[.ca] Schaum's Outline of Electric Circuits, Second Edition (ISBN 0070212333)

so-so:
This book's high marks comes from the chapter on circuit analysis techniques, and the chapter on op amps. The section on circuit analysis techniques like Mesh Currents, super position, and particularly the Node Voltage technique is will get you through a 1st semester Circuit Analysis course. Op Amps were always slippery to me, however, this book made them a lot clearer. I used it as a means of dusting off the cob webs that began building up a few years back. The Section on Thevenin's and Norton's Theorems cut to the chase and were effective. There are some sections however, that are weak. Like on mutual inductance, and transformers. The author just fires these formulae at you, and draws conclusions at the end of the section. There's no derivation at all. I would've liked seeing a shorter and better explained derivation of whats in the text book. Something at least to qualify the formulas. I don't know... looking through the book, it covers a lot of material i've long forgotten about like phasors, and locus diagrams, and reactance. yet somehow, I still seem not to be satisfied when i search for or read something in this book. That's why 3 stars and a so-so rating.

Good supplement:
This is book is a very good supplement for a class in introductory circuit analysis. The techniques are explained in a clear and concise manner. The examples and exercises provided are very appropriate and serve to provide a good understanding in the subject matter. My only complaints about the book are that some areas are not covered as thoroughly as I would have liked (for example, the section on Thevenin and Norton Equivalents) and that some techniques of circuit analysis were left out. However, many other things that were not clearly explained in textbooks were made comprehensible with the help of this book.

Excellent supplement:
This book is a Schaum's series book. So we can assume that it is accessible and straightforward. This is a wonderful text especially for a quick round-up of the concepts before a test or an exam. The worked examples are quite representative and mastery of the text can be gained quite easily. An excellent read. I used this as a supplement to 'Engineering Circuit Analysis' by Hayt & Kemmerly.

Excellent as Textbook:
I have thoroughly read a few introductory textbooks on electrical engineering, but none of them really comes close to Schaums Electric Circuits in terms of helpfulness or clarity. This book can be used as an independent textbook because of the clarity of the presentation and the completeness of the material. Great attention has been paid to signs and polarities in the circuits, unlike some other textbooks which are sometimes frustratingly vague about polarities in their circuit explanations. As a result, some subtle things have been clarified for me, e.g. about transformers. The solved problems are especially helpful because some of them develop the theory further. The attention to precision, as well as its helpful intuitive explanations and a good selection of problems, makes this book a best buy. After buying this book, I no longer need one or two other bestselling textbooks, whose titles I would prefer not to mention. Even now, as a full-time electrical engineer, I keep on referring to this most helpful book.

As clear as crystal.:
This book utilizes the Schaum's method, wich i personally think is one of the best: read the thory in two pages, take a look at a thousand examples, and go ahead and solve a thousand more problems... Excelent for beginers.