Book List

Technical Library

  • NFPA 70:  National Electrical Code.  Always have the most current versions of the code book as well as the handbook.
  • Soares Book on Grounding, 10th Ed., published by IAEI.  An excellent book on grounding and bonding in accordance with the NEC.
  • Electrical Motor Controls for Integrated Systems, 4th Ed., by Gary Rockis and Glen A. Mazur.  The industrial controls book which is packed with the most knowledge I have ever seen.  I have both companion workbooks, one is a standard workbook while the other is an applications workbook.  See go2atp.com for more information.
  • Motors, published by American Technical Publishers.  An almost comprehensive book on motors – all you wanted to know but were afraid to ask, and more.
  • Benfield Conduit Bending Manual, by Jack Benfield.  Highly recommended for beginning bending as it covers all of the basics in a manner which can be used immediately on the job.  It is how I learned the basics of bending, and I still reference the book today (it stays in my tool bag).
  • Electricians Guide to Conduit Bending, 2nd Ed., by Richard A. Cox.  An excellent conduit bending manual which explains the math and the “why” behind the bending and also shares some tricks for more advanced situations and techniques.
  • UGLY’s Electrical References.  A great on-the-job reference book.
  • Doctor Watts Shirt-Pocket Electrical Guide.  Another great on-the-job reference book.
  • EC&M Magazine.  This is my main source for news, new products, and the latest electrical knowledge for the electrical industry.

*** more to come ***

Reading for Pleasure

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After I was transferred to a job site that was on the other side of the city, I found myself commuting for upwards of two hours or more a day, depending on school and traffic.  Not wanting to waste that much time, I began listening to audio books.  Below is a list of these books along with some of the other books which I have read.

Non-Fiction

  • Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different, by Gordon S. Wood.  Read March 2011.  So good I read it twice.  Learning about the character of the founders of the United States of America along with the culture that assisted to produce them and why they were unique has been very enjoyable.  This is not a history nor strictly a biography but a presentation of people.  One of the best parts is the final chapter which contrasts the founders to Aaron Burr, presented as their antithesis.
  • StrengthsFinder 2.0, by Tom Rath, and Strengths Based Leadership, by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie.  Read December 2010.  See this post for more information.
  • The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, translated by Ralph D. Sawyer.  Read November 2010.  Perhaps one of the most quoted books in business literature, I wanted to see what it was about.  Was it over-hyped?  Was it a tool a person used to rationalize unethical behavior?  Was it only for cut-throat business people?  Thankfully, no.    It contains solid knowledge and wisdom applicable to anyone, especially those in leadership positions, not just for military, but for all people.  It is so short but it contains so much information that I read it multiple times working to internalize the key points.  It will become a permanent addition to my library.
  • The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All For the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II, by Gregory A. Freeman.  Read August 2010.  One of the most amazing stories I have ever read.  Though the actual writing was a bit rough, the story itself would make an incredible movie – it has everything.  So many close-calls and almost unbelievable events fill this story.  It also details the sad tale of one of the greatest betrayals by our country (and others) of one man without whom the rescue attempt would never have been possible.
  • Iwo Jima: World War II Veterans Remember the Greatest Battle of the Pacific, by Larry Smith.  Read August 2010.  A brutal, brutal fight in which each side slaughtered the other.  Sad and inspirational personal accounts from several of our warriors who fought in the battle.
  • The Pacific, by Hugh Ambrose, the companion book to the HBO mini-series.  Read July 2010.  The book follows the stories of Austin “Shifty” Shofner, “Manila John” Basilone, Vernon “Mike” Micheel, Sidney Phillips, and Eugene Sledge in the pacific theatre of WWII.  Shofner’s story was the most interesting to me, though all of them were amazing in their own ways.
  • Intrepid:  The Epic Story of America’s Most Legendary Warship, by Bill White and Robert Gandt.  Read June 2010.  Best point after the parts covering its WWII service was learning about Zachary Fisher, one of the greatest philanthropists who served and whose legacy still serves the members of the United States armed forces and their families.
  • The Training Ground:  Grant, Lee, Sherman, and Davis in the Mexican War, 1846 – 1848, by Martin Dugard.  Read June 2010.  I enjoyed seeing the great lengths to which men went and the lessons they learned from the war.

Fiction

  • The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  Read September 2011.  A very good children’s story.
  • The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane.  Read August 2011.
  • Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain.  Read January 2011.  A generally enjoyable story of a quick-witted boy and his adventures down the Mississippi River.
  • Animal Farm, by George Orwell.  Read December 2010.  An allegory that reminded me of the Russian revolution and the period following.  It is a simple and well-told story of power abused for selfish purposes.
  • The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Read December 2010.  A sad story that shows consequences for so many human failings.  Chiefly this story caused me to think about the future vision of myself and will hopefully always remind me to make sure that my energies are spent working towards ends which are good and worth-while.
  • To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.  Read November 2010.  The best part was reading about Atticus Finch.  A fictional hero to some lawyers, to me he is an example of a well balanced person and parent who is the same in his home as he is in public.  Definitely the type of person to whom I ascribe to be.
  • The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck.  Read October 2010.  The very odd ending not withstanding, the journey through the story of the Joad family and their travails as their family broke-up and changed when their way of life changed was enjoyable to read.  It made me quite thankful for what I have.
  • Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell.  Read September 2010.  A dark, well-written (especially part 3) and thought-provoking story that follows an individual through part of his life in a dystopia/utopia (depending on how you see it).  It was nice to learn the broader meanings and origins of phrases used today, such as “Big Brother is Watching.”
  • Moby Dick, by Herman Melville.  Read July 2010.  A beautifully written narrative that was much more enjoyable than I had suspected it would be.  Even the ending was more moving than I thought it would be, even when I knew part of the ending due its oft usage  in similie and metaphor in popular media.  This was my first American classic that I chose to read as it is one of the oldest.  It was well worth it.

About the Author

Ross Finch is a journeyman electrician with Denver-based electrical contractor Encore Electric. He is a graduate of Red Rocks Community College, holding AAS Commercial Electrician and AAS Maintenance Electrician degrees, and has completed the electrical apprenticeship training program at the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Independent Electrical Contractors. He presently assist-teaches in the electrical program at RRCC. See more information on the About page.