of the electronic components featured in this book are amazing.A must have for any electronics hobbyist interested in seeing what is inside and what makes up the components we use everyday.
by Allen
Good Book, Good Pictures
The construction of the book and quality of the print is good.Very detailed macro photos and good explanations for each subject.
by Bishop
Excellent for beginners!
TLDR; Detailed pictures, Wide range of components, easy to understand The pictures are clear and large enough to see very small details. It includes many different types of the same component. For example film resistor, surface mount resistor, thick film resistor array.The chapters span across passive components, semiconductors, electromechanics, cables and connectors, and retro technology. The explanation of each component easy to understand. Some components have a graph with lines pointing to each part.
by Sebastián López
Un fascinante libro para personas interesadas en la electrónica. Además, tiene material de muy buena calidad.
by Dr T
The photography in this book is amazing. The writing is easy for all ages to understand. I can’t put this book down, my kids are interested as well. A must for any electronics enthusiast or makes for a a great coffee table book.
by ahmet onur demirel
When you first check at the book it shows you immediately the details and background work. Every little box and plastic cubes in the circuits and electronics have some ingenious architecture. You should have this books especially into electronics.
by Cliente Amazon
Worth buying
by Stryker
Si te gusta la electrónica o simplemente quieres saber mas de como funciona cada componente es genial las ilustraciones son muy buenas, lo malo que solo esta en Ingles.