John Rider has produced one of the funniest and most thorough books ever writtenon the way vacuum tubes function. His first chapter on the electron is virtually a comicbook. Fresh out of the U.S. Army in 1945, he wrote and published an impressive arrayof books on electronics and established his John F. Rider publishing company, whichbecame a distinguished source of technical books for many years after.After giving the reader a clear understanding of what electrons are and how theybehave, he goes on to the topics of emission, the action within vacuum tubes, howthese emissions of electrons move, space charges and current, and in Chapter 5, thecharacteristics of tubes. Next Rider takes up the diode, followed by three chapters onthe triode generally, triodes static, and triodes dynamic. He then moves tothe dynamic transfer characteristics, voltage amplification followed by tetrode andpentode tubes. The book's final three chapters deal with cathode circuits, poweramplifiers, and a variety of tube types. A generous appendix includes platevoltage/plate current curves and letter symbol meanings.The great thing about this book is its conversational style. Rider is a good teacher andhas doubtless communicated his knowledge to many in the huge classes of studentsof electronics, which were conducted in the armed services during World War II. Thereader has the feeling that he is part of a one-on-one discussion of a powerfullyfascinating study of this submicroscopic world of electron action. Rider brings boundlessenthusiasm to his task. His mastery of analogies common to most ordinarymortals to explain how tubes do their work is a vital key to his success as a teacher/communicator.The book is lavishly illustrated throughout by clever drawings from a talented artist,Baxter Rowe. Unfortunately three "3-D" drawings, viewable by use of dual-color cardboardframed cellophane glasses had to be omitted from this reprint, along with theglasses themselves, which were part of the original volume.Rider's book will be a valuable learning and resource tool for anyone who wishes tobe proficient in the use of vacuum tube electronics.