by Kenn Amdahl
The silly introduction to electronics that inspired all the books for Dummies and Idiots.
An off-beat introduction to the workings of electricity for people who wish Richard Brautigan and Kurt Vonnegut had teamed up to explain inductance and capacitance to them.
Despite its title, it’s not wild ranting pseudo-science to be dismissed by those with brains. Rather, Amdahl maintains that one need not understand quantum physics to grasp how electricity works in practical applications. To understand your toaster or your fax machine, it doesn’t really matter whether there are electrons or not, and it’s a lot easier and more fun to start with the toaster than with quarks and calculus.
The book is mildly weird, often funny, always clear and easy to understand. It assumes the reader doesn’t know a volt from a hole in the ground and gently leads him or her through integrated circuits, radio, oscillators and the basics of the digital revolution using examples that include green buffalo, microscopic beer parties, break-dancing chickens and naked Norwegian girls in rowboats. OK, it’s more than mildly weird.
The book has been reprinted numerous times since 1991 and has achieved minor cult status. Reviewed and praised in dozens of electronics and educational magazines, it is used as a text by major corporations, colleges, high schools, military schools and trade schools. It has been studied by education programs at colleges across the United States. This book was making wise cracks in the corner before anyone thought of designing books for dummies and idiots. In fact, the Dummies folks asked Kenn to write their very first book. Being somewhat of a dummy himself, he declined.
It may be the only “introduction to electronics books” with back cover comments by Dave Barry, Ray Bradbury, Clive Cussler, and George Garrett, as well as recomendations from Robert Hazen, Bob Mostafapour, Dr. Roger Young, Dr. Wayne Green, Scott Rundle, Brian Battles, Michelle Guido, Herb Reichert and Emil Venere.
As Monitoring Times said, “Perhaps the best electronics book ever. If you’d like to learn about basic electronics but haven’t been able to pull it off, get There Are No Electrons. Just trust us. Get the book.”
Back Cover:
Plus nearly 200 (mostly favorable) reviews on Amazon.
Hardcover version also available,$26
ISBN 978-1-7372524-0-5
Recent (2021) email exchange between Kenn and a stranger, edited for brevity, names redacted:
R…—I don’t suppose you remember corresponding with a Mr. …, from Nairobi Kenya in the early 1990s about your book “There are no electrons?” He bought a few copies and I believe you sent him a hand-written thank you letter.
Kenn —I did correspond with a guy in Nairobi who was associated with a motorcycle company…
R…—Yes, that’s the one. That person was my father … he showed me your correspondence (I was 10 – 11 at the time) and encouraged me to read the book, which I did — we had quite a few discussions about it (as much as was possible as a child). Your book sparked an interest in electronics that lead to an interest in computers, that then lead to a Bachelors and PhD at Cambridge University (UK) and running a group for 10 years looking at hardware and software working closely with DARPA to build systems that are more robust and secure. I recently left the UK (got involved with an American I want to marry) and ended up in the US where I’m doing hardware/software design for high-speed network cards (Solarflare Communications). I owe you a debt of gratitude — if you’re ever in the DC area ping me and I’ll buy you a beer or two or three.
I’m happy to know you’re around and doing well.
Note to my writer friends: This is why we write. Kenn Amdahl
Clearwater Publishing Company Inc 