[TA Forbes]

I lucked out and got a hold of a Navy Basic Electronics Course (circa 1960s) many yeas ago. It provided me with some solid basic info to base all of my later self-taught knowledge.

Agree that there is some bad references out there.. For someone who is beginning to learn electronics this can be at best misleading and at worst a good way to get hurt.

With all the stuff out there today, I'm not sure what to recommend to a beginner. But it should be something akin to the multi-volume basic electronics course that I learned from. Since we work on some pretty dated equipment, I do not think it is a bad idea to get an older QUALITY set of references.

For those of you that are like me, a self taught "technician," (and I use that term loosely and with the greatest respect for you real-deal techs out there), I recommend the following:
1. Practical Radio by Moyer and Wostrel, 1926.
This book is good at helping or reminding you of the basics. It is a
SUPER reference for understanding how the older sets work,
including Renenerative, TRF, Neutrodyne, early Super-hets, and
Browning-Drake circuitry.

2. The Radio Handbook, published by Editors and Engineers Ltd.
(I have the 15th edition, publ in 1959)
This is truly one of the best reference books out there. The first
chapter of my edition is "Introduction to Radio," followed by "Direct
Current Circuits," and "Alternating Curent Circuits."
Thirty-Four chapters later you are instructed on constructing
radio and test equipment.

3. RCA Receiving Tube Manual
Great info about tube characteristics and usage in the pages before
you get into the individual tubes. This is where I got a good handle
on what "mutual conductance" was.

4. Elements of Radio Sevicing by Ghirardi. 1938
VERY good, very detailed info pertinent to sets many of us work on

5. Old Time RADIOS! by Carr, 1991
Another good reference, sometimes he assumes that you are
smarter than you are (read-- me).

6. Practical Radio Repair, by Bintliff, 2009, vol 1 and 2
Walks you through troubleshooting, also other interesting info on
test equipment and different fixtures you can make yourself.

ALSO: There are books out there by Al Corbin and others that I have heard are VERY good......